John King is replacing Lou Dobbs on CNN.

Whoopi Goldberg called him a “lying sack o’ dog mess” on national TV less than two weeks ago. Penn Jillette visited Beck’s Fox News show and questioned his feelings about gay people. Regular folks who watch his nightly TV show or listen to his syndicated radio program either consider him a hero or a raving lunatic. Could Glenn Beck be any more polarizing?

The watchers proved fun to watch. CNN adopted a confrontational approach to the the anti-tax “tea parties,“ and became a combatant. FOX News boosted the events and acted as a virtual participant. The New York Times did its best to ignore the protests. The Washington Post treated the relative flop of the tea party slated for the District of Columbia as a local story.

The emotion on election night—young people jumping with joy, African-Americans, especially older men, touched by the moment—was enough to make some people cry. CNN correspondent Candy Crowley didn’t, but she could understand those who did. “I said to myself, ‘It doesn’t matter who you voted for, this was an amazing moment in American history.‘“

The emotion on election night—young people jumping with joy, African-Americans, especially older men, touched by the moment—was enough to make some people cry. CNN correspondent Candy Crowley didn’t, but she could understand those who did. “I said to myself, ‘It doesn’t matter who you voted for, this was an amazing moment in American history.‘“