Right vs Left Revisited...

When are cable news shows going to drop the tired left-versus-right "punch-counterpunch" discussion theme?

It's not a discussion. It's a pointless exercise that all too often results in a shouting match. Nothing is ever resolved. Nothing new ever comes to light. Neither side relents its narrow, self-interested POV.

Both combatants (a.k.a. guests) yell, but neither one can hear what the other is saying, even if this truly were the goal of the show's host, which it isn't.

This tired theme just doesn't add to the public discourse. It's subjective, combative, and just plain stupid.

Yesterday, former Republican congressman Tom Tancredo was a guest on MSNBC's "The Ed Show" along with Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos. During their shouting match, Mr. Moulitsas launched an ad hominem toward Mr. Tancredo (who, to be fair, launches plenty of these himself), at which Mr. Tancredo became incensed, demanded an apology, and walked off camera and off the show when he realized an apology wasn't forthcoming.

Who benefited from this exchange? What good came of it? Which side won this "debate?" How was the public discourse aided in any way? The answers are no one, nothing, neither, and not at all.

The real answer to who won is "ratings," because here we are talking about it, and you just know it'll be the lead on other news shows on Sunday and Monday. The left will automatically support Moulitsas and the right will automatically support Tancredo.

Big surprise.

Wow.

I feel so much better now.

Please... cable news producers... stop this absurd left-right baiting, stop inviting each fringe's attack dogs, and simply invite people with whom your host can have a discussion.

Rachel Maddow, as an example, knows how to do this. Rachel has a strong progressive bias; she freely admits this. But she invites people with opposing views and when they agree to appear, she has civil exchanges with them. They both can disagree, but they'll neither yell at one another nor abuse one another. (Bill... Sean... you listening?)

Civility is the real victim, and these staged right-left dust-ups do nothing to counter this trend.

Cut it out. You're grownups. Behave yourselves.