Jon Stewart and Lou Dobbs that started on the Daily Show and continued in an extended version on the internet.  Intelligent, centered and with a minimum of jokes on Stewart's part, I think it's worth watching by both liberal and conservatives in it's entirety.

Part one aired on the show, Part two was aired on the Daily Show website, both can be seen here:

Main problem I see with the interview is that Stewart doesn't know when to shut up, and let Dobbs finish a sentence. Typical talking head.

What discussion? Oh, you mean the one where Stewart would ask Dobbs a question, and then talk all over his answer? Not very much discussing going on there.

Hard to say it better than one of his viewers had on his website

"This interview is a great example of why I have mostly stopped watching the show. The tactics he slams conservative media for using are really no different than his own. Loose "facts", no chance for a real debate, and the overall pity for the poor, unfairly treated democrats. Both sides are guilty of hypocrisy but to hear him ask why nobody questioned the Bush administration for their abuses of power just seems pretty silly. I guess dismissing it as comedy excuses this...."

Jon Stewart is the worst kind of coward, hiding behind comedy, I believe the term is chicken shit.

OK, I'll agree, Stewart kept butting in.  But never-the-less, there was an intelligent exchange of ideas, which you seem to want to discount.

How many emails did you have to go through to find one that supports your premise?

You demonstrate the classic party line... if you can't refute the information, disparage the source.  

Yes, I did. To me, Stewart is the liberal version of Hannity. Both will 'ask' a guest a question, then jump right in and talk over them. For that reason, I watch the show of neither. It's not even good entertainment, and Stewart's comedy.......not happening. Your're correct in saying some good points were brought up, but they were never fully developed. Much rather watch C-Span, and The McLaughlin Group.

This might come as a shock since I"m a staunch conservative - but I absolutely cannot stomach either Beck or Coulter. Meanwhile, I friggin love Jon Stewart.

Go figure

Jon Stewart is first and foremost a comedian, but even though obviously a liberal, he spanks both sides when they do something stupid, and points out the hypocracy of both the media and the government regardless of party ties.  He's the closest thing we have to a modern day Will Rodgers.  

I posted this before, but you might not have seen it... in a recet Time magazine poll, the question was asked "Now that Walter Cronkite's gone, who is America's most trusted newsman?"  The overwhelming winner, with 44% of the votes, was Jon Stewart!  Brian Williams came in a distant second with 29%, and Beck, O'Reilly and Limbaugh didn't even make the list.

That poll should have made the networks sit up and take notice, and try to get thier acts together!

The poll shows state-by-state results; if you mouse over the states it shows how they voted; interestingly, even the states Jon lost, with the exception of Vermont, he came in second.

-- Modified on 11/22/2009 5:47:50 PM

"disparage the source!!! Did you really accuse me of thst!?!?!?!

Half you posts on thsi board are about Fox News. Talk about trach the source. Sometimes you complain to the point I just think you and Rupert should get a room and get it out of your system


I pointed out his style of ujiding behind humor amd not allowing for equal deabte or time on his show. Anybody who watches him would see that in a minute!!

You may hate Limbaugh and Hannity, but at least they have the guts to join the debate. Stewart cowers behind a fake facade of comedy to take cheap shots and not really debate.


-- Modified on 11/22/2009 6:50:58 PM

I could hardly understand you post for all of the typos...

But none-the-less, Stewart hides behind nothing... he's gone into the lion's den and appeared on cross-fire and flat out told them they were hacks, and appeared on O'Reilly as well.  

You're just flat out wrong.  Stewart has an equal mix of liberals and conservatives on his show and gives them the same amount of time.

Stewart doesn't hide behind a "fake facade of comedy"... His show IS a comedy show!  He makes no bones about it; the conservative media are the ones who elevate Stewart to their supposed level, a fact that he openly finds amusing and is the first to admit is nuts.  O'Reilly disparages his audience as "stoned slackers" yet he respects him enough to have him on his show and go on Stewart's show as well. Your right wing heros give him more respect than you do, and to a certain extent, I think they're a little afraid of him.

You obviously don't watch his show... he debates any and all who appear as guests.  The Lou Dobbs conversation I referred to is a thoughtful exchange of opposing ideas and is no less valid because Stewart injects a certain amount of humor into it.

Jon Stewart is the modern equivilent to Will Rodgers, a COMEDIAN who excoriated the stupidity of politicians, both left and right.

You may not like him, that's your right, and to you he may not be funny, but to say that he's a fake or a coward is just plain dumb.

-- Modified on 11/23/2009 6:01:25 AM

OK, I outdid myself with the spelling that time. Definately need to not post so late.

Anyways. I have watched Stewart before and yes, sometimes he is funny. But I HONESTLY BELIEVE if it were Hannity taking this appraoch you would not be giving him the pass you would give Stewart. Once again, you pick your media allies based on their philosophies.

I watched the Lou Dobbs interview you posted. I found it striking where Stewart ends the interview with a soapbox speech and then ends the interview before Dobbs can reply. Pretty gutless. O'Reilly on the other hand tends to end almost all of his interviews with "I'll let you have the last word". Now that is a guy who believes that his arguments are strong enough that he can let his guest go last and still have won the debate (not to mention that since they are your guest it would only seem like good manners).

BTW, I need to find the Stewart, O'Reilly click. I hope Bill did not kick his ass too bad...

-- Modified on 11/23/2009 6:10:29 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5pK7sK0i4A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUVuXgy3CVY

When Stewart does get backed into a corner (not often) his primary defense mechanism is to make a joke and move on. It is what it is. But he is generally an equal opportunity "skewerer".

Actually, O'Reilly and Stewart seem to like each other.  They've been on each other's shows, and it's more like too old friends sparring with each other, neither one punching very hard.

Truth is, I've been watching a lot more conservative TV, and I'm not quite sure that O'Reilly always believes his own rhetoric.  In many cases I think he plays the devil's advocate because he's expected to have a certain point of view, and he plays his part well.  I actually kind of like him.  On the other hand, Hannity is an idiot, and Beck is a baffoon.

Keep in mind that Stewart has a very limited time with his guests; he doesn't have the time that O'Reilly does, and I believe he really gets caught up in the debate.  I don't think it's a conscience attempt to "one-up" his guests; he just has a tendency to be long-winded, something unforgiveable in a talk-show host, but he can get away with it on a satirical comedy show.

Here's a link I actually think you'll enjoy, and after watching it you still may not think he's funny, but I don't think you'll call him a coward again...

-- Modified on 11/23/2009 7:08:45 PM