PB: Were you somewhat shocked at his behavior a few years ago on Crossfire?

TC: No, I wasn’t shocked. He was hardly the most unruly guest we’ve ever had. It was Crossfire. We had near fistfights once so a while, so, no, but I was confused by it and still am confused by it. I never understood his critique. If his critique was the show’s not very good, well then not only did I agree, I had already quit the show by the time he came on. I was just running out my contract. I had resigned from CNN mostly because I didn’t like the show. I agree with that critique completely. I did then and I do now. His point that somehow we were hurting America with our vigorous debate, not only do I reject that, but I think it’s so stupid I have trouble believing that’s what he meant. You want vigorous debate. Should we have had more vigorous debate before the War in Iraq or less? Should we be having more vigorous debate now before this budget passes or less? If you care about ideas, and presumably he does, then you want people to be arguing about them.

If his point was that I’m partisan, well that’s ridiculous. My ideas may be stupid. They may be crackpot. I’ve certainly been wrong before. But I’ve never carried water for any politician. That’s for certain. Of all the sins I’ve committed that’s not among them. So what I never really understood was what he was talking about. And I also thought, I guess it goes without saying, that he was pompous and phony. His response when I said something like “well you don’t ask any tough questions,” and he said “well I’m just a comedian.” Ok then, you’re just a comedian. Pick one. Would you like to be an important social commentator or would you like to be a comedian?