I passed Mitch Berg on the streets of St. Paul an hour or so ago which prompted me to write a long-overdue post in praise of the NARN ringleader.

I have long maintained that the blogosphere is very much a caste system wherein there are rigid strata that are difficult, but not impossible, to break.  Few could fail to acknowledge that bigger blogs, like any media titan, jealously guard their traffic.  While linking for accuracy is the currency of the ’sphere, few outside of the likes of Hugh Hewitt, Glenn Reynolds and a handful of others can be said to be truely effusive with their praise of small(er) fry.

Few, that is, with the notable exception of Mitch Berg. 

Now Mitch doesn’t (yet) garner the traffic of a Hewitt or Reynolds, but his well-read blog, combined with his presence on the premier local conservative radio station, makes him a consequential media presence in this town among conservatives actively engaged in the public policy debate.

For the past several years, Mitch has generously found ways to to shine a light on the best blogging in town.  Occassionally — in his estimation — that has included KvM/TvM.  His election eve post that “…Kennedy vs. The Machine was one of the most important things to happen in the blogosphere in the last two years” was a soothing balm to this battle-weary blogger scarcely 24 hours before the impending doom we sensed was coming. 

More recently, since we morphed into more of a general-interest conservative blog intent on chronicling (among other things) the waning vital signs of Western Civilization, Mitch still finds time for a kind word. 

Thanks, Mitch.  Your liberality — properly understood — is your hallmark.