Hillary Clinton’s appearance on The Daily Show could only have gone worse if there had been an on-screen breakout of the Ebola virus. Let’s count the ways:
1. The fish-eye lens used for the ultra-closeup shot.
2. The satellite link between Stewart and Clinton in Austin, which exaggerated the awkwardness.
3. The live audience behind her, which sat glumly behind her. It didn’t laugh at her (attempts at) jokes, nor did it cheer for her talking points (unlike Stewart’s studio audience). The crowd’s stern inertness made her sad forays into humor and gaiety seem painfully forced.
4. Both looked like they wanted to be somewhere else for those 10 minutes. Stewart looked miserable asking questions that fed her talking points, and she still didn’t look happy answering them. You have to wonder, was the script a condition for the interview, or is she so intimidating that Stewart lost his nerve and lobbed her softballs? Considering how many Republicans he has interviewed, the answer isn’t likely the latter, but it is possible that she’s that intimidating. Still, it’s impossible not to think of Clinton’s appearance in contrast to Stewart’s face-to-face interviews with John McCain and how well McCain came off by putting himself in Stewart’s hands.Â
The conclusion – Hillary not only isn’t funny; she can’t be funny. Â
