Blog-fighting in our Time

Do those Slate dialogues leave you panting for more? Are you mad for opinion-mag weblogging, and the sight of liberal hawks debating conservative hawks? Then check out Opinion Duel, where The New Republic dukes it out with the National Review. Today's death-match: TNR's Jonathan Chait vs. NR's Ramesh Ponnuru. Excerpts:

CHAIT: I'm genuinely excited to be taking part in this project. I've long believed that our political discourse needs more places where liberals and conservatives can engage each other without merely preaching to the choir. We've found a perfect partner in the staff of National Review ? by far the smartest, most honest, best-written conservative magazine published today. (Trust me, that's not just a sop–my colleagues can attest I've been saying that around the office for a while.) [?]

PONNURU: Thanks for the kind words. I suppose I will now have to reciprocate by saying that The New Republic is the smartest and most interesting liberal magazine in America and that you are one of its best writers. But since these compliments are true, I don't mind delivering them.