Bush White House has tried to ’silence’ Chris Matthews.
Last night at the 10th anniversary party for MSNBC’s Hardball, host Chris Matthews criticized the Bush administration for trying to meddle in his editorial content:
After praising the drafters of the First Amendment for allowing him to make a living, he outlined what he said was the fundamental difference between the Bush and Clinton administrations.
The Clinton camp, he said, never put pressure on his bosses to silence him.
“Not so this crowd,” he added, explaining that Bush White House officials — especially those from Vice President Cheney’s office — called MSNBC brass to complain about the content of his show and attempted to influence its editorial content. “They will not silence me!” Matthews declared.
“They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,” Matthews continued, although he did not specify the exact criminal behavior to which he referred.
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Matthews furiously dog paddles to catch another ship, as the one he abandoned goes under.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:30 amAnd all in that “Tweety bird” voice of his…
October 5th, 2007 at 10:30 ammatthews calling his buddies criminal now,how the worm has turned.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:31 am“They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,†Matthews continued, although he did not specify the exact criminal behavior to which he referred.
Of course he didn’t specify the exact criminal behavior…they only had the hall rented for one night. ^_^
October 5th, 2007 at 10:31 amOK. So all someone has to do now is ask Matthews directly what exactly was the “criminal behavior” he was referring to.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:33 amOh shut up Chirs… maybe if you were saying this 3 years ago we would take you seriously… but i think your mouth may have been busy.
jackass
October 5th, 2007 at 10:33 amWhat was “criminal behavior” was that insipid pablum repartee between Chris and his wife on yesterday’s program. It was like watching political pillow-talk masturbation, with the Matthews making like Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:33 amUh huh, now this administration has had an effect on HIM, it matters.
Hush now, Tweety.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:37 amI’m sick to death of people who suddenly get a conscience after the damage is done.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:38 amAlso from the article: “Matthews was steadfast in his belief that the debate [on The Daily Show] left Stewart crestfallen, and Matthews victorious.”
Chris Matthews - Separated at birth from Baghdad Bob
October 5th, 2007 at 10:42 amWhat a useless blowhard Matthews is. Did you all see him on Jon Stewart last week? Stewart actually dared to persist in asking a tough question, at which point Tweety melted down, screeching that this is the worst interview ever… so you see, in Tweety’s twisted mind, a “good” interview is the most syncophantic. What a bootlicking POS.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:44 amdoesn’t really explain what gets chris all wet for bush…
October 5th, 2007 at 10:45 amhe spends all of his time taking digs at the clintons (esp. hillary).
He must like the abuse.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:46 amWhat was “criminal behavior†was that insipid pablum repartee between Chris and his wife on yesterday’s program. It was like watching political pillow-talk masturbation, with the Matthews making like Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
Comment by Badmoodman — October 5, 2007 @ 10:33 am
No Doubt - perhaps the most sacharin thing I have seen on a newscast.
Having the “fake” journalist Jon Stewart beat you about the head and shoulders must really hurt your reptuation as a Hardball interviewer.
“They will not silence me!”….puhlease.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:48 amSo it’s a crime, Chris, to try and influence your editorial content?
And you’re going to do what about it?
What’s that? Nothing? Maybe complain about it a little bit?
Glad we’ve got that cleared up.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:50 amOK, going against the tide a bit. I completely agree that tweety is self-serving and that he should have been paying attention all along. But I think he deserves a bit of credit for specifically mentioning that there was never any pressure about content from the Clinton administration. The more people in his position that point out that Clinton understood how the constitution works and Bush/Cheney doesn’t, the better.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:50 amLet’s have some names and dates, Tweety. And did you honor their request? Did Abrams tell you to back off? Did you? And what’s the criminality here exactly?
October 5th, 2007 at 10:50 amafter jon stewart pwned him, he had to change the subject. he’s said this before talking to david schuester about the plame outing.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:50 amFor the record, regardless of CM’s view of his Daily Show interview, he was definitely handed his own ass by Jon Stewart.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:52 amThe contempt this Administration has for the Constitution and the rule of law has been clear from day one when they engaged in dirty tricks and called in political favors to steal the 2000 election.
Since then, their OPEN hostility towards everything that they themselves say this nation stands for, only to ACTIVELY try to suppress/repress/violate those vey principles at every opportunity is infuriating.
But just as infuriating is that someone like Matthews needs a few drinks in him to loosen his tongue on the subject and say something off-camera that he’d never say on-air.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:53 amI’m sure he’s not the only one the Bush junta has tried to silence.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:56 amthere’s talk they might have to replace him in the gop debate on tuesday so they’ll get a “fair shake”, as if they deserve one. i vote olbermann.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:07 amFor the record, regardless of CM’s view of his Daily Show interview, he was definitely handed his own ass by Jon Stewart.
Comment by TPR — October 5, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I would have to agree. And JS was trying to be professional as well.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:10 amCM cleary has a distorted view of reality, though I don’t doubt his claims the administration was harrassing MSNBC’s executives.
Stewart’s an ass. Sorry, you can’t give everyone who comes on your show selling a book a free pass and then viciously attack someone at random–especially when they’re peddling what’s essentially a self-help book. That’s not courageous journalism (which would be giving everyone an equally hard time) it’s sandbagging.
Although, if it has prompted Matthews to be more outspoken in his criticism of the Bush Administration (outside the war, which he’s already quite critical of) it may be to some good effect.
Still, why Matthews gets a harder time then Bill Kristol or John McCain, I have no idea.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:11 amTweety has taken Bush on in one significant area, Iraq. However, Chris loves politics, he loves power, and he loves being one of the in crowd.
I have listened to hardball for a number of years. Chris impressed me as a person who loves the game. The more clever, the more cunning (read as deceitful spinning) the better. He truly believes in form over substance. He may complain about Bush, but secretly, he loves the way that his administration and party plays politics.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:14 amComment by JMOHR — October 5, 2007 @ 11:14 am
I completely agree.
He has opposed the Iraq war, but not much else.
Matthews prefers form over substance? Absolutely!
He has also been a serial enabler of every nitwit and moron who prefers to dicsuss the color of Al Gore’s suits. …and, dickjokes, he loves a good dickjoke.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:22 amand, dickjokes, he loves a good dickjoke.
Comment by crassus — October 5, 2007 @ 11:22 am
I’m sorry, I should have left out the “good.” He loves dickjokes, period.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:24 amStill, why Matthews gets a harder time then Bill Kristol or John McCain, I have no idea.
Comment by mcintire78 — October 5, 2007 @ 11:11 am
I THINK - someone enlighten me - it is because CM is viewed as a traitor by dyed in the wool libs like JS. CM has the bloodline of a good lib, but has not lived up to the standard of attack all things right held by JS. It makes me think of the Afghan kid the Taliban hung for having dollars in his pocket - you are one of ours, but you have had intercourse with the enemy, so you are fair game.
McCain? He is the Repub most beloved by the left, including JS. Not sure why, could be afterglow from the 2000 campaign, support for “comprehensive immigration” …probably the same things that make him suspect to the right.
And Kristol, in at least some of the interviews I have seen, has gotten pretty well hammered by JS, but he starts to whine and JS starts to feel bad. Think about it too - put 25 years on JS and he’d be a dead ringer for Kristol.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:24 amTHAT IS EXACTLY HOW THEY TOOK OUT DAN RATHER ON THE BUSH RESERVIST STORY
October 5th, 2007 at 11:33 amCan someone clean and replace Matthews’ spittle cup already and lay him down for nappy time. God, how I cannot stand that guy — although I did like how he took Perkins to task for calling RG (not that I am a fan of RG) “pro-abortion” — the very, very misleading term of art.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:35 amChris is looking at the hit job they did on Dan Rather, and decided he’s not gonna play.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:39 amI think Matthews gets pounded because he tries to have it both ways. He can be a fair critic of the war, then he turns around and has a love affair on air with “you’re a great guy” DeLay. He’s a blatant blowhard and frankly, he’s wrong a lot of the time on the facts.
McCain, I can understand why he garners a certain amount of respect. There’s an understanding that he gave a lot and endured a lot, and that his experiences have shaped his world view in ways that most of us perhaps cannot understand. Sure, he’s gone off the deep end once too often, and no one particularly agrees with him, but he’s gonna be treated with respect. In the same way we can disagree with pro-Bush troops but treat them with respect. The difference between progressives and conservatives.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:43 amAside from the obvious Dan Rather overtones it looks like Chris Matthews is trying to save a little face and kick some butt after the beating he took at the hands of Jon Stewart on his latest book. Wow - “worst interview ever” for Matthews…
Jon Stewart & Chris Matthews
October 5th, 2007 at 11:43 amhttp://beta.redlasso.com/ Community/ ClipPlayer.aspx?i=0fd6c977-abc1-4a4b-9f34-f0061a365935
>I THINK - someone enlighten me - it is because CM is viewed as a traitor >by dyed in the wool libs like JS. CM has the bloodline of a good lib, but >has not lived up to the standard of attack all things right held by JS. It >makes me think of the Afghan kid the Taliban hung for having dollars in >his pocket - you are one of ours, but you have had intercourse with the >enemy, so you are fair game.
What makes Matthews fair game is that he’s a crappy hack of a pundit. hardball is a part of the reason the daily show exists in the first place. Shows like hardball help create “conventional wisdom” and catapault the propaganda, but they aren’t very intellectually nourishing. It’s junk news ripe for satire.
Chris Matthews isn’t viewed as a traitor to the cause by anyone. He isn’t on my team. He is a limp ineffectual washington “insider” pretending to have something to share.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:45 amMatthews is a follower, period. Clearly the smoke has finally cleared for all the “centrists” but as Glenn Greenwald points out, nothing is being done despite it.
http://www.salon.com/ opinion/ greenwald/ 2007/ 10/ 04/ lawlessness/ index.html
Tweety did however drop the F-Bomb (Fascist) when discussing the taser incident. I think maybe Olbermann is having a positive influence on him.
http://www.leftopia.blogspot.com
October 5th, 2007 at 11:48 amThat’s not courageous journalism (which would be giving everyone an equally hard time) it’s sandbagging.
Still, why Matthews gets a harder time then Bill Kristol or John McCain, I have no idea.
Comment by mcintire78 — October 5, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Clearly, you are NOT familiar w/ John Stewart’s show.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:49 amI THINK - someone enlighten me - it is because CM is viewed as a traitor by dyed in the wool libs like JS. CM has the bloodline of a good lib, but has not lived up to the standard of attack all things right held by JS.
Comment by Keltoi — October 5, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Sorry, but this is just a little silly.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:51 amMatthews and any representative of the media gets a harsh treatmentfrom Stewart because the whole Daily Show is about pointing out the fact that 99% of all US media is made up of pro GOP, bush, fake christianity pundits (professional propaganda specialists).
Their job is not to inform Americans - their job is to obfuscate, muddle, and lie to Americans so they will think Al Kaida is in Iraq, they think that there were WMD in Iraq, so that they think Iran has ties to Al Kaida (they are mortal enemies you retarded americans - sorry, the stupidity of this country’s citizens bugs me), etc etc.
They have their jobs not because they are journalists, but are there to muddle, and stupify Americans.
Keep in mind the majority of Americans do not have internet access and if they do, simply do not go to news/political blogs web sites.
They get their news from professional propaganda specialists like those featured on fox news or tweety.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:54 amStewart’s an ass. Sorry, you can’t give everyone who comes on your show selling a book a free pass and then viciously attack someone at random–especially when they’re peddling what’s essentially a self-help book. That’s not courageous journalism (which would be giving everyone an equally hard time) it’s sandbagging.
Although, if it has prompted Matthews to be more outspoken in his criticism of the Bush Administration (outside the war, which he’s already quite critical of) it may be to some good effect.
Still, why Matthews gets a harder time then Bill Kristol or John McCain, I have no idea.
Comment by mcintire78 — October 5, 2007 @ 11:11 am
God almighty. This is wrong on so many levels.
Stewart sometimes plays an ass on teevee. It’s part of the riff from being on a spoof news show.
Perhaps you missed the interview - and there were many memorable moments in it - but Stewart said he was not attacking the book, but Matthews’ whole philosophy of life.
And absolutely effin’ right too. The idea that you can live your whole life as a “campaign” is a recipe for sadness. That’s not a sandbagging, that’s reading the damn book and then calling out the author. And Stewart has ripped into others, for example Stephen Hayes… unlike Matthews, Hayes was at least smart enough to stop digging when Stewart had him a hole.
Matthews got a hard time because he’s written a steaming pile of turd and put it in hard cover. No sympathy whatsoever. The idea that life is a campaign - hardly a creative idea coming from a bought-and-paid-for Beltway fixture - is facile, extraordinarily out of touch with everyday Americans, and someone needed to point this out.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:57 amI THINK - someone enlighten me - it is because CM is viewed as a traitor by dyed in the wool libs like JS. CM has the bloodline of a good lib, but has not lived up to the standard of attack all things right held by JS.
Comment by Keltoi — October 5, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Sorry, but this is just a little silly.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — October 5, 2007 @ 11:51 am
Not reealll enlightening - why do YOU think JS saw fit to savage CM when he gives avowed conservatives a far more courteous reception?
October 5th, 2007 at 11:57 amI’m trying to weigh my distaste for everything Matthews stands for (useless interviews, perpetuating ridiculous media narratives based in no substance, his screaming at guests) against my damn-near hatred for Bush’s strong-arming anyone with whom he disagrees.
And as much as I think silencing him would do our society a great deal of good, this isn’t the way to go about it. Having him exposed as a useless fraud and yanked off the air for that would preferable.
So … I guess Tweety wins this round.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m gong to vomit …
October 5th, 2007 at 11:58 amComment by Keltoi
Matthews is a follower, an enabler. Does this sound like a man who has any self-respect?
“Sometimes it glimmers with this man, our President, that kind of sunny nobility.”
“Everybody sort of likes the president, except for the real whack-jobs …”
“And that’s the president looking very much like a jet, you know, a high-flying jet star.”
This kind of stuff is not courageous in the least. It’s nauseating.
http://www.leftopia.blogspot.com
October 5th, 2007 at 11:58 amI’ll probably watch Hardball today to see what Tweety has to say about this…
wait, maybe that was the whole idea behind his uninformative little outburst.
October 5th, 2007 at 11:59 amI’ll probably watch Hardball today to see what Tweety has to say about this…
He’s not going to say a damn thing once he feels the hot breath of his kissass corporate masters breathing down his neck.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:01 pmNot reealll enlightening - why do YOU think JS saw fit to savage CM when he gives avowed conservatives a far more courteous reception?
Comment by Keltoi — October 5, 2007 @ 11:57 am
From what I’ve seen, JS roughs everybody up pretty good when the go on his show. What I reacted to in your post was the phrases “dyed in the wool libs” and “the standard of attacking all things right”.
One is a stereotype and the 2nd a generalization, which tends to diminish and trivialize any criticism of “the right”. Since it is “the standard behavior of dyed in the wool libs”, any statement thus catagorized need not be taken seriously.
BTW, what exactly is a “dyed in the wool lib”, and if you respond that I am, you just make my point.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:04 pmOutside of the 10 people watching this show, and the Washington insiders, is there really anyone who gives a crap what Tweety has to say about anything?
October 5th, 2007 at 12:05 pmI think Stew was simply very disturbed by what he read. I actually think it’s more important to lay into the enablers and suckups like Matthews - there never would have been a Republican majority or the mythology of Bush without them.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:07 pmI’ll probably watch Hardball today to see what Tweety has to say about this…wait, maybe that was the whole idea behind his uninformative little outburst.
Comment by Candyce — October 5, 2007 @ 11:59 am
DING! We have a WINNNERR!
October 5th, 2007 at 12:09 pmBTW, what exactly is a “dyed in the wool libâ€, and if you respond that I am, you just make my point.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — October 5, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Nah, I don’t know you well enough to say that, I watch Stewart almost every night so I know him better.
“Dyed in the wool” liberal or conservative is someone who is totally ruled by ideology and never allows an opposing thought to enter their mind or leave their mouth. They exist at both ends of the spectrum, and depending how deeply dyed you are you may or may not recognize it.
I suspect most people here instantly, automatically and totally dismiss anything that Rush says because he is so predictably right in all his positions.
Stewart is funnier than hell, but he is at the end of the day a comedian with no real insight on world politics that surpasses anyone elses. I don’t take him seriously; it is sometimes hard to tell if he takes himself seriously. But he is also, in my opinion, left wing to the point of close mindedness…
October 5th, 2007 at 12:18 pmGuess I can’t get Matthews gushing over Bush in his pretend flysuit after landing under the Mission Accomplished banner.
Beats me how anyone finds Bush sexy ? Just a smarmey lying toad, without conscience.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:20 pmSomebody wants to keep their job. Tweety has supported and lied for the GOP from day one before he
was host on NBC. Yes Tweety talked about Bill Clinton like a dog each day on cable he even lied to his viewers. Then with the support of the GOP for doing a great job he was hired by NBC. He continued to praise the White House and spin/lie/blame everyday and even called Michael Moore a liar. As the Criminal
White House falls and the public has wised up to the
7 years of criminal acts. Tweety is now saved and found Jesus. Just in time for a new President. A liar is a liar and blaming the executives of the NBC station wont work, but good try.
I already saw Bill Clinton and gave him a note listing the Journalist and reporters that I’ve watched over the years out right lie about him, his wife, other Dem. Law Makers and gave racism/prejudice remarks. Tweety was at the top of the list. I emailed Senator Obama and Edwards. No need to tell Rudy, Mitt, Fred and John they all support liars and crooks.
So Tweety can tell this story while walking and yes he can talk to the hand as the ears are listening.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pmBeats me how anyone finds Bush sexy
or even likable. Remember when Tweety used to cast Bush as “the kind of guy you’d have a beer with” or “the kind of guy you’d invite to a barbeque”? Who in God’s name would invite a belligerent, ignorant brat like Bush to a barbeque???
October 5th, 2007 at 12:46 pm…b ut he is also, in my opinion, left wing to the point of close mindedness…
Comment by Keltoi — October 5, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
Just as you appear to be, in my opinion, right wing to the point of close mindedness…
All JS has ever claimed to be is a comedian. Something is only funny when it has a bit of the truth in it. Perhaps that is why people have voluntarily chosen to trust JS over the Bush Admin or the MSM the last few yrs. And at this point, I would say his insight is sharper…
October 5th, 2007 at 12:46 pmNot reealll enlightening - why do YOU think JS saw fit to savage CM when he gives avowed conservatives a far more courteous reception?
Comment by Keltoi — October 5, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Conservatives dig their own graves; just stating their idiotic positions and cleaving to retarded rightwing talking points and lies is enough; Stewart needs to say nothing. As for your assertion that he’s a died-in-the-wool lefty, you obviously don’t watch him very often at all. and Stewart has proven time and again that he has a far better grasp and insight on world politics than anyone in the Bush administration, but that isn’t saying much, is it?
October 5th, 2007 at 12:48 pmBut he is also, in my opinion, left wing to the point of close mindedness…
Whatever dude.
Wake up. The hippies and sixties radicals are gone. The leftwing of this country is pretty vanilla now. The Bushists are the radicals. If you don’t see that then you are one of them.
October 5th, 2007 at 12:53 pmChris Matthews in 2000, shilling hard for George Bush while he says this about Al Gore: “He doesn’t even look like an American to me.”
Sorry Matthews, it’s going to take a little more than an obtuse, off-hand statement about criminality to make up for the fact that you took part in the George Bush media love-fest and the Gore-bashing of the 2000 election.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:04 pm#54 Well that depends on who is paying for the beer……bet you it wouldn’t be Bubba Bush….he has not paid for anything since Laura’s ring and we aren’t too certain about that.
Take a loser, give him a fake accent and insist he was “saved or reborn or whatever it takes to suck the religous who are used to being told what to think each Sunday and YES WE HAVE A WINNER !
Rove is a genuis at total dirty politics, mentor was Lee Attwater.
Wipe out all incriminating evidence, girlfriend who had abortion, DUI, cocaine use, didn’t complete military obligations. There you are. A President !
And the religous right just ate it up and now we all have to pay the price.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:06 pmBush said, “being a President is hard work.” Yeah when you have to have Daddy pulling in all the contacts to control the news media daily. Money talks when you have octopus fingers.
We have very few objective news reporters anymore.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:10 pm>Wake up. The hippies and sixties radicals are gone.
Someone better tell Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink. Kennedy, too.
>The Bushists are the radicals. If you don’t see that then you are one of them.
Comment by lefty — October 5, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
As Tweety would say “HAH!”
So if I don’t agree with your viewpoint I am automatically a radical. Would you call that type of absolutism….radical?
October 5th, 2007 at 1:11 pmHe was for sucking up to Bush before he was against it.
Buck Fush
October 5th, 2007 at 1:18 pmKeltoi: “So if I don’t agree with your viewpoint I am automatically a radical.”
No, you’re distorting the point of the post. Bush and his supporters’ opinions on the issues are wildly out of step with the vast majority of Americans. That, by definition makes their positions “radical.” The majority of Americans harbor what is commonly called “liberal” opinions on most issues. If you don’t believe me, go to Pollingreport.com and click on the various issues to see various poll results on issues.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:19 pmChris Matthews in 2000, shilling hard for George Bush while he says this about Al Gore: “He doesn’t even look like an American to me.â€
Sorry Matthews, it’s going to take a little more than an obtuse, off-hand statement about criminality to make up for the fact that you took part in the George Bush media love-fest and the Gore-bashing of the 2000 election.
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — October 5, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
Yes. Absolutely true. Without lapdogs like Matthews, Al Gore would be president.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:16 pmMr. Matthews is getting repaid for being a loyal GOP hack over the years. He treatment of Gore in 2000 was horrible.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:19 pmProbably for “national security” reasons, that all encompassing fascist tool of information control. Yeah, go team666
October 5th, 2007 at 2:22 pmTweety’s a weathervane, and there’s a big blow a’comin’. The idea that Bushco has tried to silence Matthews on anything is laughable. It’s apparent that he can’t shut up when slobbering over W. and his toadies. Unfortunately, the Dems who’ll likely replace Bushco will just as happily enjoy Matthews’ sucking up, because most of the candidates are just as selfish and amoral as Matthews.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:40 pmAs for Jon Stewart, I’ve often wondered if he doesn’t go too easy on wingnut guests. He seems to have a pretty comfy relationship with Bloody Bill Kristol, whereas I don’t think I could get near him without lunging for him. But I guess Stewart wants to keep having people come on his show, right?
So if I don’t agree with your viewpoint I am automatically a radical. Would you call that type of absolutism….radical?
You wish Sheehan were radical or even relevant at this point. She is neither.
Bushism and the neoconservatives are radicals. Give up. You’ve lost the debate on that one.
October 5th, 2007 at 2:48 pmIf Matthews’ claims that “they will not silence me” ring a little hollow, they should. After all, Chris Matthews has spent the last several years telling us that President Bush, his White House and the Republican leadership team are “good guys.”
For the history of Matthews’ praise for the good guys of the GOP, see:
October 5th, 2007 at 3:10 pm“Chris Matthews: Bush White House ‘Good Guys’Won’t Silence Me.”
This is hilarious. It is OK, no make that commendable, for Harry Reid to exert the weight of his senate position to overtly pressure Clear Channel Radio to silence Rush Limbaugh, while Chris Mathews complains about some pressure from the White House to go a bit easier on them.
If Chris hadn’t said anything, would anyone have known about it? The letter to Clear Channel wasn’t ‘outed’ by Limbaugh - he didn’t need to do it himself.
Whether you like either one or not, this does say something about who is influential, and who is not.
October 5th, 2007 at 9:13 pmDo all of you know what Matthews was referring to? Cheney was bent because Matthews was focussing on his role in the Valerie Plame outing, and hitting home every night. Scooter and Cheney even obsessed over Hardball transcripts tying them both to the scandal. Finally, Mary Matalin advised them to complain to Tim Russert, who supposedly hates CM, in an effort to censor the coverage. One thing’s clear: Matthews can’t stand Bush/Cheney no matter what he said in 2000 about having a beer. Really, should that be our standard?
Not sure why- is Tim Russert Matthews’ supervisor? BTW, I like Hardball, but agree that he gushes too much over his guests- on both sides of the aisle, in an effort to seem evenhanded.
BTW This is unfair as Matthews is a diabetic and no longer drinks at all:
October 6th, 2007 at 12:59 pm‘
“But just as infuriating is that someone like Matthews needs a few drinks in him to loosen his tongue on the subject and say something off-camera that he’d never say on-air.”
Wow, “silence” Chris Matthews. Talk about a contradiction in terms. It would be easier to find a hat to fit him.
October 7th, 2007 at 12:10 pmIt is absolute hogwash that Matthews has just recently been jumping on the bus. He has been hammering the Bush administration and the rest of the right wing radicals about this unnecessary war.
On the Stewart/Matthews pissing contest. Stewart was harder on Matthews than on Kristol (one of the creeps who started the push for a pre-emptive invasion of Iraq)
What is telling about Stewart is he was unwilling to take Matthews up on his invite to come on Hardball. Stewart slinked out the back door. That says it all.
October 9th, 2007 at 11:00 am