Comedy Central's Jon Stewart held Susan Rice's feet to the fire Friday night over the Benghazi debacle that left four Americans dead.
The liberal comic kept the pressure on Rice, wondering why the bureaucratic post-attack fireworks weren't matched by an equally vigorous effort to save those four people on Sept. 11, 2012.
The interview gave Stewart a chance to play hardball with a member of his own ideological team, and kudos to him for taking it - even if he could have pressed Rice harder on her responses.
It still begs the question why Stewart mercilessly attacked Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham just a short time ago for questioning Rice's statements on the Benghazi attacks.
The answer is simple. At the time, Rice was a serious candidate to become the next Secretary of State, and Stewart felt compelled to defend President Barack Obama's choice over actually considering what Rice knew during the Benghazi affair and, better yet, why she peddled an obviously false line regarding the events of that day.
Now, with Rice's nomination no longer in play, Stewart felt free to hold the powerful accountable for their actions. Better late than never?
Not quite.
The time to treat Rice's actions seriously already came and went. Doing so now may make Stewart's defenders feel better, but the comedian remains shrewdly aware of when he dare attack his own party.
Clown nose off.
[Cross-posted from Big Hollywood]
