Can Stewart & Colbert swing an election?

This is a pretty good overview by Joe Scarborough of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report and their potential impact on this year's election. At first, I thought Scarborough was going to slam both shows super hard, but he really didn't, and I was pleasantly surprised. Scarborough, much like Michael Smerconish, is a conservative I can at least listen to in order to hear different political points of view. I don't agree with either one politically - not even close, but these two don't seem to verbally regurgitate outright lies, slander and vicious attacks against people who differ with them politically.

I rarely miss The Daily Show, and I occasionally catch Colbert, but it's undeniable that they have broad appeal, especially among Democrats, but among moderates, too. I can't speak to Colbert's show too much, other than to say he was simply brilliant when he was on The Daily Show. Stewart, however, I'm pretty well versed in, and if I had to make a guess as to why it has such a loyal following, I'd say 1. Stewart isn't above criticizing Democrats, and has critically done so when they've deserved it, 2. He has on guests from both sides of the political spectrum; Rick Santorum and Bill O'Reilly among them, 3. Stew gets people with video tape - I don't think I've ever seen anyone more effective at zinging people with their own words, and 4. I defy anyone to find an instance where Stewart has lied or distorted to serve some thinly veiled political agenda. You know, like Bill O'Reilly. Good luck, because I believe you're going to have a pretty hard time.

The great thing about The Daily Show is that it has no Republican equivalent; as I've said before, I seriously doubt that people, especially young voters, are crowded around radios listening to Rush Limbaugh.

I believe Stewart will have an even bigger impact in '08. We'll see.