Chris Matthews: Etheridge 'Ambushed By Activists' 'Ginning Up A Skirmish'

MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Monday said, "Democratic Congressman Bob Etheridge of North Carolina was ambushed by a group of unknown activists."

The "Hardball" host began his report concerning the Congressman's unprovoked attack on two students, "Next: ginning up a skirmish."

This came just a few hours after Matthews' colleague Tamron Hall made similar on air allegations concerning the incident.

Obviously, the folks at MSNBC have decided to present Etheridge as the innocent victim and the students he attacked as the guilty parties.

Matthews ended the brief report, "By the way, no word yet on who those self-proclaimed students working on a project are" (video follows with transcript and commentary, h/t Freedom's Lighthouse): 

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Next: ginning up a skirmish. Democratic Congressman Bob Etheridge of North Carolina was ambushed by a group of unknown activists last week, and didn`t like it much. An edited version of the video first appeared on the Web site of a former Drudge Report editor. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you fully support the Obama agenda?

REP. BOB ETHERIDGE (D), NORTH CAROLINA: Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!

ETHERIDGE: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!

ETHERIDGE: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m here for a project, sir.

ETHERIDGE: Tell me who you are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re just here for a project, sir.

ETHERIDGE: Tell me who you are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re just here for a project.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, could you please let go of my hand?

ETHERIDGE: Who are you? Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please let go of my arm, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir...

ETHERIDGE: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, sir, sir, please...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congressman, please let go of me.

ETHERIDGE: Who are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Well, after that video spread over the Internet, today, Congressman Etheridge issued a statement saying: "I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction. And I apologize to all involved."

By the way, no word yet on who those self-proclaimed students working on a project are.

The bias on display here is both staggering and quite disturbing.

Let's assume for moment that these young men were activists. Is it against the law for activists to approach an elected official with a camera and ask a question concerning his or her position on an issue?

These young men asked the Congressman, "Do you fully support the Obama agenda?"

Is that verboten?

If John McCain had won in November of 2008, and liberal activists got attacked by a Republican Congressman simply for asking, "Do you fully support the McCain agenda," Matthews, MSNBC, and virtually every news outlet would be calling for this representative's resignation.

Instead, MSNBC on at least two occasions Monday defended the Congressman's actions while condemning the students he attacked.

Of course, this ignores the possibility that these were just students doing a project and they weren't activists at all.

What should most concern readers is if the folks at MSNBC have become so overwhelmed by their support for Obama and the Democrat Party that they are willing to go on the air and defend Etheridge's actions while condemning those who HE could be guilty of assault and battery against, it is THEY that are the activists.

That's quite a statement about today's so-called journalists, wouldn't you agree?