Now, the format involves audience questions that were screened and chosen beforehand by CNBC, so guess what it ends up looking like? Various well-dressed CMU finance and economics majors asking questions like “Are unions still relevant when 50% of America doesn’t want them?” and various middle-aged mill workers, completely under dressed, asking things like “I’m a 4th generation steel worker, USW local 1337, and my mill got shut down, I’ve been out of work 15 months, and dey terk r jorbs! Can we take money from rich people and give it to me?”

It was completely re-enforcing a stereotype that may very well be true, but it made it much more a spectacle than an actual, informative discussion.

Steve Klabnik on his recent experience as a political television show audience member.