who was this dude again? i disagreed with some of his points but i was interested in where he was coming from. Something about an editor for vanity fair? is that a legit magazine?

Leftist turned Neocon (sort of). Got in a big fight with Chomsky a few years ago. Basically, he's all over the place.

This is actually the first time I've seen him not drunk on a TV program.

we need more people who are all over the place.

By the way, there's going to be a debate between Christopher Hitchens and George Galloway in September. It's guaranteed to be classic.

yeah, i'm reading a few of his columns and i like this guy. he's like a conservative without all the christian dogma bullshit.

I was playing Madden so I missed the interview of this episode, but I'll try to catch it on the rerun.

Hitchens is awesome. He was on Dennis Miller (when Dennis was good, on HBO) one time, and accused Clinton of being a rapist, and said that taking Mother Theresa down a notch was "like shooting fish in a barrel, it's too easy." Needless to say I was hooked. Strangely, though I have an affinity for VF in general, I never read his columns, cos the are boring.

Yes, and his column about life in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the most recent issue was particularly an exercise in pedantry.

I do enjoy his book reviews in The Atlantic, though.

He's such a fop. And drunk. Though on yesterday's installment of the Daily Show, he was sober. (The previous visit, though, he was several more than three sheets to the wind.)

I wouldn't describe Hitchens as "conservative," he just happens to believe in the reordering of the Middle East. He's been a tough critic of HOW Bush has gone about it and the many, many blunders. While I thoroughly disagree with his stance on Iraq, I love watching him debate. He's sharp as all get out devoid of dogma (from the Right or the Left).

And how sad is it that the three minutes of debate between Stewart and Hitchens last night was more informative and civil than a month of mainstream media?

i wish the daily show was on for an hour when he has real guests who disagree with him.

it's frustrating that just as they get past all the little jokes and butt sniffing and get into an acutal discussion it's over.

I didn't catch this but I always enjoy watching Christopher Hitchens interviews.

oh, from what i read last night and this morning, i think that describing him as conservative is excessively accurate, only that describing him as A Conservative, as it's construed in American media, is incorrect. I've been looking some someone like him that can embody the difference.

Yes, that's probably a good distinction.

vanity fair blows.

I've always found the guy to be kind of a pompous douche, myself.

And I'm not a huge Daily Show nerd or anything, but that point Stewart made about Bush answering questions from adults like we ARE adults was fucking SPOT-ON.


You can get a download of the segment here :

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/08/25.html#a4634

Hitchens is certainly pompous, make no mistake. But I appreciate how well thought out his arguments are and that he can make them in an intelligent way without resorting to talking points. He's also wicked mean to people he thinks are stupid, and I love that.

I only caught part of it - what was Hitch's issue with the crowd applauding to some of Stewart's points/counterpoints? I couldn't tell if he was making light of that or not...

I'm all for clear-headed thinking and analysis, but dude really is carrying water these days...and it's 5 o'clock on Friday, so that's about as far as I go with an internet political discussion.

i have issue with that too.

The occasional aplause is nice, but sometimes they over do it to the point where it ruins the discussion.

In this instance, though, I think the applause was legit. Stewart's comments that led to the clapping really nicely encapsulated several thoughts a LOT of people ( including myself ) have right now - & they're not hearing it expressed that well pretty much ANYWHERE.

Hell, I nearly started clappin' here at home just watching it on my Internets box.

I think the applause is fine. It's a spirited forum, with biases out in the open. Any guest will be aware of this going in, I'd hope.

Hell, a disruptive and contrarian drunk* like Hitch should appreciate it..

* this is high praise

You can't really pin him down as a conservative, really--he's got fingers in all pies. For instance, he writes regularly for the secular humanist magazine Free Inquiry.

Here's an index of his columns at Slate.com.