Major Garrett: Serious Fox News Reporter, Van Morrison Groupie

Major Garrett is more than just the Chief White House Correspondent for the Fox News Channel — he's a devoted, if not slightly fanatical, Van Morrison fan, telling Imus today that he prefers the live version of Astral Weeks to the studio album.

In fact, one of his five favorite songs is "Sweet Thing" from Astral Weeks. "It's the only song that looks forward ... on an album that did none of that," Garrett said. "Cypress Avenue" is the I-Man's favorite cut from Astral Weeks, because Morrison sings different lyrics at the end of the studio version than he does on the live album.

Then, realizing they were still on the air, Imus and Garrett turned their discussion toward the more relevant subject of the trials for the 9/11 plotters, which had been set to take place in New York City. The Obama administration announced last week that the venue would change, but Obama himself told Katie Couric that New York was still in play.

"The White House and the Justice Department will not rule out New York until it has an alternative," said Garrett, calling the move "smart politics." The administration, he added, will not know what those alternatives are until Congress decides whether to fund civilian trials for terrorists in the U.S.

"I would bet right now that Congress will not," said Garrett. The administration would then have to consider holding the trials as military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, which Garrett's sources told him will not happen "unless Congress forces its hand."

Obama has also been criticized for affording civilian rights to the underpants bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, after just 50 minutes of interrogation. Though he has been cooperating, many think that information gleaned from a person in tremendous physical pain (as the bomber was at the time) would be unreliable.

Garrett, who covered the 2008 Presidential Campaign for 14 months, has been most surprised by Obama invoking the Bush administration to justify his decision to try Abdulmutallab as a civilian.

"The last thing I expected the Obama administration to do...was to defend all of its interrogation policies by saying they're just like the Bush administration's, which is what they're saying now," said Garrett.

Based on his time on the campaign trail, Garrett was able corroborate much of the information in the book "Game Change," saying, "It was cross-warfare all the time."

Kind of like it is on the Imus in the Morning program, where, Imus told his guest, the mantra is, "We're not happy until you're not happy."

Mission accomplished.

-Julie Kanfer