Kristol Tells Stewart Times is 'A Fine Paper'

Last night William Kristol, erstwhile brain to Vice President Dan Quayle, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's most ardent admirer, and—when he has some time—editor of The Weekly Standard and once-weekly columnist for The New York Times, appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night.

Mr. Kristol mostly just laughed at his own jokes and squeaked, but he did have a semi-serious point to make about this highly contentious campaign: "It's not a psychodrama; it's just an election." (Just an election. Don't we all feel silly now.)

The editor and columnist maintained that on Election Day there will be an "upset" and that Republican nominee John McCain and Governor Palin will "win huge." (The audience loved that.) Mr. Stewart called that outcome "heartbreaking"; Mr. Kristol countered that it would be "inspiring."

Strangely, Mr. Kristol managed to take a shot at his own paper, telling his host, "You're reading The New York Times too much, Jon." As Mr. Stewart attempted to point out that Mr. Kristol sort of writes for that paper, his guest cut in, "Oh, it's a very fine newspaper." Adding, "On one day of the week."