The CROSSFIRE is it a Bust?

CNN | 1 April 2002 | John Paul Jones

[JohnPaulJones]

Food for thought! While surfing the tube tonight I stop and watched 5 minutes of the new Crossfire with Tucker and the old Clinton Clan "Carville and crew" interviewing little Tommy....Of what I saw this show is bound to bust and again CNN goes down...Any thoughts?

[crazyj]

i missed the show but hears it was going to be an hour long. i guess i didn't miss much

[skeeter]

Ah, Tom Braden... remember when he stormed off the set after being called a pornographer by one of the guests?

I doubt that Carvile or Begala would find that even remotely offensive.

[chillinvillain]

I know the new people are nothing like the old. I think it is because cnn is trying to arouse emotion or trying to be different. the only problem is that they switch their programming so often all of their shows flop. These guys will be lucky if the show lasts much longer the personalities are too out there and i don't think many people relate to them.

[SpringheelJack]

Stretching Crossfire from a half-hour show to a full hour was not a good idea. It's extremely boring, and in order to fill the hour out, they have to alternate serious subjects (like the murders in the Middle East) with frivolous segments about bimbo mayors, etc., which is quite jarring.

Begala and Carville are awful and grating, and their habit of making a cheap shot as a substitute for a good argument gets old FAST. And that studio audience! If CNN is trying to attract more conservative viewers, then stacking the show with a live audience that cheers wildly whenever Begala says Bush stole the election ain't gonna cut it. I used to watch Crossfire about once a week, but I don't plan to anymore. I never would have thought I'd say this, but firing Bill Press actually made the show worse.

[liliana]

does Tom Braden ring a bell?

[BunnySlippers]

pencil-neck geek as the jerk Michael Kinsley (now of Slate)

He left Slate last month and is now battling Parkinson's disease.

[TLBSHOW]

You wouldn't know the truth if it knooked you over the head. You du rat!