At some point, you’ve probably agreed with Arianna Huffington; it really just depends on when you started listening. At one point, the blogger du jour (The Huffington Post) and cable pundit was a champion of Ronald Reagan and a major fundraiser for the Republican party. But over the last decade, Huffington has evolved into a self-proclaimed “left-wing populist” and staunch critic of the Bush administration—traits well on display in her latest book, “Right is Wrong.” Don’t like her new message? Feel free to argue when she comes to the Union Square Barnes & Noble on April 30.

You’ve made a huge impact with your blog and in your personal appearances. So why do something as old-fashioned as a book?
There’s something about concentrating all the arguments between hard covers. You can go on at length in a way you can’t in the blogosphere or on TV. It’s…hold on [pages ruffling]…388 pages to develop an argument.

You don’t seem to be a big fan of the mainstream media at this point.
It’s amazing how much the role of the media has been hijacked by the right, which I think we saw reinforced by the recent debate on ABC. The messages of the right-wing media have been completely adopted by the mainstream. And you can’t get more mainstream than George Stephanopoulos and Charles Gibson. The whole debate became about lapel pins and patriotism, not issues.

What was the most surprising thing you discovered as you put your research together?
Two things shocked me: the media, which insists there are “two sides to every story,” when there’s only one. Look at Iraq, global warming, or really any big issue. It’s harder for the public to have a clear idea if this is the way things are reported. For example: we keep hearing progress is a “mixed bag” in Iraq. That’s like if you go to a doctor and they diagnose you with a brain tumor…but then tell you you’re acne’s cleared up.

And the second thing?
How much the right wing is wrong: on science, immigration, or whatever. I’m stunned the right wing is wrong to such a large extent. They’re in a war with facts, and reality.

If the GOP was still closer to the spirit of Ronald Reagan, who you once championed, would you have undergone such a drastic political transformation?
My personal transformation took place in the 1990s, so no. I started to see a role for government in a different way than I did in my Republican days, and how it was needed for regulation, health care, poverty. …Today, with the Bush administration, it’s like the foxes are in charge of the hen house, whether it’s mining, consumer protection, toxic imports from China…they’re risking the lives of thousands of Americans.

You attack traditional media—is there someone who is doing a good job?
Recently, the New York Times ran an article on the White House refusing to give the commanders in Afghanistan what they needed to fight the war on terror. And it got no follow-up. I was doing a panel at Radio City recently with Anderson Cooper, and I asked him if he was doing anything on that story…or just sticking with the polygamists. Even when there are these great stories, there’s no follow-through.

You underwent a political transformation a few years back. Don’t you ever run into people who you used to support?
Constantly. Some people have a sense of humor about it. But other people, like Newt Gingrich, have a harder time with it. To them, I’m personally challenging what they say and their beliefs.

Why do you think the media has been slow to attack John McCain?
They became buddies with him during the 2000 election. But we even put a chapter in my book at the last minute about this when we saw he was going to be the presidential candidate for the Republicans. He’s given up his convictions; we even went along with a bill on torture. And nobody’s talking about it.

You had some of your polticial conversion after working with comedian Al Franken on Comedy Central years ago for a political special. Are you supporting his Senate run in Minnesota?
Absolutely! I’d do anything for him.