Barack Obama cheerleader Chris Matthews almost got another thrill up his leg Sunday when Time's Joe Klein predicted that 2009 would be a good year for the incoming president.
I guess "winning" the dubious honor of Quote of the Year in the Media Research Center's 21st Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting hasn't encouraged Matthews to be more objective.
Not a chance, for in the first "Chris Matthews Show" of the New Year, the Obama-loving host displayed a lack of journalistic integrity that has made him a consistent focus of media analysts across the fruited plain.
As Sunday's program wound to a close, Matthews posed the following to his panel (file photo):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Time for this week's big question: will 2009 match 2008 for Barack Obama? Will it be a great year for him? Norah.
NORAH O'DONNELL, NBC: Well, he will have Air Force One which makes it a lot better. As even George W. Bush said it's one of the greatest perks of the President. It's going to be a tough year for him because he has to carry out on all these promises he made to the American people.
A fair answer, wouldn't you agree? Next up was Klein.
It better be for the country's sake. I, I think it will be.
Matthews responded, "Good for you!"
Good for you?
So, it wasn't good for Norah that she felt "It's going to be a tough year for [Obama] because he has to carry out on all these promises he made to the American people."
But it's good for Klein that he responded as a cheerleader rather than an objective journalist?
You know, given the awful year the mainstream media have had -- with declining stock prices, ad revenues, print space, employment, and respect from the citizenry! -- a more appropriate question for Matthews to have asked his guests was, "Will 2009 be a better year for sycophantic, liberal journalists that are destroying the very industry that employs them?"
Alas, if Klein responded -- "It better be for the country's sake. I, I think it will be" -- it seems a metaphysical certitude Matthews would gush, "Good for you!"
How appalling.
*****Update: As NBer StarAZ astutely reminded us in the comments section, Matthews believes it his job to make Obama's presidency a success...
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Yes, yes, appalling
January 4, 2009 - 13:57 ET by StarAZDon't forget, Chris has declared it to be his duty to make sure The One has a heckuva year and presidency.
Star
January 4, 2009 - 14:16 ET by Noel SheppardStar,
You are correct. Thank you for reminding us about this! :-) ns
I wished...
January 4, 2009 - 14:01 ET by AgentAmericanSomeone, anyone would get into the Drooler's face and tell him the way it is. Unfortunately, there isn't anybody allowed to get into his face. Just like olbydork.
2010: A GOP Hill
Smorgasbord
January 4, 2009 - 14:32 ET by SmorgasbordAs with the first "thrill up my leg," I am guessing the thrill went up his LEFT leg.
Matthews
January 4, 2009 - 14:42 ET by Lakewood BobDon't expect any objective reporting from Chris Matthews. He is in l ve with Obama and is a committed fawner and myrmidon. It will become so obvious that Matthews will be referred to as the "Drooler". Journalism is DEAD!
NBC's rabid shih-tzu
January 4, 2009 - 14:44 ET by GalvanicThis past year, Matthews destroyed any last remnants of journalistic credibility he might have had. He is the unabashed MSM cheerleader for Obama.
By the way, have the MRC folks done any compilations of MSM predictions/forecasts for 2008. It would be interesting to take the predictions made in late 2007 about 2008, and see whether liberals or conservatives had the better track record.
I wonder if a man who
January 4, 2009 - 14:56 ET by Captain RepusI wonder if a man who acheives sexual arousal from another man watches a lot of the prison documentaries his network airs? If I behaved like this, my wife would make sure I had all the time in the world to pursue him, but missing some of the equipment.
Maybe
January 4, 2009 - 15:03 ET by littlemissmuffinMaybe those thrills up his legs could continue moving upward and converge on his brain and fry it. Then they could stick him in a mental hospital where he really belongs.
Remembering little Caylee Anthony (2005-2008). May justice be served.
lmm
January 4, 2009 - 15:11 ET by choselife3xI suspect that event has already occurred.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
I've got to wonder
January 4, 2009 - 15:07 ET by FastEdwhat will be the mood of the lame streamers, if most of what is hoped for, doesn't change? Will all the bad news be reflected back to GWB? Will there be ANY honesty represented by the lamers (he asked with rolling eyes)? Seems this is a big ticket ride we've "signed-up" for, just hoping the ride isn't too bumpy.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Are you saying
January 5, 2009 - 07:31 ET by 10ksnookerThe day will soon be upon us when we all realize the magic is gone, or even gasp, there never was any magic. It was all just a dog peeing on his leg?
A scandal plagued Dem
January 4, 2009 - 15:35 ET by BlazerA scandal plagued Dem Congress, unemployment shooting up, Israel in a conflageration in Gaza, soon to take out Irans nuke plant's.
Yea, I'd say 2009 will be a great year for Obama, not so much for us, though.
Which reminds me, since Barry decided to take a position on every other crisis and issue a statement and hold a press conference, and act like the de-facto president before being sworn in, like he did during the crisis in Georgia, why is he mum now about Gaza? Cat got his tongue?
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Blazer
January 4, 2009 - 15:52 ET by Noel SheppardBlazer,
I think it's because he doesn't share Bush's view on this, and wants to remain quiet until the inauguration.
There are going to be a lot of pro-Israel Jews in America that will be seriously ruing their election decision in the coming months. Obama's favorability rating will be below 50 percent by summer. ns
I have no doubt Noel.
January 4, 2009 - 15:56 ET by BlazerI have no doubt Noel. Just don't see where it would make a difference if he took a stand now or after the 20th, I mean the guy's getting inaugurated regaurdless.
This won't be so much Obama's first term, it will be more like Jimmy Carters second.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Really, NS?
January 4, 2009 - 15:58 ET by BlondeSummer?
I think you're being too kind.
All the king's horses and all the king's men, won't be able to put Obama back together again. Once the genpop realizes The One represents the same old, rather than change....his approval rating is going to go down faster than a meteor.
B and B
January 4, 2009 - 16:10 ET by Noel SheppardB and B,
The comments PEBO has made up to this point have largely concurred and supported POTUS's views. Consider his similar position on the bailouts and Mombai. Nothing really controversial, right?
However, his Israeli-Palestinian position is going to be a radical departure from US foreign policy the past three decades. It would be inappropriate for him to make this change before Inauguration Day. Bush is still president, and protocol likely dictates he refrain from commenting about this given his diametric view.
Potentially more shocking is Hillary's silence. I don't think it would be inappropriate for the SOS designee to be discussing the matter. ns
Personally Noel
January 4, 2009 - 16:16 ET by BlondeI think they're both scratching their heads going "Oh S***, two weeks until put up or shut up time".
Of course PEBO has kept his mouth shut....the thing he learned in law school is don't ask a question you can't answer, and if you have nothing constructive to add, keep your mouth shut.
The burning question I have, though....is who is doing the calling and who is doing the answering at 3:00 a.m. on January 21st, 2009?
→ I dunno
January 4, 2009 - 16:05 ET by Cool ArrowFlipping thru the other night, I caught some guy on Charlie Rose pulling a "Dixie Chicks" for being Jewish.
The guy was American, but totally embarrassed of his ethnicity.
I still say
January 4, 2009 - 17:24 ET by ToddonCapeCodI still say Chrissie will wind up being the Monica Lewinsky of the Obama administration.
600,000 NEW DEMOCRAT VOTES?!
January 4, 2009 - 19:08 ET by reelman46Prez-Elect Makes New Pitch, Promises on Job Creation — Including 600,000 New Government Employees, Jan 3, 2009 9:52 AM
In his radio address today, President-elect Obama uses some new language when discussing what he wants the stimulus package to achieve in terms of jobs. First off, he has a name for the package — the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.”
=====
CRAWFISH NOTE: God help us…Hoover-FDR and here we go again…another govt-loving socialist that has zero economic understanding…
and all on YOUR credit card…
economic history is never a democrat strong point…
very very ugly…very very dumb.
(theconservativecrawfish)
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
worse than pathetic
January 5, 2009 - 07:31 ET by buzzkill3rChris Matthews is showing us that he isn't just biased, he isn't just a shill for the Obama campaign. Chris Matthews is an Obama groupie. He has cashed in every bit of dignity and professionalism that he ever had over his a gay crush on B.O. and its pretty obvious that he just can't control himself even on camera.
What is more appaling than the Matthiews' overt display of dreamy-eyed infatuaion is the fact that this sort of unprofessional bs still qualifies for airtime on MSNBC...
But then it IS MSNBC....
Chris Mathews
January 5, 2009 - 09:38 ET by Karinis only good for one thing anymore...to give NBers a good laugh.
Matthews certifiable
January 5, 2009 - 22:03 ET by j17ghsYes, Chris, once you go black, you never go back. I mean black as in Gestapo uniforms. So who removed his swaztika armband in the photo?!