Why I Love John Stewart

Last night I watched the replay of John Stewart's interview with Lynne Cheney last week. If you have not seen it go to Comedy Centrals web site to watch it.

Interviewing is one of the most underrated skills for someone in the media. Most people either do not know how to talk to a camera and tell a story in a limited time, or are spin masters who talk in meaningless and disconnected phrases. A great interviewer is one part facilitator helping people tell their story and one part audience advocate cutting through the fog of misspeak, deception, and half truth. At the same time the great ones always treat their guests with the basic respect and dignity owed everyone regardless of partisan and personal differences.

I have said it before, but John Stewart really is one of the great interviewers in my lifetime - on par with folks like Charlie Rose and Brian Lamb.

What makes Stewart really special is his ability to bring an ideological, occasionally partisan, point of view together with people that in any other domain would be considered 'enemies'. Despite his vicious satirical opposition to the war in Iraq, John McCain has been on his show a dozen times over the years. Yet no matter how much one disagrees on the issue, the basic decency with which Stewart treats his guests combined with his commitment to honestly portraying his own and his opponents position and allowing the viewer to make a choice ensure the two can shake hands and laugh at the end.

Despite Cheneys flight at the end, I thought his skill was really on display in that discussion. When he noted 'you are not your husband and so I am going to stop pretending you are and asking these questions' it was one of the most honest self reflections I have ever seen on tv - something I wish far more people would recognize and take seriously.

His handling of the discussion about their daughter Mary was also very interesting and allowed such a different type of discussion than usual. His willingness to both let Mrs. Cheney use her own voice but also engage with really important issues like their families engagement with politicians who want policies that fundamentally oppose their views of justice and liberty (and not in a live and let live kind of way) added depth to the entire national discussion on the issue. A rare thing in a world of screaming head tv.

Anyway, like I said check it out if you have not already seen it.