Congressman John Campbell

THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE: JOHN CAMPBELL ON THE AIR- The Daily Pilot

Rep. John Campbell may be used to fielding tough interviews, but the tables were turned yesterday when he took the reins of the Hugh Hewitt Show on behalf of its absent host.

Campbell, who was a guest on Hewitt’s first episode, said he was looking forward to hosting the show for a third time. He broadcast the show from the Heritage Foundation’s studio in Washington, D.C.

“I enjoy doing it, and it gives me an opportunity to give my opinions on things in a format that’s longer than a sound bite,” he said. “So, I am pretty excited for this.”

Campbell’s guests for the three-hour broadcast — aired locally on KTIE-AM (590) and KRLA-AM (870) — included Republicans Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, and Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona.

“I’ve managed to get a lot of guests — particularly because I’m doing it from DC,” he said. “I just kind of wanted to mix it up and have a diverse group of people to talk about a diverse group of issues.”

And talk they did — issues included conservative concerns about presidential contender John McCain and the state of the 1994 Republican Revolution. Those interested in hearing the discussion can find an electronic recording on Hewitt’s blog.