HotAir’s Ed Morrissey is one of the most popular conservative bloggers in America.  In 2010, for example, he won the Conservative Political Action Conference’s (CPAC) “Blogger of The Year Award”.

I thought it would be fun to ask Ed some quick questions about life and blogging.  Among the things I learned was that — despite being a libertarian-leaning conservative and an avid classic rock fan — he has never used drugs.  Enjoy …

1. HotAir was recently purchased by Salem Radio Network.  What changes have there been?

Operationally, none at all.  My daily process is exactly the same, and the level of editorial control exactly the same as well.   The Salem team has been fantastic, but I still miss Michelle [Malkin] as a boss.  She’s wonderfully sweet to us, totally supportive, and that hasn’t changed at all either since the sale.  Of course, we’re all praying for her family during this crisis and hope her cousin Marizela Perez can be found soon and safe.   Be sure to go to FindMarizela.com to help out.

2. Which of your fellow bloggers do you most admire?

Who doesn’t admire Matt Lewis?  😉  Again, there are so many that I hesitate to name them, but Michelle Malkin of course, and Hugh Hewitt come to mind.  Glenn Reynolds is not just indispensable but a real gentleman.  Rob Neppell, who keeps a lower profile these days, has been a quiet force in the blogosphere and then grassroots politics.  Scott Johnson of Power Line for his moral and ethical strength.  Right now I’d also add Lee Stranahan, a liberal who has a real sense of ethics and responsibility and is taking a bit of a beating for it.  Plenty of others.

3. Does living in Minnesota give you an advantage or a disadvantage, compared to living in, say, New York or Washington?

I think it’s a wash, really.  Being out of the Beltway gives me a different perspective than that of an insider, but being outside the Beltway makes it harder to cultivate sources and network.

4. Favorite rock band? Tough; I like so many — Boston, Queen, Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynrd.  My favorite band from the last few years is probably the Cowboy Junkies, more blues/country than rock.

5. Classic rock.  So there is a wild side of you…  What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I’m not sure that after more than seven years of blogging that I have any surprises left.  It might surprise people to know that I’ve never once tried an illicit drug, given my general support for marijuana legalization.

6.  Hmm.  I’m sure Mrs. Morrissey would approve.  Speaking of which, tell me about Mrs. Morrissey …

Marcia is the light of my life!  I knew Marcia for a few years before we started seriously dating; we went from being close friends to spouses.  She’s now writing about faith and spirituality at Patheos.com in a weekly column called Guided Sight, a take off on her blindness.

7.  What do you love most about your job?

I love having something to say, having a platform to say it, and getting paid to do it.  I love the act of writing, the fun of publication.  Pretty much all of it.