A question about "Crossfire"...has it always been so cartoonish?

[terrya]

I know it's been on a long time. But I'll occasionally watch it and shake my head at how something so incredibly silly can be on the air. "Crossfire" is the professional wrestling of political talk shows.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. No, it was more staid with the old format.

[theboss]

2. It was very good during the Kinsley-Buchanan era

This was before Buchanan's transformation into the cartoon character he is now and Kinsley's illness. Buchanan was always a xenophobe to the nth degree, but he was articulate, well-mannered, and possessed a sense of humor. And Kinsley has always had an incredibly sharp mind, is a fighter (unlike - say - Lil' Colmes on Fox), and, again, was a nice person. The show would get heated, but the two of them usually kept it under control and somewhat professional.

Now, it's just a circus.

[AmerDem]

3. I think Crossfire is one of the worst shows on the air.

They are the air as a sort of Jerry Springer of the political world, nothing more!