Recently on Hannity and Colmes they had a guest on to discuss Barack Obama's church, which is, apparently, a "black" church, but not just a church that has a predominantly African American congregation and a "black" style of worship, but it's a church that espouses a sort of positive black power message, and teaches "black" values. Sean asked, "is this racist?" And I thought, wow, what an interesting question. I was also looking forward to finding out more about this church, what constitutes black values, and so on. I felt bitterly disappointed, when, instead of a stimulating debate, all I got was about ten seconds of the guest making his point, and then being interrupted, and then the guest interrupting back. Do they coach people before they go on the show by telling them to talk over each other? If I wanted to give myself agita I'd just walk over to the dog park down the street and toss a pork chop into the fray. This show is junk food.

Do people debate anymore? Do people present opposing views in a civil manner, using evidence and reasoned thought to 'win' an argument? I remembered that Point-Counterpoint bit that they used to have on 60 Minutes where Shana Alexander would take the liberal stance and James Kilpatrick would represent the conservative side. At the time I was a little kid just waiting for The Wonderful World of Disney to come on, so Point-Counterpoint was just one more obstacle the grownups had erected between me and Herbie the Love Bug, but I did pay attention enough to recall that they would debate rather forcefully at times. Saturday Night Life famously parodied it on Weekend Update, when Dan Ackroyd would lean over condescendingly, point his finger at Curtin as if lecturing a child, and preface his remarks with an exasperated, "Jane, you ignorant slut." The joke was, wow, they sound so intense on the real show it almost seems like this is the kind of thing they might be thinking. Wouldn't it be OUTRAGEOUS if people actually SAID that?!

Well, guess what? Now they do say those things, and nothing could be more tedious.

I recently found this clip of former Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman on WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show. Holtzman was on the House Judiciary Committee that brought articles of impeachment against Nixon, and in her interview with the skeptical and at times combative host, makes a compelling argument for impeaching George W. Bush. Listen to her airtight reasoning and agile ripostes to Lopate's every objection, and then you'll see Hannity, Coulter, Matthews, Conason, Maher, O'Reilly et al. for what they are - school kids trading playground taunts.

She has also written a lucid, easy-to-read and fascinating book called The Impeachment of George W. Bush. Part history lesson, part constitutional seminar, part "how-to" manual. Check it out.


It's coming ....