I finally had a chance to d/l the Jon Stewart appearance on Crossfire. I had already read the transcript a few days ago so I knew what was going to be said. I still loved the show. It's one of the few times in my life a TV show has fired me up enough to whoop. Below are my favorite lines.
Stewart: Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.
...
STEWART: I would love to see a debate show.
BEGALA: We're 30 minutes in a 24-hour day where we have each side on, as best we can get them, and have them fight it out.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. To do a debate would be great. But that's like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.
...
STEWART: But the thing is that this -- you're doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great.
BEGALA: We do, do...
(CROSSTALK)
STEWART: It's not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. And I will tell you why I know it.
Jon had the chance to go on the show and make people laugh, instead he chose to be serious and hold the pundits feet to the fire. He was right and courageous. Jon Stewart has become the fool (in the classic sense) of this election. He's the one telling the truth about the absurdity of the process; noting the emperor has no clothes. My hat is off to Jon.
He is so right about America needing an honest debate. I propose a new show on PBS that is dedicated to debating real issues. It would follow a more traditional debating style, like High School or College debating instead of the dinner theater style the major parties agreed to in the Presidential debates. The show should also feature fact checkers and intelligent commentators. If this show is on for the next fours years, perhaps the American people will demand a real presidential debate the next election cycle.
Maybe that appearance will be a spark. I'm not so optimistic. But maybe.