Things started to break on Twitter overnight and exploded into full blown dementia today. Ruining a surprise which was supposed to be unveiled tomorrow at CPAC, various sources reported that the conservative web site, Hot Air, was being sold by Michelle Malkin to Salem Communications, which also owns Town Hall. Needless to say, this has shaken the planet far more than global warming, nuclear proliferation, gay marriage and the “V” alien invasion (which is far from fictional, by the way) combined. This was clearly explained in today’s Atlantic Wire piece, “Sale of ‘Hot Air’ Shakes Up Conservative Blogosphere.”

Ok, I’ve had enough fun with the story. On to the serious bit. First, in terms of both full disclosure and bona fides, let me remind the few of you who might not know that Ed Morrissey is an old friend of mine. We’ve collaborated on many projects over the years and I consider him one of the best voices on the starboard side of the political intertubes, so clearly I do not come to this party as some sort of completely impartial observer. By the same token, I am not an employee of any of the entities mentioned and receive no compensation in any form.

Back in the day, Ed started up a little blog called Captains Quarters. From humble origins it grew into one of the most independent, respected conservative blogs on the web, attracting the attention of people ranging from Rush Limbaugh to Keith Olbermann. I found it uniquely attractive because Ed, while clearly a conservative thinker, pulled no punches and would go after Republicans and Conservatives with the same vigor he demonstrated in critiquing liberal ideology. If you were a politician, you could never be sure where you stood with Ed on any given day, but you knew he was speaking from the heart and was not a mouthpiece for anyone.

Then the day came when Ed announced that he was closing the doors and moving over to Hot Air to become an employee of Michelle Malkin. I will reveal something now that happened behind the scenes but was never discussed. Ed and I had a very long phone call that week where I expressed my own concerns. It’s no secret that I wasn’t a big fan of Michelle’s. From my own particularly “RINO” perspective I found her to be too much in the camp of Ann Coulter when I was more of a George Will kind of guy. Would Ed’s writing style have to change? Would he sell out? And how would that affect our creative relationship? I can assure you, Michelle never squelched Ed in any fashion nor did she complain about Ed and I collaborating on various things. There was no censorship.

Hot Air became simply a wider, more well supported platform (from a technical, logistical angle) with some additional voices added in. Of course, Allahpundit was another story, being a doctrinaire, wingnut, far right Rethuglican kool-aid drinker. (Well, as much of one as you can be when you constantly criticize Republicans, Christians, Sarah Palin and anyone else who annoys you. Yes, I dropped briefly back into sarcasm mode… sorry.) The writing quality remained just as high and the independent voice was not leashed to any higher power’s whims.

So now a new owner will pay the bills at Hot Air. It sounds, from what I’ve found out, like a good deal for all concerned thus far. Ed and AP will retain their platform and possibly even gain some new exposure options in a large network. Malkin gets rid of a well loved but time consuming project which she branded as a leading conservative voice. Salem picks up another outlet which is widely read on the Right side of the aisle without dictating the tone. (If they wanted to do that they could have simply offered Ed and AP a column at Town Hall.)

Don’t read too much into this. Businesses change hands all the time and the names on ownership papers and paychecks shift every year across the land. Hot Air will remain and you can all be the judges as to whether or not the quality remains at the current level. I for one have no doubt but it will.