Thanks for the insights and opinions, gang.

I ran across the following while Googling around the topic and found it instructive, a 1998 interview in "Current" magazine: http://www.current.org/people/p809e1.html

It's a bit of a puff piece, but I think it reinforces Not-Fan GUEST's comments about Edwards being well-adapted to his environment, along with the soothing-dependable-voice-in-the-morning aspect of his presentation. Also makes me want to read the NYTimes piece by the Pacifica News guy, Greil Marcus, they refer to.

My disclaimer: I'm addicted to ME rather like I am to my morning espresso. That is, I recognize it as an addiction but consider it fairly benign. I dislike seeing folks I listen to getting disrespected by their bosses - which seems to be what's happening with Edwards - but I don't have any special insight into what's going on at NPR, and I figure it's simply corporateness as usual.

So, did Juan Williams get similarly maneuvered out of "Talk of the Nation" a couple of years ago? (...since we're doing the dish here) I thought he was wonderful. Now he does rather ditsy interviews with high-profile newsmakers. A far cry from "Eyes on the Prize" IMO.