Hardball host Chris Matthews was on edge Tuesday night as he awaited President Trump’s Supreme Court pick, grimly staring into the camera with an apocalyptic warning that Trump “is, tonight, conducting a campaign of shock and awe against this country’s institutions” putting Washington “on defense.”
“Donald Trump is, tonight, conducting a campaign of shock and awe against this country’s institutions. He is on offense in a capital city not used to being suddenly thrown on defense,” Matthews began in his opening diatribe.
Not acknowledging the fact that Trump was elected to shake up Washington, Matthews appeared uneasy that the President has the capital city “suddenly bound up in fear, rage, and unbalance, wondering if this new President accepts any limit to his power.”
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Matthews continued with rhetoric questions for his fearful audience hiding under their covers:
Is he ready to attack the media, mock the Democratic leader of the Senate, accuse the acting-Attorney General of betrayal, seize power over immigration, and push the Republican Congress to near the breaking point? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. He is and he is.
Turning to the Supreme Court announcement, Matthews whined that “Trump will name as the decisive member of the United Supreme Court, the only branch of government he has yet to grab control” amidst “the political and legal chaos in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order of last Friday.”
Here’s the relevant portion of the transcript from MSNBC’s Hardball on January 31:
MSNBC’s Hardball
January 31, 2017
7:00 p.m. Eastern
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Donald Trump is, tonight, conducting a campaign of shock and awe against this country’s institutions. He is on offense in a capital city not used to being suddenly thrown on defense. The capital of this country is suddenly bound up in fear, rage, and unbalance, wondering if this new President accepts any limit to his power. Is he ready to attack the media, mock the Democratic leader of the Senate, accuse the acting-Attorney General of betrayal, seize power over immigration, and push the Republican Congress to near the breaking point. The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. He is and he is. Tonight, within the hour, we hope to know who Trump will name as the decisive member of the United Supreme Court, the only branch of government he has yet to grab control and the political and legal chaos in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order of last Friday, the President yet to — is said to announce his choice to fill the vacancy to the Supreme Court in just an hour from now at 8:00.
