Recommended Reading

Bill Carter on what Jon Stewart achieved on The Daily Show. I think this essay (and other praise Stewart is now receiving) may make too much of the more concrete effects — like getting CNN's Crossfire canceled, which given its ratings was no major toppling. I think Mr. Stewart gave us a brilliant, entertaining show that raised a lot of awareness in this country but didn't have a whole lot of impact in quantifiable ways. He exposed an awful lot of lying and hypocrisy among politicians and pundits and newsfolks…but I'm not sure it did those people a whole lot of harm.