I rambled a little about this the other night, but this article on alternet succinctly sums up both what I like and dislike about the Daily Show.

I suppose this is both its strength -- always being comedy and therefore making its critics look silly for taking it seriously -- and its weakness, for no one does take it seriously.

Satire can be a potent weapon -- look at Michael Moore's films -- but it is only so when followed by something of gravity, of pathos.

I agree! What they should do is give Amy Goodman a show that airs right after John Stewart. Of course, then it wouldn't be comedy any more, but real news. But for a healthy perspective, we need both the jokes and the straight up serious issues.