Thanks to Blazing Cat Fur for putting the debut episode of Michael Coren’s ‘The Arena’ up on his Youtube channel.
I have to say I’m pretty impressed. The debut episode had some of the most controversial figures on various issues, which really helps set the tone for the show going forward. That said, it’s not without its issues.
Having been critical of Michael Coren previously for his jabs at Sarah Palin and her supporters, I wasn’t impressed by his assertion that Palin’s following is similar to the cult-like following those like Barack Obama have. I was also not impressed with Ann Coulter comparing Palin’s followers to those of Ron Paul, followers who, in my opinion, are very similar in their blind loyalty to Obama’s supporters. Considering Coulter’s loyalty to Chris Christie, despite his ever growing list of political faults, it’s almost like the kettle calling the pot black. Truthfully, I’m an adamant supporter of Sarah Palin, and while I would like to see her in the race for Republican presidential nominee, my fear is that she may split the conservative vote between her and Rick Perry to the point where a non-conservative like Mitt Romney gets the nomination.
Another gripe I had is Coren’s relentless questioning of Tarek Fatah on the foundations of his religious beliefs. I understand that Tarek and others like him follow a “moderate Islam” which rejects Mohammed’s teachings of violent jihad and hatred towards non-Muslims, so what’s the point in hounding him on aspects of his faith he doesn’t subscribe to? Considering Tarek had just won his battle with cancer and it appeared to be rather frail, I found it troubling to watch Coren go after him like this.
In any event, I will keep watching this show. In my opinion, ‘The Arena’ is much better than ‘The Michael Coren Show’. I prefer this format because it allows Michael Coren to discuss various issues, really get to the heart of them without being constantly interrupted by twits like Maureen Meed Ward who demand a strict adherence to political correctness. Well done.
