From TVGuide
"It used to be I could do [Crossfire] in my sleep, but not with [Begala and Carville]. It's going to
take a few years to get used to them." - Bob Novak
After years of having nothing but too-bland liberals like Bill Press (whom I admire a lot) and Alan Colmes (whom I don't) arguing "from the Left" it is refreshing to finally have a pair that can fight back. I know there are plenty of people who wish shows like Crossfire would just go away and think that they do nothing to elevate the quality of political discourse in this country. But, it is time to expend energy playing by their rules, and not waste time trying to change them.
Bow-Tie Baby Tucker Carlson's rhetoric is not more hyperbolic than either Carville's or Begala's. None of them come close to the rhetoric of the right wing TVpundits and pundettes that have been legitimized by our mainstream media for years - Hannity, Malkin, Coulter, Ingraham, diGenova, Toensing, Babs Olson, nor even the rantings of "respectable print pundits" like Michael Kelly, William Safire, nor of course the non-stop barrage of hate-radio wingnuts like Limbaugh, Liddy, Savage, "Dr." Laura, etc... Somehow, they've managed to lobotomize the Left - and even Lefties find firebrand centrists Begala and Carville a bit off-putting for some reason.
A show like Crossfire isn't for everyone. But, no one on the Left should be anything but thrilled that Carville and Begala are finally stepping up to the plate. The politicos and pundits on our side need to take a page from the Harry Truman/LBJ school of rhetoric.
On a related note, thanks to James Carville for being a gracious host AND guest this past weekend.
