MSNBC's Abrams Hits FNC 'Attack Team,' Defends Matthews

On Monday's "MSNBC Live with Dan Abrams," host and former MSNBC General Manager Abrams used the show's regular "Beat the Press" segment to respond to criticism by some Fox News personalities of recent anti-Bush comments made by MSNBC's Chris Matthews, and their questioning of whether Matthews is too partisan to host the latest Republican debate. Abrams: "The attack team over at Fox News is trying to get some traction out of comments Chris Matthews made ... Now, in a silly and obvious partisan attack, they're suggesting Matthews shouldn't host the Republican debate." After playing a clip of Bill O'Reilly charging that NBC News was "in the pocket" of the Democratic party, Abrams accused FNC of being "in the pocket" of the Republican party. Abrams: "The Republicans have had Fox News, and O'Reilly in particular, in their pocket on the Republican talking points since 1996." Abrams ultimately defended Matthews as "far less predictable" than Fox News hosts. (Transcript follows)

After playing a clip of FNC's Gretchen Carlson complimenting Brit Hume as their regular moderator of debates, Abrams challenged Hume's objectivity by playing a clip of the FNC host expressing his opinion that "a lot of Democrats" don't take the war on terrorism seriously, which came from a roundtable discussion from the July 29 "Fox News Sunday."

ABRAMS: They talk about their D.C. Managing Editor, Brit Hume, who I have enormous respect for. But let's not pretend that he's right down the middle, either. Here's the lead member of their "not biased" political team saying that Democrats just don't understand the threat of terrorism.

BRIT HUME, from "Fox News Sunday," dated July 29: Make no mistake about it. This is what a lot of Democrats and those who support them think. They think the war on terror is some kind of a political scam in which the administration, which is using, to try to undermine civil liberties and expand the power of the executive branch of the government. They do not treat it particularly seriously.

Abrams concluded his defense of Matthews as debate moderator: "I say Chris Matthews expresses his opinions on his show, which are far less predictable than any host covering politics on Fox News."

Below is a complete transcript of Abrams' comments from the October 8 "MSNBC Live with Dan Abrams":

DAN ABRAMS: Time for tonight's "Beat the Press," our daily look back at the absurd and sometimes amusing perils of live TV. First up, the attack team over at Fox News is trying to get some traction out of comments Chris Matthews made at the Hardball 10th anniversary party last week. He made reference to this administration, quote, "finally getting caught in their criminality." He was talking about Cheney aide Scooter Libby's conviction. Now, in a silly and obvious partisan attack, they're suggesting Matthews shouldn't host the Republican debate.

BILL O'REILLY, from "The O'Reilly Factor": Now for the top story tonight, for the first time ever, a political party may have a network news organization in its pocket.

ABRAMS: First time ever. The Republicans have had Fox News, and O'Reilly in particular, in their pocket on the Republican talking points since 1996. It seems Fox is very proud of their debate moderators.

GRETCHEN CARLSON: When Fox News does debates, we don't have Sean Hannity. He'd be a great host, but typically we have our political team, who are not biased, do the debates. So it's interesting that MSNBC chooses Chris Matthews.

ABRAMS: Right, interesting. In particular, they talk about their D.C. Managing Editor, Brit Hume, who I have enormous respect for. But let's not pretend that he's right down the middle, either. Here's the lead member of their "not biased" political team saying that Democrats just don't understand the threat of terrorism.

BRIT HUME, from "Fox News Sunday," dated July 29: Make no mistake about it. This is what a lot of Democrats and those who support them think. They think the war on terror is some kind of a political scam in which the administration, which is using, to try to undermine civil liberties and expand the power of the executive branch of the government. They do not treat it particularly seriously.

ABRAMS: Right, fair and balanced. I say Chris Matthews expresses his opinions on his show, which are far less predictable than any host covering politics on Fox News.