Looking across the aisle during a garbage year of politics

W. Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu finally nab a conservative voice to enter the liberal fray of Politically Re-Active. It’s not surprising that the guest who agreed to come on the show is S.E. Cupp, a frequent conservative guest on moderate and liberal programs. Aside from being a talented columnist, Cupp has managed to carve a second career out of defending conservative principles on liberal programs. A self-professed “conservative translator” and her sustained objection to Trump has made her an even more popular get. This episode of Politically Re-Active benefits from not just escaping the progressive echo-chamber, but by allowing Cupp to express herself in a non-combative way. On other programs with a more muscular agenda (like Real Time With Bill Maher), the host and guests are so interested in winning points, there’s no real sharing of ideas. Bell and Kondabolu are both polite and friendly, nearly to a fault, and the results are refreshing. The conversation does more than allowing Cupp to make a reasonable case for traditional GOP values. It demonstrates that in 2016, people with opposing opinions are capable of mustering a civil, engaged conversation with active listening. Even better, the mutual benefits of that engagement is