Thanks to Michael Barone, whose excellent US News.com blog is a model for dinosaur MSM journalists who are still stuck in the 20th century, you can listen to an hour-long discussion President Bush had with eight conservative columnists. It’s a terrific public service to post the entire on-the-record conversation. More mainstream media outlets should do this.

In addition to Barone, the attendees were Tony Blankley of the Washington Times, Daniel Henninger of the Wall Street Journal, Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post, Lawrence Kudlow of CNBC, Kathleen Parker of the Orlando Sentinel, Mark Steyn of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Byron York of National Review. Listen to the whole thing. It gets contentious and interesting about two-thirds of the way into the meeting on Iraq and immigration.

Barone’s impression:

Bush is certainly grayer than he was when he took office, and though he is still obviously in fine shape for a man of 60, he, like Bill Clinton, has visibly aged in his years as president. I found him energetic, focused, articulate, and in command of his thoughts, and I think you will too if you listen to the audio. He said, after the interview was over, that he was happy and contented in his work, and there was no note of distress in his voice. But even as he is under heavy attack in this campaign season and his job approval sags below 40 percent, he seems to take solace and gain strength from taking a long view. He began the interview by looking ahead to what the Middle East will be in 25 years–and arguing that it will be in better shape than it might be because of what we are doing now.

By the way: Bush met the last question–about the possibility of impeached federal judge Rep. Alcee Hastings chairing the House intelligence committee–with dead silence. Several of the columnists are heard murmuring: “It’s not gonna happen.”

Let’s make sure it doesn’t.

***

While the president chatted with friendlies, Rove took on NPR.