Right from the start of Tuesday’s Hardball on MSNBC, it was clear that host Chris Matthews was in a giddy mood thanks to President Barack Obama having stumped hours earlier for Hillary Clinton. Of course, he was enamored from the get-go exclaiming that Obama was “back” and rhetorically asked viewers if they saw Obama’s Philadelphia rally so he could assert it included some “magical” lines.
With a smitten look on his face, Matthews proclaimed that “[h]e's back” prior to the show’s opening credits and wondered immediately afterward if anyone happened to “catch President Obama today” because if not, “you missed the la monde start of what could be the wildest barnstorming presidential campaign ever, certainly one by an incumbent and certainly a campaign for someone else.”
Matthews later added with the trademark glee that many saw on that summer night back in 2008:
In a clear sign the President knows how to do it, he chose Pennsylvania today as the place he would plant his stake in Donald Trump's heart, knowing that Trump knows he needs Pennsylvania. He went there today in the 80-degree heat to rouse Philadelphians in the same way he did in getting himself elected in '08 and '12.
He then continued his obsession with Trump’s inability to personally denounce his birtherism from years gone by and his long-held extrapolation that Trump believed Obama came into the country under a false name.
“He wants to use his presidency now to demolish the man who refuses to retract his celebrated charge that Barack Obama isn't a legitimate President that he somehow snuck into the country...Well, Donald Trump should have been more careful in who he made as an enemy. This one’s coming back for payback,” gushed Matthews.
<<< Please consider helping NewsBusters financially with your tax-deductible contribution today >>>
After a slew of soundbites from the President’s campaign stop, Matthews flashed his well-documented infatuation with Obama with this latest testimony including the word “magical”:
There are words in that speech that are magical to the political ear. One was, he's hiding his tax returns, hiding them. Not showing them to us, hiding them and the second was, this man of the people, Donald Trump won't even let you even on his golf course. Anyway, Secretary Clinton could benefit, of course, from the President's help today.
Prior to bringing in his first panel, the Hardball host worked in another compliment boasting of Obama’s sarcastic slights against Trump as being “so rich”: “President Obama today mocked Donald Trump, his sarcasm today was so rich. He knocked Trump for his apparent bromance with Vladimir Putin, his role modeling of the guy. It was rich stuff today from Obama.”
The relevant portions of the transcript from MSNBC’s Hardball on September 13 can be found below.
MSNBC’s Hardball
September 13, 2016
7:00 p.m. Eastern
CHRIS MATTHEWS: He's back! Let's play Hardball! [HARDBALL OPENING CREDITS] Good evening. I'm Chris Matthews in Washington. Did you catch President Obama today? If you didn't, you missed the la monde start of what could be the wildest barnstorming presidential campaign ever, certainly one by an incumbent and certainly a campaign for someone else. Barack Obama made it clear today that it is personal. He's in the race to cede him — the race to succeed him because he passionately wants Hillary Clinton to win and fanatically wants Donald Trump to lose — lose humiliatingly, lose in such a mortifying way that he'll disappear from the country's public life. In a clear sign the President knows how to do it, he chose Pennsylvania today as the place he would plant his stake in Donald Trump's heart, knowing that Trump knows he needs Pennsylvania. He went there today in the 80-degree heat to rouse Philadelphians in the same way he did in getting himself elected in '08 and '12. He wants to use his presidency now to demolish the man who refuses to retract his celebrated charge that Barack Obama isn't a legitimate President, that he somehow snuck into the country, assumed an identity, and used affirmative action to get his way through Columbia University, Harvard Law and into the White House. Well, Donald Trump should have been more careful in who he made as an enemy. This one’s coming back for payback. For a second straight day, by the way, Hillary Clinton was off the trail recovering from pneumonia, but we got word late today — just now in fact that she will resume campaigning on Thursday. Today, the President showed why many consider him to be the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton's best surrogate out there. The President called Clinton tough, prepared, and fit to be commander in chief.
(....)
MATTHEWS: Well, it was a gorgeous day in the city of which is now the global heritage city right now of this country. As I said, President Obama seemed just as fired if not more fired up after going after Clinton's Republican opponent, Donald Trump. He said Trump's vision of the country is dark and pessimistic. He called Trump out for hiding his tax returns, love this phrase, hiding his tax returns and said Donald Trump isn't fit to be commander in chief. Here he is
OBAMA: I keep on reading this analysis that, well, you know, trump's got support from working folks. Really? [SCREEN WIPE] This guy who spent 70 years on this Earth, showing no concern for working people. [SCREEN WIPE] I mean, he wasn't going to let you on his golf course. He wasn't going to let you buy in his condo and now suddenly, this guy is going to be your champion? [SCREEN WIPE] One candidate’s family foundation has saved countless lives around the world. The other candidate's foundation took money other people gave to his charity, and then bought a 6-foot-tall painting of himself. [SCREEN WIPE] I mean, you know, he had the taste not to go for the 10-foot version. [SCREEN WIPE] He's not offering any real policies or plans. Just offering division and offering fear and he's betting if he scares enough people, he might just scare up enough people to win this election.
MATTHEWS: There are words in that speech that are magical to the political ear. One was, he's hiding his tax returns, hiding them. Not showing them to us, hiding them and the second was, this man of the people, Donald Trump won't even let you even on his golf course. Anyway, Secretary Clinton could benefit, of course, from the President's help today.
(....)
MATTHEWS: President Obama today mocked Donald Trump, his sarcasm today was so rich. He knocked Trump for his apparent bromance with Vladimir Putin, his role modeling of the guy. It was rich stuff today from Obama.
