Matthews Rips Palin: Somebody Needs To ‘Give Her A Copy Of The Constitution To Read’
Matthews Rips Palin: Somebody Needs To ‘Give Her A Copy Of The Constitution To Read’
Earlier this week, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sat down for an interview with KUSA, an NBC affiliate in Colorado. As ThinkProgress first reported, in response to a question about “[w]hat does the Vice President do,” Palin replied, “[T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes.” (She’s wrong.)
Today on MSNBC, Chris Matthews challenged McCain campaign spokeswoman Nancy Pfotenhauer to defend Palin’s comments, saying that in all his time in Washington, he has “never heard anybody” give an answer like Palin did. “Where does she get her civics?” asked Matthews. Pfotenhauer became visibly angry by the questioning and tried to change the subject. Matthews, however, refused to let her get away:
I don’t know why Randy Scheunemann or one of the smart people around her — I don’t know who else, Nicolle Wallace, somebody — ought to go to the candidate for the Vice President and give them a copy of the Constitution to read. That’s all it takes. It doesn’t take a lot of penetrating thought. Read the job description. [...]
Somehow, in all these trips to Washington — through Neiman’s, and through Saks, and through everywhere else she stopped off, she never picked up a copy of the Constitution. It is a problem. It is a problem, Nancy, and you know it.
Watch it:
Whether Palin truly understands the role of the vice president has been repeatedly called into question. Right-wing members of the media, as well as conservatives such as Mitt Romney and former Bush strategist Matthew Dowd, have raised doubts about if Palin will be ready to step into the role of President. As recently as July, in fact, Palin dismissed the job, saying that it didn’t seem “productive.” “As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?” she told CNBC.
Today, McCain insisted that Palin is “the most qualified of any that who has run recently for vice president, to tell you the truth.”
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Matthews Rips Palin: ‘Read The Job Description’»
- – I watched this segment live on TV completely slackjawed. Matthews completely waxes Pfotenhauer and leaves the earth scorched in his wake. It’s must-see TV.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:56 pmAwesome. Simply awesome. Definitely a must see.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pmI like Matthews, but I have to say that his “through Neiman’s, and through Saks” comment crossed a line.
Go after Palin because she is wrong, but don’t state that women just want to go shopping.
Matthews is a smart guy who at times shows an unfortunate lack of respect for women.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:03 pmGive em’ hell Tweety! Next up….Bachmann.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:03 pmPfluffernutter is a useful tool. Soon to be an unemployed tool.
Way to go, Chris. Keep up the good work.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:03 pmPootin-Huffer is just as dumb as Palin is!
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:04 pmOK, Chris – I take back every time I called you a “rightwing tool.”
Keep up the good work.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:04 pmI am not entirely sure I can pick my jaw up off the floor. Maybe Letterman actually inspired the news media to ask real questions. Just WOW.
But I tell ya, I sure as hell wouldn’t want to have been put on the spot to have to defend Palin like this woman was.
I gotta say again . . . WOW
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:06 pmi have to admit i wanted to see nancy pa-fotenhauer get spanked, but this wasn’t quite what i had in mind.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:09 pmToday, McCain insisted that Palin is “the most qualified of any that who has run recently for vice president, to tell you the truth.”
Ummmm, does that include McInsane/Palin buddy, supporter and fellow campaigner Lieberman?
Cheers,
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:10 pmNothing about this choice makes sense past the election. It energized their base to some degree, it gave McCain a bit of a wildcard, and they can flaunt their “women will vote for her because they’re mindless and only care about gender!” concept… But what happens after (and if) she and McCain win?
We have someone who can’t even tell you what her job will be. Fun.
Stop trying to tell me this woman is an “average” person. I’m not voting for the local head of my bowling team.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 pmIf I were Lieberman, I think I’d be just a tad … well, insulted. ;-)
Cheers,
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 pmSarah, Sarah, Sarah, it’s so easy to read the Constitution. It can be found in any American Almanac or World Almanac of any vintage.
P. S. if the Republicans somehow Diebold us again and hack and rig and electronically steal the Presidential Election for the third time in a row this November, consider painting a nice wide (say, four or five feet) blue stripe of protest all the way across the front of your house. Check out http://www.flickr.com and search on “striped house” for some spiffy examples. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared.” Go Blue!
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:12 pmzuch Says:
Today, McCain insisted that Palin is “the most qualified of any that who has run recently for vice president, to tell you the truth.”
Ummmm, does that include McInsane/Palin buddy, supporter and fellow campaigner Lieberman?
Oh, ouch! I can hear Cheney snarling down in the dungeon, as well.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:13 pmDamn, Tweety.
Who knew?
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:13 pmdon’t be so surprised #8… mathews has handlers to please, too. it’s not like it was a tough prediction that democrats would be so far ahead in the polls after 8 years of raping and pillaging by the “other team”.
this is simple showmanship. vaudeville.
seriously people, pull your heads out.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pmyou’re all so caught up in the dialectic.
Skeeter1 Says:
I like Matthews, but I have to say that his “through Neiman’s, and through Saks” comment crossed a line.
– - Not in this instance he didn’t. When you won’t submit to a press conference, give only very limited interviews, sell yourself to America as a “real American” from a small town and a WalMart shopping, hockey mom, as Palin certainly has, then it’s ludicrous to be shopping at the ELITE, high-end stores in the big cities. It’s completely tone-deaf to your base.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:15 pmWow, when did Chris Matthews grow such a large pair? He really punked her. And she never did answer his questions.
As far as McCain saying she is the “most qualified” to run as VP recently only means that he has gone off the cliff to join Sarah Palin in Palinland, where everything is the way they want it to be. How anyone with an IQ above room temperature could even consider voting for either of them is beyond my comprehension.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:15 pmLeftside Annie Says:
OK, Chris – I take back every time I called you a “rightwing tool.”
Matthews was a right wing tool. But more than that he’s an opportunist. He can see which way the wind is blowing and he’s gotten on the winning side. I’m not really sure it’s heartfelt, though.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:17 pmWell, we at least now know for a fact that the McCain campaign was not playing tricks by not letting her talk to the media. They were too scared. I have a feeling Palin lied her a** off to get these guys to agree to let her by the VP pick.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pmOne of the other duties of the VP is chairman of the board for NASA. Can you see Scarah in a room full of rocket
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pmscientists? HA
I saw this and it was one ugly threshing. Pfotenhauer was sputtering and bleating and Matthews was having none of it. It’s the first time I caught Tweety actually doing a respectable job of journalism.
On a lighter note, there’s video of Jeff Larson & Palin on that infamous shopping spree:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC9DvSG2JyQ
RNC toady: “We’re gonna be spending an obscene amount of money in here, so we’re going to need a lot more help sucking up to us ‘cuz that’s what we really like…
*rimshot*
Thankyewthankyewverrymuch….
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pmI believe Matthews sees Keith & Rachel’s ratings compared to his and hopes if he leans a little left and maybe starts doing his job it might keep him on the air a while longer.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:19 pmI could see him do an immediate about face if he thought it would be in his best interest.
#22, mk3872, palin had nothing to do with it. she’s a left-handed tennis racket.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:23 pmcargod Says:
I could see him do an immediate about face if he thought it would be in his best interest.
I’d start humming something about “don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows” but I don’t want to be pallin’ around with Ayers. Tweety is looking out for Tweety.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:25 pmIT’S ABOUT TIME!
SOMEONE FINALLY WOKE TWEETY UP
HE MUST WANT A SENATE SEAT PRETTY BAD
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:29 pmcargod Says:
I believe Matthews sees Keith & Rachel’s ratings compared to his and hopes if he leans a little left and maybe starts doing his job it might keep him on the air a while longer.
I could see him do an immediate about face if he thought it would be in his best interest.
I think it has to do more with politics. Matthews wants to run for political office and I believe he sees that aligning himself with the Democrats will give him the best chance of being able to pull it off. No one in their right mind today would identify themselves with the Republicans.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pmWhere in the hell was this guy 8 years ago? Glad he finally read what the press was supposed to do. And to even mention the Constitution. Why wasn’t he asking Bush/Cheney these questions?!
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pmthis is simple showmanship. vaudeville.
seriously people, pull your heads out.
– - I realize what all these TV pundits are and what drives them.
And I don’t think Palin is dumb; she is just proudly ignorant, a cynical opportunist and a pathological liar.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 pmChris ALWAYS plays it more hardball with his female guests than with his male guests. I have seen him kiss up to Tom Delay too many times to ever take him seriously. He’s been mostly asleep at the wheel for the last 12 years…
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:33 pmTweety has been really on a roll lately.
Seems like instead of telling the neocon clowns how nice their hair is, he has been eating them for lunch.
If he keeps this up I may have to take back all the things I said about him back when he was fawning over people like Delay and Romney.
I will have to watch the repeat after I get home from work.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:33 pmsuziq Says:
Chris ALWAYS plays it more hardball with his female guests than with his male guests.
Eric Cantor might possibly be gay, but he is definitely not female.
He has been ripping apart the neocons, male and female fairly equally lately.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:35 pmPalin’s answer indicates the level of ignorance on her part.
How can a woman:
In her mid forties.
A College graduate.
An Ex-Mayor of a US town.
A Current Governor of a US state.
A Current candidate running for the job of VP,
yet she cannot describe correctly what are the duties of the Vice President under the US Constitution.
Shocking…!
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 pmhanshiro Says:
I saw this and it was one ugly threshing. Pfotenhauer was sputtering and bleating and Matthews was having none of it. It’s the first time I caught Tweety actually doing a respectable job of journalism.
Watch him light up Cantor, not that was a good one too.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 pmMatthews has only been going on the hard questions once he saw where there has been opportunity for him to “look” like a reporter of some sort or another.
Plus, he knows that they cannot answer a question straight on, it’s not how repukes do thing..that why the “Straight Talk Express” isn’t straight talk, it’s BS flung to the audience to see what sticks.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 pmI believe the most disturbing part of that video was Nancy pFotenhauer stating that she has 5 kids. That sent an icy chill down my spine.
Just saying . . .
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 pmI’m glad he’s not in my state or district I can’t imagine him in any elected office.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:51 pmThe last 8 years have proved that the lack of qualifications often has no relation to electability.
I live in Arizona and hold out a small hope that McPander can be beaten even here, it would be a very very sweet victory if he were to lose his home state
WTG Matthews
While we’re on th topic heres another great Hardball moment earlier this year.
7 minutes of pure entertainment. Chris completely eviscerates rightwing moron Kevin James over the ridiculous Hitler-appeasement accusations against Obama
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/15/hardball-shoutfest-matthe_n_102020.html
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:54 pmPerhaps if Ms Palin were to ingest a few copies of the Constitution, she might get some via osmosis.
October 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 pmIs there a Cliff Notes Constitution version or maybe the U.S. Constitution for Dummies available for a quick read?
I’m sure that’s her preferred learning procedure.
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:07 pmI don’t think there’s any need to read too much into this. Tweety is not an idiot and, as a reasonably rational man, he doesn’t want a pair of idiots in the White House. Much like me, I think he has realized the GOP’s results suck and they promise to keep sucking. It’s not really much of a choice.
Then, of course, there is the surreal nature of the GOP candidates. Who would have guessed that John McCain/2000, despite his inherent faults, would transform into the Reichwhiner tool he is Today?
And that awful woman from Alaska is a freakin’ cartoon character for 3rd graders! If the stupid (bleep!) is talking to 3rd graders during interviews she should run for baby sitter, though I wouldn’t leave her with kids.
PS. Did I just hear that the Palins are going to donate the $75,000-? worth of clothes, and lord knows what, the RNC bought at Niemans and Sax to charity?
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:07 pmTweety built his career attacking Bill Clinton and Democrats. He was totally disrepectfull to Mrs. Edwards and Clinton. He called Obama everything but the N word. When Sarah stepped in on the scene Tweety was drulling.
I guess MSNBC is looking over resumes so Tweety wants to keep his job. The only people Tweety is fooling are those who don’t know him. Sarah had allowed Americans and the Journalist to know she doesn’t read anything but a Starbuck cup. Tweety knows Sarah doesn’t read so by suggest that she read the Constitution it would take Sarah hundreds of years to learn to read that we just don’t have time.
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:47 pmAt first I felt kind of bad of Pfot., but then realized they’re being ruthless in sliming Obama. They suddenly want people to be ‘fair’ with them?
Forget it. Matthew took her apart and he should have.
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:56 pmLOVE IT! He destroyed Palin and he left Pfot in tatters. He was right. Palin was OFF BASE and everybody knows it. This is what should be happening on TV News. Just got back from the UK where the news anchors stick it to public figures like this on a daily basis. BRAVO!!!
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 pmI never have liked Motor Mouth Matthews but a kudos to him for that performance.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 pmWow, this is the tweety I used to enjoy watching. He’s been lied to by too many Republicans and I think he’s figured out what it is to be a journalist again.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:15 pmMatthews wasn’t being sexist with that remark. He was commenting on how the RNC had taken Mrs. Palin on a shopping spree in NYC to the tune of $150,000
Not to mention that the guy footing the bill was none other than Jeff Larson, the one who’s company is making all of those shameful “robocalls.”
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 pmConclusive proof of Alien Abduction! Aliens kidnap conservative reporter and replace him with a duplicate with an Actual Working Brain! Here’s hoping that the aliens let him stick around!
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 pmImpeach Pelosi, Cheney and Bush and Save the Constution!
why didn’t tweety make this big a stink about this issue when cheney created the fourth branch of government out of whole cloth? Tweety’s right of course about the idiocy of palin, but he should have been making at least as big a stink over cheney. I don’t listen to tweety because he is such a jerk, but I listen to enough other stuff that I’m pretty sure I would have heard about him railing against cheney if it happened.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 pmby way of palin’s vast foreign policy experience due to her living in close proximity to Russia, all she would have to do to be an expert on the Constitution is spend a little time in the same room as one – no reading necessary.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pmPuffy-Hoofer and William Kristol both keep that hyena face on while making fools of themselves.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 amProof that a fish rots from the head.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 pmI just wish Tim Russart were here to enjoy all this. If Chris Matthews has these people squirming, I can’t imagine what Tim would have done!
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