Talk radio hosts gather at White House

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Conservative talk radio hosts, including some who have distanced themselves from the U.S. president, interviewed administration officials in Washington.

Many of the 42 radio personalities invited to the event by the White House expressed frustration with the administration and the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress during and in between interviews with political adviser Karl Rove, White House spokesman Tony Snow and Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff and other officials, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

"I've adopted the opinion that maybe I'd like to see the Republicans take it in the teeth in this election, lose the House and lick their wounds," Atlanta libertarian Neal Boortz said after an interview with presidential counselor Dan Bartlett. "They just haven't done enough to be rewarded with continued control in Washington."

"The corps of Bush supporters are just seething, angry and disappointed," said Des Moines, Iowa, radio host Jan Mickelson. He said Iraq has become "ungovernable," voters are upset about "perceived corruption in the Republican Party," and "social conservatives feel like they've been used again."

However, many of the hosts, including conservative superstar Sean Hannity, said that despite their disagreements with the Republicans, a Democratic Congress would be a disaster, the Post said.