Steven Chu and cap-and-snooze on the Daily Show

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart delivered a twofer last night with a bit of cap-and-trade commentary followed by an interview with “Dr. Nobel McGenius” — aka Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Stewart falls asleep out of boredom while trying to explain cap and trade, pretty much nailing what much of the political media seems to think of covering climate policy.

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Chu comes across rather charmingly in his interview, and Stewart clearly enjoys talking to the star physicist, one of the most intriguing members of Obama’s cabinet. It’s interesting that Stewart asked Chu to refute climate-change-denial talking points. Chu didn’t really excel in batting down the empty claims and didn’t get a chance to talk his about pet projects, like the “high risk, big payoff” research lab (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, or ARPA-E) he hopes to start in the Energy Department. I know that doesn’t exactly scream hilarity, but wouldn’t talking about it have given more of a window into what makes Chu tick?

Looking for more to Chu on? (Sorry.) Rolling Stone published an excellent profile of Chu last month.