Note to Chris Matthews: when mocking someone for using a ghostwriter, it's best to avoid doing so on a day when Hillary Clinton is prominently in the news . . .
On this evening's Hardball, Matthews went out of his way to mock Joe The Plumber for his use of a ghostwriter on his just-released book. This on the day Hillary Clinton was in the headlines, having been named Barack Obama's Secretary of State. You know, Hillary Clinton. The woman famous, in writing "It Takes A Village," for failing to credit her . . . ghostwriter.
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Matthews began his deriding of Joe's book in his opening tease.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: And guess who's got a book out? Joe the Plumber. That's right. Joe the Plumber is now Joe the Writer—though he may have had some help from Joe the Ghostwriter. We'll look at that in the Hardball Sideshow.And later, in that Sideshow segment, Matthews wrote off as a "gag gift" the book by a man who inspired many during the campaign.
MATTHEWS: And if you're looking for a gag gift this holiday season, look no further than Joe the Plumber's book—it's out. Remember Joe the Plumber--John McCain's iconic working stiff? He's got a book out. It's called Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream. It hits bookstores today. And by the way, talk about the American Dream. Three months ago, no one had heard of this guy. He was an unlicensed plumber who was plucked out of obscurity by McCain because he asked Obama a question about his tax plan. So now he's Joe the Author. Or he's got Joe the Ghostwriter writing for him.If Matthews would have looked at the screen, he would have seen that, his insinuations aside, Joe wasn't trying to hide the fact that he had help in writing the book. To the contrary, prominently featured on the book's cover is "with Thomas N. Tabback."
Compare and contrast with Hillary Clinton's failure to acknowledge the help she received in preparing "It Takes a Village." As her ghostwriter recounted [emphasis added]:
The actual writing experience of working on It Takes a Village with Mrs. Clinton was not extraordinary in any respect. Together with our editor, we produced drafts in a round-robin style. We worked well as a team and things went about as smoothly as can be expected when you're producing a high-profile book in eight months and one of you is married to the leader of the free world. The problem came when Mrs. Clinton decided, for reasons still a mystery to me, not to acknowledge my help, or that of anyone else by name.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Comments Policy
→ Bravo Mark
December 1, 2008 - 20:28 ET by Cool ArrowGood catch.
Thanks, CA. The hypocrisy
December 1, 2008 - 20:29 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThanks, CA. The hypocrisy and double standard jumped out at me.
good for you mark it runs
December 2, 2008 - 19:56 ET by TruthMongergood for you mark
it runs over me every day like a freight train
Dominate education now
he has no shame
December 1, 2008 - 20:40 ET by soosaneven when you point this stuff out it rolls off their backs - he still has a thrill going up and down his leg and won't notice.
That's the difference
December 1, 2008 - 20:42 ET by HockeyKidbetween real Americans and the Pinhead Elite. Real Americans like Joe have actually worked for a living, and so acknowledge the honest work of others. The Pinhead Elite have to look up the word "honest" in the dictionary, and even then it looks like some foreign language.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
The man (and many, many
December 1, 2008 - 20:42 ET by RR GOPThe man (and many, many like him) have no shame whatsoever. Thank you for watching this jackass's show so I don't have to.
These guys are still scared of Palin and Joe.
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
Speaking of ghostwriters, what about Chris Matthew's messiah?
December 1, 2008 - 20:43 ET by R D HelmHmm?
-Dave
When in doubt, always side with freedom, as it sure beats the hell out of the alternative.
Wasn't Ayers Obama's
December 1, 2008 - 21:01 ET by kgWasn't Ayers Obama's ghostwriter for his book as well?
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
kg, based on the evidence I have seen...
December 1, 2008 - 21:55 ET by R D Helm...which was clearly laid out in the link I provided, among other articles I have seen, Obama did not actually write his first book.
Of course, this brings into question the authorship of his subsequent publications as well.
-Dave
When in doubt, always side with freedom, as it sure beats the hell out of the alternative.
Crissies logic chip slips again
December 1, 2008 - 20:45 ET by general companyWell one was only a presidential canidate and the other was, well just a normal Joe smoe. What a putz
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
→ Chrissy's loose chip
December 1, 2008 - 20:55 ET by Cool ArrowI can hear Christy Lane now:
Sorry, I just couldn't attribute that to Doris Day.
huh?
December 1, 2008 - 20:58 ET by candanceThis is how the book industry works - some celebrity gets offered a million dollars to slap their name on the cover of a book that's either written by a ghostwriter or heavily polished by an editor. It happens every single day.
It's akin to making fun of someone because they were caught picking their nose on video. It's tedious.
That said, I am a bit surprised at how fast they threw this book together. He found fame, what, six months ago? My expectations are not very high.
I'm a typical white person.
Wasn't it more like a month
December 1, 2008 - 21:38 ET by JasonCWasn't it more like a month and a half ago? I'm stunned they've churned it out already. Not that I'd read it, but that is a shocking turnaround time.
What's so shocking?
December 2, 2008 - 04:33 ET by islero47It's not like Thomas N. Tabback had to do any research, the Obama's government employee supporters did all of that for him. If they waited any longer, like six months to a year, they'd sell less copies because people would think, "Oh, him again," instead of "Oh, him still?"
Sarah Palin/Jason Lewis 2012
Obama, pathological nacissist: http://www.faithfree...
Well of course they wanted
December 2, 2008 - 08:26 ET by JasonCWell of course they wanted to get it out as soon as possible; JtP, with all due respect, doesn't seem like the kind of cultural icon that will last long, so quick book sales were probably a priority. I was talking about the sheer logistics of writing, editing, proofing, printing, and distributing the whole dang thing, considering the decision to give him a book deal was probably made, what, a month ago?
And doesn't he still have an album to record too?
I just can't really imagine what could make this book interesting. What sets him apart from thousands of other ordinary Americans other than that he met both presidential candidates?
look here Jason
December 2, 2008 - 08:37 ET by candanceJust went back and checked history. Joe rose to prominence in the debate on Oct 15. That was roughly six weeks ago. Six weeks. And you can't assume he was given a contract the day after the debate.
So the actual writing was probably done at most in three weeks. That's ridiculous. I wrote my first novel in 90 days and still my friends said I was flying through it. I can't comprehend writing something like this in less than a month.
I'm a typical white person.
Exactly. It's
December 2, 2008 - 08:42 ET by JasonCExactly. It's ridiculous. Do you think you'll read it?
um no
December 2, 2008 - 08:51 ET by candanceMy reading list is already backed up as it is.
I'm a typical white person.
sorry islero
December 2, 2008 - 08:27 ET by candanceIf a book is really good it won't matter when it gets published. Books that are thrown together in a hurry like this are not good. Buying a book for the sole purpose of a celebrity's name on the cover always, always results in getting stuck with a boring book you never finish. With all due respect to Joe (God knows I'm one of his biggest fans) this smacks of him needing to get it out before his "fifteen minutes" are up.
Say Joe the Plumber waits a year from now when everyone had forgotten about him, and then he writes an amazing book that blows us all away. That would have been shocking.
I'm a typical white person.
Candance, in every literary
December 2, 2008 - 08:30 ET by JasonCCandance, in every literary respect, you're right, it would have been better. And I definitely appreciate your remark about hastily produced biographies and their inherent inferiority, but this seems like a wise business move. I truly just cannot imagine sustained interest in JtP for the next year. I think the '15 minutes of fame' thing is exactly what would happen, and that is a purely pragmatic, not political, comment.
well Jason
December 2, 2008 - 08:47 ET by candanceHaving mired my way through the publishing business from scratch, with no 15 minutes to take advantage of, and having watched many a talented writer wait years for a sale, this is one of my pet peeves.
I agree that this makes smart business sense and I don't blame Joe for doing it. Someone comes along and offers you a book deal, what are you going to do, say no? Of course not. My only point is that it won't meet any enduring success beyond the first few weeks of sales.
I'm a typical white person.
Ironic on a number of
December 1, 2008 - 21:03 ET by SnappyIronic on a number of levels... and not just with the Hillary ghost writing. Calling a book by a man who not long ago was an just an unlicensed plumber who no one knew a "Gag Gift" is ironic in itself. The fact that Chris Mathews on a national cable show (I wont call it a news network) is mentioning this book at all is ironic and indicitive of the title of the book! Why you would call a book mentioning the American Dream, by a virtual unknown a "Gag Gift" is beyond me. To me if anyone has recent and first hand experience regarding the American Dream it is certainly "Joe the Plumber". Good luck and God speed, hopefully his book is a best seller and he can thumb his nose at all the scornfull "your no where near $250,000 why do you care about the taxes?" crowd.
Classic Hillary Quotes
December 1, 2008 - 21:30 ET by Retired Geek"We must stop thinking of the individual and start thinking about what is best for society."
-- Hillary Clinton, 1993
"I guess that will teach them to f**k with us."
--Hillary Clinton, right after her "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" interview on the Today show (as quoted by Clinton "friend" Jeffrey Toobin in his book A Vast Conspiracy).
"F**king Jew bastards."
--Hillary Clinton, to Clinton campaign manager Paul Fray, in 1974 according to three eyewitness accounts.
"Lazy n*****s."
--Hillary Clinton, to black campaign worker in 1992, who was late for a meeting, according to Clinton/Gore volunteer Margorie Hamilton.
Mathews is an idiot
December 1, 2008 - 21:48 ET by jackie3Ghostwriters are the norm. Prez Clinton had one too. In the publishing industry no one would expect "joe the plumber" to be a writer to begin with. Most americans are like me...we struggle with English in general.
Only thing that is different from "joe the plumber" and the "elite pinheads" is that he will give credit where credit is due.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
Oh, I don't know, Jackie...
December 1, 2008 - 21:58 ET by R D Helm...you seem to possess a more than rudimentary command of the English language from where I am currently perched. :-)
-Dave
When in doubt, always side with freedom, as it sure beats the hell out of the alternative.
Chrissy Has Ghostwriters...Kos, Soros, His Leg...
December 1, 2008 - 22:17 ET by CapeCodScottHe is such a Rump-Swab!
www.ScottOnCapeCod.com
"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation"... until they get fed-up enough to finally say something about it!
Who helps Chrissy get his show on the air?
December 1, 2008 - 22:24 ET by nkviking75So Chrissy, what exactly is the sin of having a ghostwriter?
While we're at it, who books your guests? Who decides your topics? Who does your research? Who writes your questions? Who mops up after you've drooled all over the floor? You might have some input into Hardball, but I seriously doubt you do much of the leg work (you'll pardon the expression) for your national Obama-butt-kissing festival.
Welcome to the era of unity, you racist!
-----
December 1, 2008 - 22:34 ET by dahliatraversWell, the answer to your third question is pretty clearly "no one"; otherwise, good questions and a great point.
nkviking
December 1, 2008 - 22:39 ET by NorthCoasterOh no! You mean to tell me that Chrissy has writers and editors for his show? I'm soooo disappointed......NOT! Why, I thought his drivel was all his own!
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December 1, 2008 - 22:39 ET by dahliatraversWe've all been wondering who will replace GWB as the whipping boy of the liberal commentariat. It looks like they've chosen two people "to fill those large shoes": Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin.
We're doomed!
December 1, 2008 - 23:49 ET by mizflame98This is the guy who is considering taking Sen. Spector's seat? Yeah, I can see him now treating his constituents like a bunch of redneck losers. That'll go over real big...no wait! It did. Murtha was reelected & Obama won PA.
Disregard...
Perfect Demotivator for the Obama Administration
http://www.despair.com/government.html
Go away Joe!
December 2, 2008 - 00:20 ET by goldwaterfanJoe the non-plumber is such a moron. I don't think he's ever read a book in his life (Well maybe a pop-up book). People in this country hate him and don't care what he has to say. He needs to go away forever!
I Didn't want to be the first to say it...
December 2, 2008 - 02:28 ET by ImAllRightDidn't want to be the first one to say it, usually because anything other than the Rush position on the issue gets you labeled a liberal and a troll here, so for that I thank you goldwaterfan.
Anyway, yes, please Joe, GO AWAY! - The guy is a moron, always saying "I do my own research...blah blah blah," yet sounding dumber and dumber at every event he went on. He's a national joke as much as Gov. Palin has become, anyone that thinks that the left is afraid of them is seriously out of touch with the butt whipping we just took. Hello! - They REJECTED these two VERY prominent people of the McCain campaign, and some of you think the left is afraid?!?! - What will it take for some of you to realize how in the doghouse our party is?
Anyone?
Joe represents all that is wrong with the party today, McCain thought if he went for the vote of every blue collar American that he'd win in a walk...and still LOST that group to O even though O rarely focused his time solely on that group, AND got busted saying unflattering remarks about blue collar workers more than once.
JTP is a joke to Americans and this party as a whole. Our party with him as a face within it makes us look dumb, slow-witted, and afraid of anything that we don't understand. That is not the message that we need to be showing to America right now, its the opposite of what we need.
Here's news for some of you: the American people DID NOT want someone who is "just like me," they wanted someone "elite" regardless of whichever way they leaned politically. O has degrees from hre to the Moon while I'm not even sure that JTP graduated high school, yet he was the featured speaker throughout the last month of the campaign for Mac.
Result?
We lost by 9 million votes people! - If this party doesn't go back to the days of Goldwater styled Republicans then you can say hello to Democratic Presidents for the next 50 years. We need to kick itold school yet add a modern twist to it, how I'm not sure, but that's why you don't see me as some RNC spokesman.
Twitty can say whatever he want, he's still a moron and MSNBC are still a bunch of hacks, everyone realizes that they're there to counterbalance the rightward tilt of Fox. Matthews's ego and lack of filter produce at least 5 posts worth of material every couple of days. This is no different and will be one-upped by Twitty by Wednesday.
"Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man." - Ronald Reagan
→ This is great
December 2, 2008 - 02:46 ET by Cool ArrowGoldwaterfan says "Joe the non-plumber is such a moron."
ImAllRight says "The guy is a moron"
Elite? Yeah, we wanted someone "elite". We wanted someone who wasn't ready to sell America out to the left just to show how bipartisan (translate as suckup) he is.
Elite in the traditional political sense (complex and nuanced) could have been beaten by true conservatism at the top of the ticket. That's what we didn't have.
Given the choice between two Democrats, McCain and Obama, is it any wonder America chose the one guy who actually claimed to be a Democrat?
We've got two years before we are presented with another gropup of alleged conservatives. I don't see how carrying on about JTP and Sarah Palin is in any way productive. Unless it's already time to slash and burn for the sake of your own personal favorites.
Care to share?
Please enlighten us as to
December 2, 2008 - 05:00 ET by islero47Please enlighten us as to whom should rise up as the face of the Republican Party, or conservative movement. Why is Palin a joke? Because the media poked fun at her? Any conservative running for office is a "joke" to the media. Reagan was a joke. He was "unelectable".
So, please tell us, who among the existing Republicans best represents you, yet is elite?
You honestly think most Americans were impressed by Obama's education? They didn't know jack squat about Obama! Your average Obama voter couldn't tell you one thing he accomplished in his political career, and they sure couldn't tell you his economic policies, much less McCain's or the differences/similarities between the two. Obama's voters fell into two main groups: "Change" and "because he's black".
How is that elite? And how is Obama elite anyway? Many other people have graduated from prestigious law schools, what did Obama do to make him "the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons"?
I don't consider an Ivy League education to make someone elite. Completing law school is certainly an accomplishment, but one performed by thousands of others. Obama hasn't done anything to set himself apart except deceive masses of people into believing he's the solution to a laundry list of problems.
It sounds to me as though you would have loved to have Obama serving on the Republican ticket; you have candidate envy.
I can understand being sick of Joe the Plumber. Celebrity fatigue sets in pretty quickly when someone doesn't rise to the spotlight on their own, but are thrust into it, then hang around. But, what would you do? Any entrepeneur would take the opportunity to make some money off a book deal. Especially after having your personal files raided and your tax/income history published. I would. He's not doing anything immoral, just participating in making a book you don't want to read. Get mad about it. You buy it or don't.
So... your candidates? Your representatives of choice? Your elites? We're waiting to hear them. And of course you're going to get accused of being a troll if you call someone a moron, and don't offer a rebuttal. Hit and runs are trollish behavior.
Sarah Palin/Jason Lewis 2012
Obama, pathological nacissist: http://www.faithfree...
I don't have to ask you,
December 2, 2008 - 07:36 ET by ckc1227I don't have to ask you, I know your "L" glows. They reserve those for the most special of losers. You qualify, lol.
Next you can tell us all how you've been a Conservative all your life, and that the only way we can ever win again is to become liberals, and support Obama's radical liberals agenda, lol. In other words, lie to us like you libs usually do.
Oh, by the way, here's some news for YOU: Joe the plumber wasn't running for anything. Just thought you should know.
"Libs never let you down. You don't have to talk to one very long before the stupid comes out."
Hey GWF...
December 2, 2008 - 07:13 ET by ckc1227Does the "L" on your forehead glow in the dark, or do you have the standard issue loser tag?
"Libs never let you down. You don't have to talk to one very long before the stupid comes out."
Matthews to criticize
December 2, 2008 - 07:30 ET by ckc1227Matthews to criticize Obama for letting Bill Ayers ghost write "Dreams of my Father" any day now. No, really, he's going to get right on it. Really, he is. I'm serious.
"Libs never let you down. You don't have to talk to one very long before the stupid comes out."
Wait, Joe the Plumber has a
December 2, 2008 - 11:46 ET by balboaWait, Joe the Plumber has a book? Seriously?
yes bal
December 2, 2008 - 12:13 ET by candanceA mere six weeks after speaking to Obama he already has a completed book and shall begin a signing tour coming to a Borders near you.
Of course I don't blame him for doing it (business is business and I wish him all the success in the world) but I'm still amazed at the quick turnaround.
Incidentally, PearlGate Publishing is a small company owned and operated by Joe's co-author. This is literally the second book published under that monicker. Preditors&Editors doesn't have a listing for them yet. As an aside, PearlGate has syntax errors on the book's homepage. All this glory for $25.
I'm a typical white person.