Another chapter in the ongoing Matthews-Olbermann feud? Yesterday, a catfight broke out between the two when Olbermann suggested Matthews had stolen an idea from two female pundits, and later made a hand gesture mocking Matthews gabbing [YouTube here, h/t Undercover Black Man]. Were the warring duo at it again this evening?
You be the judge. Click on the image to the right to view the video..
Again co-anchoring the MSNBC desk with Olbermann tonight, Matthews was just about to throw it to Luke Russert out on the convention floor. The son of the late Meet the Press anchor was interviewing young convention delegates. In light of the reported desire of both Matthews and Olbermann to grab the Meet the Press anchor chair, the opportunity to interact with Luke might be seen as a valuable plum.
Matthews appeared to be reading a script from his laptop, when he suddenly stopped. Olbermann picked up the thread and threw it to young Russert. A furious expression crossed Matthews' face and he began to shake his head and mutter, until his image was blotted out by a prominent NBC logo. Did Chris suspect he had been sabotaged by a pro-Olbermann producer? Some readers have suggested that Matthews wasn't miffed by Olbermann but by the illogic of the line he had been given to read: that Obama was the first African-American to be nominated for president in almost any major country. Too true: few Americans of any color get nominated for president in other countries.
In any case he Mortal Media Kombat between Olbermann and Matthews is making for better viewing than the convention itself.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.





















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Oh man...you could tell
August 27, 2008 - 21:00 ET by bigtimerOh man...you could tell Matthews was mad, upset, beyond frustration in that brief time span...I watched it three times...
You are so right..msnbc is almost getting to be must see TV just to watch which Queen Bee slugs the other one first and knocks him out cold...talk about clawing your way to the top...
Seriously too...watching Matthews frustration with Olbie is going to make him hit the beer again...which I hear he quit drinking...
Oh this is more fun than any soap opera.
Great catch Mark.... Excellent!
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Bigtimer, this is more than fun...
August 27, 2008 - 22:34 ET by goldenthroatRead this one:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12900.html
With morons like Chrissy Boy and Olbermeister sending this network into the dumper every night, what were they expecting? The Huntley/Brinkley Report?
"I think we're all bozos on this bus!" - Firesign Theatre
Wow, Matthews was PEEVED.
August 28, 2008 - 14:25 ET by KimberlyI could swear I caught a couple of choice swear words being mouthed by Matthews before the NBC logo cut him off. At least Chrissy didn't go into an open-mic tirade like some anchors on MesSNBC have been known to do...
Thanks ever so much
August 27, 2008 - 21:00 ET by TexndocI'm glad after a couple of nights I can permanently leave MSNBC off my surfing and not miss any of the "good parts" because of this site. Good pick up, he was p.o.'d. I think Chris really (really really) is trying to reclaim his reputation post - "thrill up my leg" and his frustration in failing that is wonderful entertainment.
This is soooooo great!
August 27, 2008 - 21:01 ET by Dr_LibertyI'm lovin' it.
<insert witty signature here>
love it
August 27, 2008 - 21:04 ET by sawing battabut cant help but think these clowns want the show to be about them. These lefties are getting too comfortable and confident and with enough rope, will hang themselves. Remember, they are the ones who care, who accept one another for their differences, are open minded, etc....but cant seem to deal with any competition or belief other than their own.
just give them time...they will self destruct.
I must say that....
August 27, 2008 - 21:08 ET by superconIt certainly looks like someone was getting a little snippy.
Victory in Iraq.
Liberals suck.
McCain for Preznint.
On the other hand...
August 27, 2008 - 21:20 ET by BeresfordMatthews might have just been pissed about the stupid copy somebody wrote for him.
"the first African-American nominated to be President"..
"in ALMOST ANY MAJOR COUNTRY" ?
Funny thing about those African-Americans....most of them are in America.
Excellent catch, though I
August 27, 2008 - 21:24 ET by Mark FinkelsteinExcellent catch, though I wonder whether Chris would have been as fast as you in picking that up on the fly.
Liberia?
August 27, 2008 - 21:47 ET by Eileen RightLiberia?
Oh gosh Mark..not to copy
August 27, 2008 - 21:58 ET by bigtimerOh gosh Mark..not to copy you ...but that is exactly what I was going to say...Chris isn't that fast...he really isn't, he wouldn't of even noticed it..in fact knowing Matthews he may very well of written the same exact thing himself...and said as such...lol.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
These idiots are so PC they
August 27, 2008 - 22:30 ET by motherbeltThese idiots are so PC they just don't know what the "correct" term is for a black who's not an American (does the word "black" ring a bell?). A couple of rounds ago at the Olympics one of the reporterettes commented that one guy was the "first African-American from any country" to win that event. They are so afraid that they might not use the politically correct term that they end up tongue-tied.
But I watched it a couple of times and I think Matthews' look said "Oh, great, there he goes again...."
Well, It Is Not That Easy...
August 28, 2008 - 00:16 ET by BeresfordI'm channelling Matthews here...which is frightening in itself...
The person who wrote the dumb copy was trying to say that this is the first time a black man has been nominated to run a country that isn't largely populated by black people. Lots of black people have led African, Caribbean countries etc.
But so far the Swiss, Lithuanians et al haven't managed to break away from old white men and women as their leaders. But try to put that into a phrase of three words or less.
"Only in America..." as some folks like to say.
I may be giving Chris too much credit...but as soon as I heard the words come out of his mouth...the absurdity of the statement struck like a gong in my head. I'll bet -- particularly on these matters of political correctness -- that he picked up on it too and thus the grimmace.
The other day Chris noticed immediately when Hillary Clinton referred to Obama as "my opponent." Guys like Matthews are always listening to public commentary and wondering how someone else might pick up on words and mock them.
well that and he's a politician
August 28, 2008 - 06:18 ET by kornissues22there's been plenty of buzz about Matthews seriously considering Pennsylvania's senatorial seat. it would be smart of him not to talk out of his ass.
but good smart catch there by beresford, which is much more than I can say about everyone else here laughing off without first stopping and trying to assess the situation (and I'm talking to you Mark).
also, generally, I try to give credit to television commentors being professional, at the very least (their commentary aside).
Well korn
August 28, 2008 - 06:35 ET by Cool ArrowAs it turns out, Matthews discovered via polling, his approval rating in Pa. is about as high as Al Frankken's support among Veterans.
Matthews ain't quittin' his night job.
Torches & Pitchforks
G.Washington - first black president:)!
August 28, 2008 - 10:41 ET by TruthMongertechnically speaking - as our fine citizens of the "darker-skinned pursuasion" love to remind us - we all descend from Africa - so actually George Washington was our first African-American president...
..and your welcome, Spikey:)!
but from now on I prefer that you all call me the politically correct term of "swedish/english/scottish-American..."
I just love how lefties bring us all together
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
PC first
August 27, 2008 - 22:04 ET by sawing battapolitical correctness has them all confused
Cant wait for the correction...'our anchorman intended to say "African-NON Americans"' or "non white" or some other PC gymnastics.
Fine
August 28, 2008 - 06:21 ET by kornissues22maybe we should just call them all n-----s. would that be better?
god i miss the good 'ole days.
Who's this WE?
August 28, 2008 - 06:46 ET by Cool ArrowCall "them" what you want. It's a free country.
But how about "we" don't include me?
Torches & Pitchforks
Thank you, Cool
August 28, 2008 - 10:10 ET by CPT_ClawI don't want to be included in that "we" pronoun either.
There are some words that go beyond PC -- unless PC stands for 'Plain Crass'
Ditto
August 28, 2008 - 12:02 ET by Andante"Why can't I just eat my waffle?" -- Obama
That was funny...
August 27, 2008 - 21:22 ET by 3strikesI have to admit, I don't think I would have been able to sit through these two airheads long enough to catch that one.
Mark, you are a dedicated man.
Idiocracy
August 27, 2008 - 21:25 ET by iveseenitallOur own "journalists" acting like twelve-year-olds. Russert's baby boy. And the Dim Convention as a backdrop. How apropos. What a sad idiocracy we live in.
NEVER,NEVER trust a"liberal"
If this Cat Fight keeps up
August 27, 2008 - 21:49 ET by Eileen RightIf this Cat Fight keeps up we may hear that Olberblown was found unresponsive in his tub.
Matthews was reading a
August 27, 2008 - 21:55 ET by dscottMatthews was reading a script from his laptop, when his lines suddenly disappeared and Olbermann picked up the thread and threw it to young Russert.
Chris, a little advice, as long as they are paying you to be the butt of the 3 stooges antics, you're better off than someone in the unemployment line. Smile the boss loves an idiot.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
Olberfilth
August 27, 2008 - 22:13 ET by RexzeitgeistOlberfilth must have incriminating photos of Jeff Immelt, how does this barfbag still have a job on tv? HOW?
And even that wretched hog, Madcow, has her own salt lick of libhate now.
Crazy people run NBC.
Matthews angry at copywriter not Olbermann
August 27, 2008 - 22:39 ET by mitchfloridaThe copy that Matthews had to read made no sense, that is why he is scowling.
thank you!
August 28, 2008 - 06:15 ET by kornissues22thank you
Olbie wrote it
August 27, 2008 - 23:32 ET by harqmanOlbie wrote it to make Chris look stupid. As if. Olbie seemed to be right there.
I only watched tonight to see what these two clowns would do after Biden. Chris was crying off camera as he read one of the post speech questions. Not boohoo crying but he was getting very choked up about a guy from his "hood" a normal guy in Chris' mind.
So fr in the tank they have no idea they are in it.
Old one with a twist
August 27, 2008 - 23:44 ET by AndanteThe Pope is visiting DC and McCain takes him out for an afternoon on the Potomac ... sailing on the presidential yacht, the Sequoia.
They're admiring the sights when, all of a sudden, the Pope's hat (zucchetto) blows off his head and out into the water. Secret service guys start to launch a boat, but McCain waves them off, saying,"Wait, wait. I'll take care of this. Don't worry."
McCain then steps off the yacht onto the surface of the water and walks out to the Holy Father's little hat, bends over and picks it up, then walks back across the water to the yacht and climbs aboard.He hands the hat to the Pope amid stunned silence.
The next morning the topic of conversation between Olbermann and Matthews is that "McCain Can't Swim."
"Why can't I just eat my waffle?" -- Obama
Andante... ROFLMAO! Boy
August 27, 2008 - 23:53 ET by bigtimerAndante...
ROFLMAO!
Boy have you got that right..that is exactly how it would be.
That was so darned good.
You made my night.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
"Matthews Furious—Did
August 28, 2008 - 00:14 ET by jdhawk"Matthews Furious—Did Olbermann Lift His Lines?"
Who really cares?
This country is about 70 days from possibly electing the most far left wing nut job in the history of the United States. Is this really something anyone wants to discuss? Really?
Two possibilities
August 28, 2008 - 01:42 ET by TheCynicHard to say. Either he's upset at the stupid line he had to read, realizing it immediately after he said it, or he's upset at what was on the teleprompter, which probably said:
MATTHEWS: blah blah blah
*CUT TO OLBERMAN*
OLBERMAN: blah blah blah
He might have thought he should have been allowed to pitch to Russert and was upset to see it switch to Olberman.