‘Chris Matthews Show’ Attacks Sarah Palin: ‘So How’s That Tweety Outdoorsy Thing Doing for You?’
Chris Matthews on the syndicated program bearing his name devoted an entire segment this weekend to attacking Sarah Palin.
To assist him in the attacks, the host of "The Chris Matthews Show" brought on Howard Fineman of the Huffington Post, the BBC's Katty Kay, Joe Klein of Time magazine, and NBC's Norah O'Donnell (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Welcome back. Sarah Palin has a very popular show on TLC, a regular slot on Fox News, and has done a few more interviews lately, but in the new NBC poll Palin has a 50 percent negative rating, and a 63 percent negative rating among moderate voters. Which brings us to our big question this week: with all she’s doing now, does Palin have the possibility of turning that huge negative number around? Howard.
HOWARD FINEMAN, HUFFINGTON POST: So how’s that tweety outdoorsy thing doing for you?
For those missing Fineman’s joke, he was obviously spoofing Palin’s comment at February’s Tea Party convention in Nashville, “So how’s that hopey changy stuff workin’ out for you?”
Nice job of showing your stripes, Howard. But that was just the beginning:
FINEMAN: I don't think she's made any progress. She could still win the Republican nomination, it’s a crazy world out there, but she hasn't helped herself at all however famous she is and however many tweets she tweets.
MATTHEWS: Katty, what’s happening not happening?
KATTY KAY, BBC: Well, one indication is that the ratings between her first show in Alaska and her second show fell by 50 percent, which suggests that she's not winning many converts. There are a lot of people who love her but trying to get those people who don't to stay with her is not going to be easy.
Actually, her ratings declined 40 percent from the first to second shows on TLC, but she's consistently getting around three million viewers which is far better than most people on cable with the exception of Fox's Bill O'Reilly.
But facts aren't important to these so-called journalists:
MATTHEWS: Norah, what can she do to improve her situation?
NORAH O’DONNELL, NBC NEWS: Well, I spoke with the Repubican half of our poll, Bill McInturff who also polled for the McCain-Palin team who points out that these are her highest negatives ever, fifty percent. She does not do well among independents and downscale women. She can win the Republican nomination, but if she has any shot at winning a general election she’s got to significantly improve those numbers. It’s going to be hard because the cake is baked in many ways on her. Everybody has an opinion about Sarah Palin. They either love her or they hate her.
Actually, that's not true, for when it comes to the mainstream media, they either hate Sarah Palin or despise her like something foul-smelling on the bottom of one's shoe:
MATTHEWS: You say the cake is baked, but it seems to be burning. There's something wrong here. She’s gotten out doing soft things, like TLC and the woodsman stuff. It seems to be, you know, friend making, but it doesn't seem to be making friends.
JOE KLEIN, TIME MAGAZINE: She's becoming a much better reality TV star, but she's not a politician. The only thing that she can do to turn around her image as a politician as opposed to a celebrity is to take a creative, interesting, brave position on some issue. She has no positions on any issue.
Really? What about her August 7, 2009, position on ObamaCare that ended up not only changing the debate, but was also a huge media focus for weeks?
In fact, contrary to Klein's absurd view, Palin's Facebook notes on a variety of issues regularly garner attention from politicians and pundits. But such inconvenient truths are unimportant to this crew:
FINEMAN: If she had, yes.
KAY: And one trip to Haiti doesn’t do it.
FINEMAN: At first it was really cool to be a celebrity politician. But to have mined it to the extent that she has makes everybody think, “Well, maybe that's what she’s really in this thing for, and not preparing in any serious way to run.”
MATTHEWS: I think she’s a victim of America’s boredom complex. We quickly get bored with politicians.
FINEMAN: Yes, and it’s fun to beat them.
Actually, Howard, it's only fun for you folks to beat Republican politicians as you rarely if ever debase Democrats so gleefully.
As for Matthews' comment about Palin being a victim, he's partially right: she's a victim of America's liberal media complex that has been mercilessly attacking her since the moment John McCain announced her as his running mate in August 2008.
Now, almost 28 months later, they're all still at it and hypocritically wondering why her approval rating is so low.
Reminds you of a child asking why the scab he keeps picking at won't stop bleeding.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
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Comments
So much attention
Submitted by Model850 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 3:51pm.
So much attention paid to someone who is not a declared candidate for anything.
Pathetic.
Media attention
Submitted by yutsnark on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:40pm.
But all that attention improves her chances of being nominated, don't you think?
And most of that attention is
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:02pm.
And most of that attention is coming from the left.
I'd love to see that ...
Submitted by NL207 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 3:59pm.
two-bit sot say that crap to Todd Palin's face. I doubt he has the requisite intestinal fortitude but I can dream.
It would be so cool
Submitted by MOONSTRUCK on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:21pm.
if Sarah bumped in to him one day. He would pee himself in fear.
Chrissy's tingles
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:03pm.
So, Chrissy would be feeling a different kind of tingle, this time going down his leg.
Exactly. Matthews: "Ya know
Submitted by shannon76 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:19pm.
Exactly.
Matthews: "Ya know I bumped into Sarah Palin the other day, and it was like I felt a warm tinkle down the side of my leg. And that was followed by a firmnness I'd not felt since my days with Tip O'Neil, my ole boss. I mean, my wife's gonna' kill me (hah!), but honestly I'd not felt anything like it in years. Not with a woman anyway."
Blowback to malpracticing "journalists"
Submitted by pickersenior on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:34pm.
As a conservative to moderate citizen, School is still out on Sarah Palin.
Listening to Matthews and his sick lefty ilk and network, is all it takes to force one to vote for Sarah, if for no other compelling reason. Keep it up Chris!
If Sarah Palin is so
Submitted by Richard B. on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:34pm.
If Sarah Palin is so unpopular how can she draw the crowds that she does? Why is her book selling in the hundreds of thousands? Why are these jerks and others of a like mind so obsessed with her every act and word? I truly believe the libs and the MSM are trying to convince the voters that she is unelectable. Phonying up the polls in nothing new for the libs and the MSM.
Backdoor insult to Franklin Graham
Submitted by nkviking75 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:38pm.
All of these shots at Palin's trip to Haiti are also a backdoor shot at the integrity of Franklin Graham, Palin's host on this trip. I'm sure he's counting on her celebrity to help raise money and awareness for Samaritan's Purse. If so, this is hardly and isolated example. Lots of Hollywood types have pet charities they embrace. Some are sincerely interested, and some do it to burnish their images.
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
I said this the other day.
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:11pm.
I said this the other day. Franklin Graham had a production crew shooting footage on this. We get a DVD each year from Samaritians Purse's showing some of the previous year's work. Using Sarah Palin to raise awareness of their workis a lot better than paying some over pirced Hollywod star to talk about hungry kids.
Oh huh hoh geez.....
Submitted by NeoKong on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:47pm.
Listen to them.
You have the old media' three biggest losers making fun of Sarah Palin as if anyone still pays attention to them. Fineman now writes for the HuffPo because his old company Newsweek was sold for a ....dollar. About the the only place you can actually find anyone who buys Time magazine is at the dentist's office and Matthews is like the lowest rated show on cable news with the exception of Client # 9/ Parker. The BBC.....? Oh please. Sarah Palin can reach more people with one of her tweets than all of them put together and they know it.
Howard Fineman of Newsweek
Submitted by Texndoc on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:12pm.
It was forever "of Newsweek" and it shall be forever "of Newsweek". When Enron went belly up did it stop being "Ken Lay of Enron"? Sorry, it's "Howard Fineman and Jonathan Alter, of Newsweek magazine" forever, no matter how much they want to deny how they took it to the point it sold for one dollar now.
The TLC Ratings Don't Mean What Most Think They Do
Submitted by Junk Science Skeptic on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:49pm.
Sarah Palin's Alaska (SPA) is produced by Mark Burnett of "Survivor" (et al) fame. The common element to every other Burnett show is the manufactured-drama/competition that clearly appeals to the voyeuristic tendencies of most TV viewers.
Like lemmings to the sea, the video voyeurs came to the first episode to watch Burnett's standard fare of drama and conflict, and finding none, went back to watching the "Amazing Survivor's Brother Mole Factor" or some such.
Credit where credit is due, Burnett runs a great team of cinematographers and editors, and he himself is a great storyteller, so with SPA, he has clearly raised the bar for first-person travel shows, and it hasn't hurt that his on-air talent, the Palin family, is far easier for the average American to identify with than most TV personalities.
If one is going to compare SPA's ratings, compare them to Anthony Boudain or Rick Steves, not Bill O'Reilly.
With the Tea Party, many
Submitted by redfish on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:53pm.
With the Tea Party, many conservative-leaning moderates are now identifying as 'conservative', and many people who are actually pretty liberal are identifying as 'moderates'. These are really 'Bloomberg moderates' -- technocrats, liberals who believe in utilizing the private sector. So polls on what 'moderates' believe don't really give you an idea of what the center (ie. Perot voters / swing voters) believe.
Yes, Bill Clinton was down about 40 pts in the spring of 1991
Submitted by merly1 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 4:51pm.
The mentally ill panel on Chrissie's show cant handle the massive failures of their beloved Dems circa 2007-10, especially the last two year debacles. Palin seems comfortable in her skin, and that seems to bother them more than anything. Idiots on parade, fortunately I dont even watch the clown show, but thanks for the update......
Matthews et al
Submitted by jdlybrand on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:30pm.
Definition of SOPHOMORIC 1 : conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature <a sophomoric argument>"What a revoltin' development this is!"
Chester Riley
Loosers
Submitted by grammajane on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:31pm.
So many loosers on a show hardly ever heard of. Sounds as tho they try out doing each other with stupid hateful remarks. What a waste of TV time........who really watches or cares.
Catty junior high nonsense.
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:35pm.
This is best the four empty talking heads can do?
The Make Believe Media can't
Submitted by Free Stinker on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:40pm.
The Make Believe Media can't stop talking about her . . .
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
They Attack What They Fear - Out of Ignorance
Submitted by scottyusmc on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:40pm.
They Attack What They Fear - Out of Ignorance. This is standard stuff out of their radical playbook. Come-on folks - if you agree or disagree with Sarah, discuss on the merits of the arguement and not the hate filled crap these so called media mouthpieces say. They are however a case-study in mental disorders.
I believe, other than
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 5:55pm.
I believe, other than Fineman's gay remark, they just sound like your typical whining Obama sycophants scared to death Sarah Palin, whom they truely believe could not beat their saviour in the general election may be losing favor with her base.
As much as they complain about Palin not being ready for prime time, that's exactly where the lame street media feels she must be to give Obama the best chance at a second term.
The one that emerges as the Republican candidate to challenge Obama in 2012 will have more to do with Obama himself and how he handles the countries business going forward.
No one is going to jump in early, commiting the time and money needed unless things don't begin to improve over the next year.
For if things turn around, even if only because of the Republican House, History dictates the incumbent takes the credit and easily wins a second term.
From the numbers they are quoting for Sarah she's got nowhere to go but up if she chooses to enter the race. More importantly she's got plenty of time to watch and plan her path into the future.
I think she can find something to keep herself busy till then.
Barack_Must_Go.....
Tingles what are your
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:14pm.
Tingles what are your ratings? You do two different shows where the ratings don't even come close to 1 miilion viewers combined. Sarah Palin's Alaska had 2.78 million viewers last week.
These people fear one thing
Submitted by Average_JoeMN on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:19pm.
These people fear one thing for 2012: A Palin candidacy. Their every word and action proves it.
I think it's bigger that that
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 10:55pm.
Palin presents a feminist image that contradicts the image that Feminist Elites have promoted for years -- Palin is the woman that Feminist Elites insisted was myth.
For that reason, they are all out to destroy Palin, but as we've seen, she's resilient.
Chrissy's TV demise
Submitted by SaseboSailor on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:33pm.
Any interest in starting a pool to guess which week will be the last for Tingles Mathews..I think it will be a miracle if he lasts through October of next year.
I bet a pool on this website for the termination of Tingles might even make national news if enough people took part...
Amen-
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 6:53pm.
for someone who does not matter-Liberals sure do spend many an hour talking/writing about her.
its almost funny.
The Lady Ex Gov-may not be POTUS material -YET.
She may pull a Hillary-and run for the House or Senate here on the lower 48. would that not get the
uber left attention. Sissy Chris would never shut up.
Matthews on Palen
Submitted by 1uncle on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 7:14pm.
Few care what hard head thinks. He is on some almost unkown channel on TV, where he tingles on Nomobama.
His Advertisers are gonna be pissed
Submitted by donabernathy on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 8:15pm.
Someone needs to remind Tingles...when ya have all four of your viewers on the show...there really isn't a need to air it.
roflmao
If Chris Matthews and 4
Submitted by indy101 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 9:04pm.
If Chris Matthews and 4 brainless libs attack Sarah Palin on his zero rated show, does anyone hear it?
The Palin cure for Elitism
Submitted by needle on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 9:33pm.
The more the Beltway media elitists flash their arrogant elitism, the more they reveal how much they need the medicine Sarah has in store for them.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
As far as I can tell Sarah Palin is doing very well, thank...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Sun, 12/19/2010 - 11:05pm.
you 'tingles'. How is your leg doing 'tingles'?
Why Sarah Palin Keeps Getting Attacked
Submitted by Free Stinker on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 1:33am.
"Professional politicians and political journalists don't waste energy on political corpses. They reserve their energy -- positive or negative -- for viable politicians." --Tony Blankley/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
In case you haven't notice,
Submitted by jdhawk on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 1:53am.
In case you haven't notice, the left is in a concerted effort to gain back the "moderates" or independents. Let's face it, the polar opposites, us conseveratives and the socialists don't turn elections even thouigh we outnumber the socialist nearly two to one.
It's the numbers of independents that show up and it is who they cast their votes for that turns elections. It did in November. Independents overwhelmingly voted with conservatives.
If the socialists ever hope to gain the upper hand in the House or keep their majority in the Senate and in the White House, they have to convince Independents to vote for them. That is what crissy, et al are all about.
So, that is why they will do whatever it takes to convince Independents that conservatives and their issues should not be supported.
Meanwhile, it was through, in part, Governor Palin's leadership that so many hard fought elections this past November were won. That is why she is target number one.
I am not convinced that she will make a winning candidate for president in 2012, but I don't see anyone else with her stature emerging at this time. There are conservatives that I would like to see give it a shot. But, I have yet to seem them tip their hand.
By the way, I am really enjoying SPA. Palin is unassuming, down to earth and a square shooter. She has a great family.
It makes me nauseous that the
Submitted by Chris Norman on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 2:01am.
It makes me nauseous that the county's fate lies in the fickle minds of the so-called independent voters. Most of these people claim to have no core political beliefs - loftily (and mindlessly) saying they "vote for the candidate and not the party". They are ripe for the picking and can be swayed easily by the biased media and their liberal agenda-driven "reports".