The Obama Of Newsmen, Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

I disagree with your friend who considers Stewart “toothless.”  It is precisely the fact that he is not overtly confrontational that make his interviews some of the most eminently watchable on TV. I am a big fan of Keith Olberman, but his interviews are almost unwatchable. His questions are merely setups for his own predispositions. You pretty much know the outcome of his interview once you know who the guest is. They are there to say, “You betcha Keith, and here is some more info that backs up that assertion-disguised-as-a-question.”

That is not the case with Stewart. I liken him to a more humorous and liberal Buckley in that aspect (though Buckley could be cuttingly funny). Stewart obviously has respect for the person he is debating/interviewing. He might not have the killer instinct of Buckley, but he is far from toothless.

A sample of Buckley's killer instinct after the jump:

And of course there is this classic exchange between him and Vidal.