Chris Matthews: I Wonder if George Will and David Brooks Are in Touch With GOP Base Like Michele Bachmann Is
People that have been watching Chris Matthews since the Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire last month know that the devout liberal has suddenly and quite mysteriously developed a soft spot for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).
On Sunday's "The Chris Matthews Show," the host actually said to his guests, "I wonder whether cerebral writers like George Will and David Brooks, bright people, are not really in tune with that base out there that she is" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC: The majority of people in this country are not willing to do the things that John Boehner is now prepared apparently to do, that the President wants us to do, that leadership arguably needs to do in order to get past this crisis. Michele Bachmann really has her, her finger on that pulse. She’s put up a new ad, her first ad in Iowa, which says, “I will not vote for a debt ceiling.” That’s…
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: No matter what, she won’t.
MITCHELL: …categorically. Even if it has all of the cuts that the Republicans want. So she is taking it one step farther and I think that she is really in tune with the majority of the people, whether they understand the facts or not.
MATTHEWS: Okay, that's Iowa. It's the religious right and she may be perfectly, perfect pitch. Will that sell across the Republican base in the country? Can she compete for the nomination right to the end?
CLARENCE PAGE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: I don't think so. She has all the vulnerabilities of Barry Goldwater who got the nomination back in 1964, and he was attacked for these very issues, Social Security and the rest.
MATTHEWS: But he won, the nomination.
PAGE: He did, because at that time the moderates were weak. And they're weak now. That's her best shot, because it's a shrunken party from what it used to be. But I think because of recent events, a lot of the Republican moderates, the David Brooks types, you know, are going to be the ones to stand up and call a halt, but it will come after South Carolina.
MATTHEWS: I wonder whether cerebral writers like George Will and David Brooks, bright people, are not really in tune with that base out there that she is.
BOB WOODWARD, WASHINGTON POST: That's right.
This hasn't become a tingle up the leg yet, but Matthews seems rather smitten with the Minnesota Congresswoman.
The problem is, from a conservative standpoint, it's really hard to see this as good news.
As Politico's John Harris told Matthews last month, the candidate the press fall's in love with early on typically doesn't do well in the primaries.
"There’s almost an inverse relationship between how much reporters gush about somebody – 'Oh, he’s impressive' – and their actual chances."
This is especially true for Republican candidates.
Maybe that's Matthews' intention.
Hmmm.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
MATTHEWS: I wonder whether
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 4:33pm.
MATTHEWS: I wonder whether cerebral writers like George Will and David Brooks, bright people, are not really in tune with that base out there that she is
Cerebral? Is that what he is calling RINOs now? Hahahahayukyukyuk!
But of course, frm Mathew's
Submitted by tcm14 on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 4:51pm.
But of course, frm Mathew's liberal point of view, the farthe left someone is, the smarter they are. He is just furthering the canard that actual Conservatives cannot be "cerebral" people.
"...Conservatives cannot be "cerebral" people."
Submitted by Ill wind blowing on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 8:35pm.
Not for a long time. Or a long time to come.
Thank you, ill wind---
Submitted by matthewdean on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 8:48pm.
that certainly clarifies that.
MD
MD, ill wind
Submitted by UpNorth on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:45pm.
has yet to clarify what he's blowing. We all know but don't hold your breath, that it has any idea, at all.
"Ill Wind Blowing" = Shakespearian for room-clearing fart.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:50pm.
Forsooth n' stuff.
Mental midget.
Submitted by NL207 on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 11:39pm.
Lets see you go three rounds with fat, old, stupid, conservative NL. If all you say is true, it should be a piece of cake. No?
I wonder if Chris Mathews is
Submitted by rbosque on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 4:59pm.
I wonder if Chris Mathews is in touch with reality than with his left-wing base.
Tingles Matthews question
Submitted by TE on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 7:39pm.
Tingles Matthews questions whether David "Gergen" Brooks is "really in tune with that base out there"?
Going to David Brooks for the "tune with that base" of the Republican party is as stupid as going to Maureen Dowd, Jill Abramson, Adam Nagourney, Bill Keller, Paul Krugman, Sulzburger or any other red-eyed, frothing at the mouth, militant, hysterical leftist at the New York Times.
What is the Republican "base?"
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:25pm.
I hear the likes of Matthews and Mitchell throw the term around, but I've never heard them describe it. Considering that these two are Beltway denizens, I doubt they have any idea what it is themselves.
Page: "He did, because at
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 5:50pm.
Page: "He did, because at that time the moderates were weak. And they're weak now. That's her best shot, because it's a shrunken party from what it used to be."
Huh? From when? Barry Goldwater days? Back when Gerald Ford and Bob Dole were considered the hard right and the Republicans were a "permanent minority" in the House and Senate?
"Skrunken party from what it used to be" -- ?
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:46pm.
Back in 2008, the triumphant Democrats and their MSM parrots declared that the GOP was virtually extinct and that unless it abandoned conservatism, it would disappear as a major party. James Carville announced that the Democrats would reign for the next 40 years.
Then in 2010, thanks to 4 years of a Democratic Congress and 2 years of Obama, the GOP took back the House of Representatives and nearly retook the Senate due in large part to resurgent conservatism. As I recall, earlier this year a poll found that more voters now identified themselves as Republicans than Democrats -- a complete reversal from 2008
So where is the shrunken party that Page talks about? And maybe while he contemplates that, he can also tells us where Recovery Summer went, since it didn't appear in 2009, or last year, or this year.
James Cueball Carville is the Prophet of the Leftist Loonss
Submitted by daveinboca on Mon, 07/11/2011 - 3:39pm.
Page & Matthews & MItchell are playing chess with imaginary pieces. Matthews may have wet dreams about Michele Bachmann, but David Brooks is a liberal Democrat in most of the USA. Only the two Left Coasts consider this flake a "moderate Republican."
Dont
Submitted by rob.man on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 6:23pm.
Dont under estimate Bachman, believe that she can and will win Iowa because romney sure wont. Then she will burst into south carolina, then possibly pull off Florida.. I dont think she can win new hampshire which i think it all romneys at this time because hes a rino. We will see.
Don't write off New Hampshire yet
Submitted by Lgbpop on Mon, 07/11/2011 - 10:41am.
A recent poll showed Gov. Romney with 23% of the respondents favoring him, a comfortable plurality - BUT - Palin and Bachmann together had more support. Now, I grew up in the Bay State and have seen a lot of evolution in the New Hampshire primary next door. Fifty years ago the Manchester Union-Leader was the most influential paper in the state and Bill Loeb was its kingmaker.
Today, southern New Hampshire is much more center-left, largely made up of Massachusetts tax and moral exiles who for one or more reasons can't bear to live there anymore. (I'm one myself, but had to move to Florida for some rational thought.) One thing that hasn't changed yet, though, is that Bay State pols running for president are usually adopted in the Granite State as favorite sons. Taking all of this into consideration, it's surprising that two out-of-state conservative women together draw more support in New Hampshire than a popular neighboring moderate pol with virtually 100% name recognition. Disturbing as well, since a Palin backer will more likely support Bachmann as his/her second choice (and vice-versa) than support an unknown entity this early in the game.
Romney's got obstacles to overcome - and being a weathervane won't cut it anymore.
It's not a compliment.
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 7:09pm.
What he means is the Republican base is a bunch of ignorant hillbillies and Bachmann is just their type, whereas "moderates" like Will and Brooks are too "cerebral" to be able to connect with them (nor would they want to).
As far as Matthews is concerned, Republicans should shun their "base" and aim for the "moderates" (semi-liberals).
No, Republicans are just suffering from mass psychosis.
Submitted by Ill wind blowing on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:29pm.
",,,the Republican base is a bunch of ignorant hillbillies and Bachmann is just their type,..."
Republicans are suffering from mass psychosis.
Thank you, Dr. Blow.
Submitted by UpNorth on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 10:46pm.
.
Pay attention il wind*
Submitted by cajun2 on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 11:34pm.
All of you Obamie lovers are going to learn a very hard lesson. Just a reminder, someone has written a song about it
Motherbelt
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 07/10/2011 - 11:06pm.
YEP!