I used to listen daily to his radio program. I really missed the show when it went off the air. He was very good with callers. He always let them make their case. If anything, he let some go on too long.
TV interviews by nature have to be short and choppy, otherwise people lose interest. Someone as intelligent as Alan can make that limitation work for him. Think cross-examination.
The next block will have folks for a discussion to bring clarity to the principle involved in the issue. The people in this segment will not be familiar faces but everyday folks who can carry on a conversation with no agendas, i.e., college students, homemakers, former military, high school students, etc. Yes, you, too could interview to be on the show! There will also be phone calls, e-mails and a chat room running live during the show on the MSNBC website for commentary.
The third block will bring closure to the discussion, make conclusions based upon the principle uncovered in the dialogues. This part will have known names and faces on the talking head circuit. This will also be the segment wherein debate could occur.
That's a rough outline. I'm pretty busy right now, but I'll check back in later to see if I can answer more questions.