The Sunday talk shows remind me of an irritating practice in the marketplace of ideas:
Unbridled advocacy.
I'm not sure if it is because of the number of former lawyers in the journalism biz and/or the tendency of campaign consultants to play attack dog, but you find speakers on all sides of the ideological spectrum who seldom, if ever, concede that their opponents might have a valid point.
Far from making themselves more effective, they lose credibility when they indulge in such advocacy. They transform what could be an intelligent discussion of the issues into a form of professional wrestling and become advocates for advocacy's sake.
The most important requirement for any spokesperson is credibility.
You may be eloquent, knowledgeable, and attractive, but if you damage your credibility while arguing your case, you lose.
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