What was your first job as a journalist?
Opinion Contributor at The Hill.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I remember the pre-word processing era and have used manual, electronic, and electronic typewriters with daisy wheel printers!
How is social media changing news?
Customizing and delivering news to your social media feed ay be convenient but is contributing to an echo chamber information loop.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Clark Kent for obvious reasons.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Delivering hard and tough facts to your reader, and making the difference between journalism and opinion clear.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Call me any time!
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Surface Book (2nd gen). It's both a workhorse and a showhorse.
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn for work, Instagram for family. Never the two shall meet.
Who do you wish followed you?
Andy McCarthy of National Review.
Why did you become a journalist?
I moved to Washington DC to stop just reading the news but be part of the public policy debate.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper, The Mt. Sinai Trailblazer (1990-92). Mt. Sinai Senior High School. NY.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Over 200 tv hits covering the legal ups and downs of the Trump Administration, and we still have a year to go!
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Work harder than everyone else, and if you find yourself losing your way get back on track.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time (Eastern time zone).
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Anything that requires on-air commentary with less than 15 minutes' notice is bound to come out a gem!
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I've been asked to read and comment on a 50+ page legal opinion just 10 minutes before going on air. Not easy!
What's your favorite drink?
Old Fashioned.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In front of a camera.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Economist.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I only talk legal.
