Keeping 'smug' alive

NY Post ^ | November 1, 2010 | Rich Lowry

[Scanian]

During the Democratic primaries in 2008, Rush Limbaugh famously launched "Operation Chaos" to keep the divisive contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton going. The Jon Stewart "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" might as well have been the product of an "Operation Diversion."

How to keep as many liberals as possible safely in thrall to their own smug superiority and distaste for the rough-and-tumble of political persuasion? Give them a rally a few days before the election where they can amuse themselves with their ironic signs and their highhanded dismissal of anyone not as exquisitely reasonable as they are. "Yes, We Can (Congratulate Ourselves)."

The host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," Stewart gets credit for sincerity. He made repeated heartfelt pleas for civility in our political discourse, and zapped offenders on both the right and the left. He's a sharp wit with a rock star following, as the estimated crowd of 200,000 attests.

His weakness is a magnificent lack of self-awareness.

Stewart lectures about the tone of our politics and our media as if he's Charlie Rose or George Will. Of course, he's neither. He's the host of a comedy show that relies on mockery and japery to make its points, and depends on the conceit that the other side is a collection of reprobates and idiots.