[H/t NewsBuster P.J. Gladnick.] How panicked is the MSM at the prospect of a Scott Brown victory tomorrow? So much so that Chris Matthews has stooped to seeking to use Scott Brown's Protestant religion against him in heavily Catholic Massachusetts . . .
The Hardball host made his despicable pitch during a Morning Joe appearance today.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: But this election's interesting. I don't even know what religion--religion seems to play no role in this election, which is so unique in Massachusetts. Brown is a Protestant. Nobody's even mentioned it—I guess I just did. And Coakley's I guess a Catholic, although I don't think that she sort of squares away that way in terms of her politics. So I mean it's just so interesting: it's so post-tribal.
Matthews' smirking little laughter revealed he knew precisely what he was up to: attempting to stir up those "tribal" passions. Can Matthews and the MSM sink much lower? Can you imagine the howls of liberal protest if a Republican pundit tried a similar stunt?
Shame on Chris Matthews.
Note: NB editor Ken Shepherd points out it's odd of Matthews to tout Coakley's Catholicism, given the way she looks down on devout Catholics.
Note Deux: Another irony. Remember then Sen. Obama's speech to the 2004 Dem convention? The one that put him on the political map, the one where he said: "even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes.
Now we have the squalid spectacle of one of PBO's most ardent supporters attempting to divide us in the most vile kind of way.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.






















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post-tribal.?
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:06 ET by VonuWhat an Odd Ball.
-Teabagging stations, please.
so what happened..................
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:40 ET by Patriot IIto this numbskulls big talk about separation of church and state, oops forgot, that s only when its convenient...........why is this moron on tv? why does anyone listen to him?
TV
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:23 ET by FarleyIt's 2010 - anybody can be on TV and besides, MSNBC is not really TV - it's mud wrestling.
You can smell his fear
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:11 ET by srqvetChrissy is such a commmunist teabagee.
Chris is becoming more and more irrelevant
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:14 ET by averageschmoeChris is becoming more and more irrelevant as his show continues to come in last place every day.
Oh. My. Gawd.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:50 ET by motherbeltWasn't that Matthews just a week or so ago, claiming the the Republicans were guilty of tribalism??
But HIS appeal at tribalism is POST-tribal?
I don't even know what religion--religion seems to play no role in this election, which is so unique in Massachusetts. Brown is a Protestant. Nobody's even mentioned it—I guess I just did.
Translation: Religion seems to be playing no role in this election, and I think it should, so I want to make sure I point it out....
And Coakley's I guess a Catholic, [right Chris, you're not sure; you're just guessing] although I don't think that she sort of squares away that way in terms of her politics.
Neither did Kennedy; so I guess Chris is saying that's an advantage.
IOW, another Kennedy-Catholic.
Chris keeps slipping farther and farther away......
Excellent point . . .
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 19:58 ET by GalvanicWasn't that Matthews just a week or so ago, claiming the the Republicans were guilty of tribalism??
But HIS appeal at tribalism is POST-tribal?
Spot on, motherbelt. That's exactly what it it -- Democratic hypocrisy.
Like other Dems, Matthews is quick to spot tribalism, unless it's his tribe.
How soon before we stop caring what Mr. Matthews says?
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:17 ET by Iowa BoyI ask it seriously because he really is so irrelevant and so inane.
"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Official Motto of the State of Iowa
Mere Mention of Matthews
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:05 ET by Nortolends credence. I have suggested before that NBs simply stop giving these guys airtime, but what fun would that be?!
He not only divides by
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:20 ET by rfpzzzzzHe not only divides by race he also divides by religion.
E Pluribus Unum means "one from many" Chris.
Good grief!
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:24 ET by KansasgirlI really think Chrissy will need a hospital stay if Coakley is defeated tomorrow.
He'll have plenty of good
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:30 ET by motherbeltHe'll have plenty of good company...Olbermann, Shuster, Maddow....
Romney
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:24 ET by CaringwhiteguyThere were Republicans (some on this blog) in 2008 who felt it important to point out that Mitt Romney was a Mormon.
And that means.....what,
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:30 ET by motherbeltAnd that means.....what, exactly?
Long enough to know
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:07 ET by CaringwhiteguyMB - you've been around this board long enough to know exactly what that means - Matthews doesn't have a monopoly on playing the religion card.
Some who believe strongly in Christian fundamentalism openly opposed Romney's Mormon faith. Some McCain people just did it behind the scenes. For example take a look at the Iowa caucus.
I'm not defending Matthews. Far from it. I've been critical of Matthews on this board for years. But I don't think there's any doubt Romney's Mormonism was used against him by other Republicans.
My point was that
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:40 ET by motherbeltMy point was that "Republicans did it too" isn't a very good argument.
Matthews was trying to appeal to Catholic voters in Massachusetts, which is really stupid, considering they elected the Mormon Romney as governor.
Not trying to justify-Just the opposite
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:50 ET by CaringwhiteguyI wasn't saying that we should go easy on Matthews. Democrats shouldn't play the religion card, and NEITHER SHOULD REPUBLICANS.
But he did!
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 14:36 ET by GalvanicAnd the liberals and Dems play these cards all the time, even as they accuse conservatives of doing so.
The people who brow-beat and define everyone who disagrees with them as divisive, never -- NEVER -- hesitate to play the race card or in this case, the religion card. Even now as Obama's popularity falls, we're being told by some of his supporters that if we fail to re-elect him, it will serve as proff that the US is a racist country -- despite the fact that we elected him in the first place.
And just as Dems hold Republicans to a higher standard then they do themselves when it comes to political corruption, so must they be held to a higher standard when it comes to racism and religious bigotry.
Then we agree!
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 15:11 ET by motherbeltGlad we cleared that up.
I spoke out here against Huckabee for the lousy "innocent question" he asked, Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?
You're right. Republicans
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 15:12 ET by mattmYou're right. Republicans should not "play" the religion card. It was the pro-loser(McCain) GOPers, i.e. RINOs, who played the Mormon card against Romney - who, by the way, won the caucus states (where Democrat cross-overs couldn't pick the GOP candidate, like they did in Florida) - and who would have been a far better candidate than McRINO.
Try and Stop Me.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 18:44 ET by Tenebrous"CaringWhiteGuy" slanders Christians who won't bend to PC nonsense as "fundamentalists", knowing the pejorative import of that word. But he must be right, you know, because all the good little Christians get in a line and do exactly what they're told and never bring their faith into the light where it might possibly offend someone.
Huckabee fingered a bogus doctrine of Mormonism. At least he had the guts to do so openly, unlike McCain. If only more people had questioned Obama's "black liberation theology", he wouldn't be president today.
None of this is to defend Matthews, who as far as I could see, didn't object to a particular teaching or question how it would affect governance.
-----
Politics: http://Random-jumbled-thoughts.blogspot.com
Serial Fiction: www.scintilliarium.com
Oh, Yeah, Coakley is a Catholic.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:30 ET by needleAbout the same as that “ardent” Catholic Pelosi, or your typical Kennedy politician, for that matter.
- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.
- Brown for US Senate
Chris, the real bigot
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:33 ET by zachlindAh, the GE / NBC Great White Blonde Bigot speaks.
Reallllllly !!!
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:33 ET by Southern voterTo most of us Catholics... what Chris (Catholic) really means is that Coakley is the kinda of Catholic (like himself) that approves of abortion ....as did Kennedy and all the other so called 'liberal Catholics' in the Senate and House....Chris must feel real desparation to now have to publically pull out the 'Catholic' card in the most liberal Catholic state in the nation...Go Steve Brown !!!
CINO
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:35 ET by Sergeant ROCKSo, 'Catholic In Name Only' in other words?
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Kennedy-Catholics
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:54 ET by motherbeltThose are the ones I call Kennedy-Catholics.
Like African-Americans, or Hispanic-Americans, Kennedy-Catholics are "members" of the Catholic Church, but have their own little "culture" with thier own beliefs and mores.
I'm Roman Catholic myself,
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:50 ET by NewsbusterbrownI'm Roman Catholic myself, yet I could not imagine voting for Coakley.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Chris Matthews decline
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:38 ET by Jonah Johansen"Chris just keeps slipping further and further into the Twilight Zone..."
There was a time long ago when "Hardball" was watchable and Chris Matthews, at least went through the motions of being critical of Democrats as well as Republicans.
At the time, he was a shoe in for "Meet the Press" host, when ever Russert retired or moved on. If he had continued to at least maintain the appearance of even handedness he would have got the promotion easily. His "grumpy old man of the left" act puts him in the same sad group with Moyers,Carter & Keillor meaning he now is identified/equated with "quality" of journalism practiced by Ed Schultz.
In the past he appeared to have been a bright/informed guy. Its hard to explain how he could not see himself sliding into a parody of his old self.
The really sad thing is- I think that when NBC told him he wasn't getting the Meet the Press job he was totally shocked and dumbfounded; I imagine he sincerely and loudly protested "What do you mean I am too partisan for network TV? What you mean I would tarnish Meet the Press's image?"
I've been saying the exact same.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:56 ET by TexndocMatthews snapped and after "thrill up my leg" he became an industry joke and when Russert died no way were they going to put a joke in his place. I think he's been bat-krazy since, and he has said he WILL NOT see Obama fail and is willing to do anything, even cheap shots like this. Which Rush Limbaugh led off his show with today, Chrissie.
Matthews: A perfect example of emotional liberalism.
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:46 ET by Mike BrattonHe's now resorting to a ploy of balkanization, hoping to help his fellow liberal/progressives keep both Massachusetts and their precious super-majority.
Matthews demonstrates that people whose political philosophy is only supported by their emotions invariably respond, when tested, in a shaky, shrill, emotional way.
Thank you for the demonstration, Chris.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport.com
Matthews puts the 'jerk' in knee-jerk
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 15:25 ET by GalvanicLike his compatriots, when the politics gets dicey, they fall back on the playing on people's fears.
As per poll currently up on
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:48 ET by oldArmyAs per poll currently up on CNN's website.....Brown is up 54% to Coakley's 46%.....
I wonder how long they will have this poll up. They usually take these types of polls (when not going their way) down pretty quickly...I'm thinking before Rush takes to the Air.
I was watching the Morning
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:49 ET by smgxI was watching the Morning Joe show this morning and they all were trying to spin the MA election as a result of the poor Campaign Coakley is running. Joe went on to say that there was 5000 people in the rally when the hall only had a capacity of 3000, and that was half full. They lie and lie and think we're all dumb.
I'll be voting for Brown on my way to work tomorrow, and this is a anti Obama vote!!
Now back to Chris, He looked genuinely annoyed and worried about the election, and he should be. Hahaha I hope the lastest poll that has Brown up double digits is accurate.
Go Scott!!
This was the best from Matthews:
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 15:19 ET by motherbelt"If the bellwethers are double digits for Brown, the game's over... I
don't see people changing their minds. People know what they're voting
for. They're voting against the health care bill, they're not voting
against the president."
(courtesy NRO)
Uh, Chris....the health care bill IS the president! They are inseparable. To mangle the "Love and Marriage" song....you can't love one without the other!
I gotta wonder how he'd react
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:52 ET by FastEdif she were a priest?
"We the People . . " Hey, congress - I'm one of the people - start listening!
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
We the people?
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:56 ET by Sergeant ROCKWell, you cannot elect socialists and expect them to 'listen'. Especially, to those who didn't elect them.
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Southern voter
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:00 ET by FuzzlenutterI hate to be nit-picky, but it's Scott Brown...
Fuzz
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 17:33 ET by Southern voterYou are correct, my error...noticed as soon as I hit enter..sorry..
I would still rather see a somewhat pro-life Protestant candidate (Scott Brown) win over another Catholic pro-death candidate (Martha and Teddy)...
At least report a bit here..
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:07 ET by TomoramaMaybe this would have been a good time for Matthews to REPORT that Coakley a few days ago that "maybe they shouldn't work in the hospitals" in regards to CATHOLICS that dare believe in what they believe in.
Funny how this libtard finds love with my faith when he can score a cheap political point with it, usually they are just silly red-neck bible thumpers who cling to their guns RIGHT Chrissy?
I apologize for dropping an F-bomb the other day in regards to his comrade in arms Schulze who called my fellow Mass citizens "bastards".
Polls today, Brown up by FIVE, pls fellow homeboys and girls, vote TOMMOROW and SEND THE MESSAGE we are NOT taking this garbage anymore.
A great man once said, YOU only get out of life what YOU put into it, he obviously wasn't a liberal.
Oooo, a protestant
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:13 ET by StarAZRun for your lives! What is this--the Reformation?
Star -- well I certainly
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:14 ET by Jack BauerStar -- well I certainly didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!
chrissy tingles
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:16 ET by sevenSo this was "Kennedy"s" seat?
It was also a "catholic" Senate seat?
It was a "Pro abortion seat"?
What about a womanizer seat. A Spitzer or Edwards would have the womanizing credentials. Maybe Janet Napolitano is a womanizer.
Alcoholic?
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:59 ET by slickwillie2001Maybe if Coakley gets desperate she will call it the alcoholic seat and reveal that she is a boozer. Alcoholics deserve representation, no?
if Napolitano is womanizer
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:56 ET by jkwtradingif Napolitano is womanizer it would give a new definiton to the name "coyote ugly"
chrissy tingles
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:18 ET by sevenI knew JFK and Coakley is no JFK!!!
I've heard of "stooping to
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:18 ET by Chris NormanI've heard of "stooping to conquer", but Matthews is crawling on his belly like a reptile or a slug.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Matthews has no shame
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 12:40 ET by Wonder95That's sort of hard, since he has none.
Seriously...
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:35 ET by ProudAmerican58...regardless of how tedious his dementia is getting, I still want to see him publicly flogged.
And Morning Joe didn't comment about his statement
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:36 ET by libfailto take potential voters to get meals and then to the polling centers? Wow they must not watch their own network.
http://libfail.com
I've said it before...
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:40 ET by sam12663...and I'll say it again; It's MSNBC; so first off, they pander to the lowest form of liberal stooges, and most importantly, NO ONE EVEN WATCHES THEM!! If a moron speaks in a void, does anyone hear it?
President Obama is nothing more than a lying empty suit; a Hollywood style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
i love how these guys can
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 16:25 ET by aceri love how these guys can pick and choose when they are religious and when it is "seperate from church and state" whatever they mean by that
Two?
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 16:29 ET by okiehawk44I can feel for Chris Matthews. Two Christians running and not one atheist for him to root for. What's this country coming back to?
What a moron....
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 22:47 ET by tampamom25I have no problems with Mathews....until he opens his mouth. He is suffering from separation of brain and tongue disease and should be quarantined before he passes it on to any more people. The Senate seat is not a Catholic seat, it's not a Kennedy seat, it's a seat the people allow someone to sit in. God willing the people of Massachusetts are as fed up as the rest of us and they'll elect Brown to fairly represent them.
Well I may
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 00:59 ET by Chattychitobe a nobody in the eyes of the world.
But isn't this guy who is known by many in America (Chris Matthews) the one who was just recently said that Christians, no specifics if Protestant or Catholic, were terrorists, of the devil and such, so forth and so on?
FYI, Baptist, the Calvary Chapel and other sects of Christianity are not protestant at all. Protestants are those groups like Lutherans, Methodist, Anglican and Wesleyan, just to name a few groups, who vehemently broke away from the Roman Catholic Church which is the Catholic Church of America.
So when Chris says Protestant he is only speaking about a small percentage of Christians in America. So the real question is, is Brown part of a sect that broke away from the Western Church that is Roman Catholicism, or is he a member of a Sect that is from the eastern lineage that stayed true to Biblical precepts and practice?
Chrissy has not got all his blocks stacked when he opened his mouth on this one. Here is a Bible verse that describes Matthews to a tee, Ecc 10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
CHRISSY
Wed, 01/20/2010 - 02:01 ET by lomeCHRIS MATTHEWS: Don't play politics with God's word!
Douay-Rheims Bible
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Matthew 12:50