Has Jon Stewart Lost His Magic?

Tom Junod thinks so:

[A]nother night, another show about Fox News. It's been like that, over at The Daily Show, ever since Obama was elected. Stewart just doesn't have the material he used to have when George W. Bush was in power, nor the nightly foil. (Audience members still ask him to "do Bush" during the introductory Q&A.) He's been accused of making halfhearted jokes about Obama in an attempt to keep the show ideologically balanced, but that's not the problem, not really; the problem is that Democrats, with their perpetual disarray, are not as funny as Republicans, with their reality-bending unity, and that Stewart is left to nurse what is probably the most potent comedy killer of all: disappointment.

I'm still an addict. But last night was an illustration of the problem. Stewart went after the Obama administration (rightly) on the Solyndra scandal. I have to say the deal reeks to high heaven of crony capitalism and possible political payback. That has yet to be proved – but it sure should be thoroughly investigated; and anyone involved in any shenangians should be fired forthwith. But Stewart's piece – about as good an exemplar of how comedy can make the news more comprehensible than television "journalism" – still fell a little flat. Because he obviously wants Obama to succeed, as does the bulk of his audience.

But then you have so many genius moments – last night's talking vagina segment was priceless – that you forgive the underlying problem.