Matthews Criticizes Anti-Bush Booing as ‘Bad Form,’ Olbermann Not So Much

During Tuesday morning’s inaugural coverage on MSNBC, when spectators were heard booing President Bush as he was introduced, Chris Matthews seemed to become uncomfortable and criticized the protest as "bad form," remarking, "Don’t do that. Don’t boo, don’t boo, don’t boo." But minutes later, when protesters could be heard singing "Hey, hey, goodbye," co-anchor Keith Olbermann seemed to suggest that he was only bothered by the behavior because it distracted attention from Michelle Obama’s introduction. Olbermann: "Far be it for me to have been critical of anyone critical of this President, obviously, but, unfortunately, during that demonstration, something of the introduction of Mrs. Obama was lost because people were singing the, they still are, the ‘Hey, hey,’ song from various sporting events over the year, towards the 43rd President."

Ironically, just a minute earlier, Matthews seemed to praise his network for embracing Obama’s "change," and remarked that the spectators at the inauguration were part of MSNBC’s audience.

Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the January 20 inaugural coverage on MSNBC, which aired at about 11:32 a.m.:

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Don’t do that. Don’t boo, don’t boo, don’t boo.

RACHEL MADDOW: That’s a surprise. We’re hearing some booing and that is a surprise.

MATTHEWS: Bad form here.

MADDOW: That is not what I expected.

[SPECTATORS CAN BE HEARD CHANTING "Hey, hey, goodbye"]

KEITH OLBERMANN: Far be it forme to have been critical of anyone critical of this President, obviously, but, unfortunately, during that demonstration, something of the introduction of Mrs. Obama was lost because people were singing the, they still are, the "Hey, hey," song from various sporting events over the year, towards the 43rd President.

[SPECTATORS CAN BE HEARD CHANTING "No more Bush, no more Bush"]