Eleven 'Chris Matthews Show' Regulars Say Romney Won't Drive Political Debate This Election
You want a clear picture of just how in the tank America's media are for Barack Obama?
On Sunday, Chris Matthews revealed that eleven out of twelve regulars on the syndicated program bearing his name say Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won't take control and drive the political debate in the next six months leading to Election Day (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: We put it to the Matthews Meter, our regulars including Katty, Kelly and Joe. In these next six months, will Mitt Romney take control and drive this political debate as we've been talking about? Well, ironically, eleven say, “No” – he will not grab control of this debate. And three of you guys are involved in this. Kelly, you first. If Romney has the issue – jobs, a businessman - why can't he grab the wheel and say, “I'm going to talk about my expertise and Obama’s going have to listen?”
That’s a pretty absurd question coming from a member of the media that controls the political debate far more than the candidates do. If these folks want Obama's hands on the steering wheel, they’ll just give him better coverage and trash his opponent like they did in 2008.
Not surprisingly, NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell didn’t see it that way:
KELLY O’DONNELL, NBC NEWS CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT: He’ll be talking about it, but I think when you have an incumbent president, that person has so much control over the news cycle and all of the trappings of the presidency he can use effectively to be the bigger voice in the room. That’s my take.
Especially if everyone in the media allows Obama to say whatever he wants with not just total impunity but also fawning praise.
Yet there was a surprise in this segment because Time magazine’s Joe Klein pointed out how stupid this question was:
MATTHEWS: Who runs the show?
JOE KLEIN, TIME MAGAZINE: Both do. I mean, that's the problem with this question is that we're going to have…
MATTHEWS: Well, I like tough questions.
KLEIN: It's not a tough question. I mean, you just didn't give us the third option.
MATTHEWS: What is this third option?
KLEIN: The third option is that sometimes Obama will, sometimes Reagan, Romney - did I almost say Reagan? - Romney will.
Not if Matthews, O’Donnell, and all the other Obama-lovers in the media have their way.
For the record, assuming Klein was the one dissenter as it appeared, those that said Romney won't control the debate are:
- David Brooks, New York Times
- Gloria Borger, CNN
- Helene Cooper, New York Times (not pictured)
- Andrea Mitchell, NBC News
- Kelly O'Donnell, NBC News
- Howard Fineman, Huffington Post
- Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal (not pictured)
- Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune
- Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic
- Katty Kay, BBC
- John Heilemann, New York magazine
Isn't that special?
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Comments
So, Obama controls the news?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:15pm.
"He’ll be talking about it, but I think when you have an incumbent president, that person has so much control over the news cycle and all of the trappings of the presidency he can use effectively to be the bigger voice in the room. That’s my take."
So, Obama controls the news cycle these days? He controls what the news services will, and will not, report? he "controls" the "debate?" He's the "bigger voice?" What ever happened to, you know, objectivity? I guess the trappings of office, all that Pomp and Ceremony, is far more important to you than objectivity. That's my take.
By the way, it takes far more than the "trappings of the presidency" to get reelected. "Controlling the news cycle" doesn't always equate to a "bigger voice." Just ask Jimmy Carter about that!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Your signature line gave me an idea
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 8:54pm.
Let's drill in ANWAR al Alaska!
Yeah, new bumper sticker!
Driving the debate
Submitted by RefudiateObama2012 on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:25pm.
You know who'll be driving the debate? The same person who's been driving the debate for the last three years- Sarah Palin. You just watch.
Sure Obama will drive the debate, ...
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:38pm.
.... because Prissy and his buddies in the MSM will make damned sure of it!
Nothing else will be allowed to be discussed on the air
Left Wing Lunatics
Submitted by fivestring_assassin on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:39pm.
all of them
What timing!!
Submitted by BBallleaper on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:41pm.
I just got a new DART BOARD for my birthday! Wow! Thanks Spittle-Boy!
MSM, obama's Maginot Line
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 1:55pm.
There's a lot of money and groups out there who are just waiting for the campaign to begin in earnest. They are going to drive lots of stories not approved by the Gatekeepers of the MSM.
Remember what damage a little group called the Swiftboats Veterans for Truth did to Kerry?
Oh, the meme! the meme!
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 2:23pm.
1. Romney won't be driving the debate if MSNBC and allies have anything to do with it.
2. Let's see. In 2008, the metaphor was "the Republicans drove the car into a ditch." Now Chris the Wide Mouth Frog and his chorus of Budweiser Frogs want to dig up the "driving" meme?
3. Get Rielle Hunter or Michael Moore or James Cameron to make a campaign movie named "Driving Miss Julia."
I dont see Romney as a driver
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 2:31pm.
I dont see Romney as a driver of issues. In the debates he was more content to let them develop, meaning he was content for the opposition to frame the issues. Gingrich is our man to frame the issues, and IMO the best candidate. Who knows maybe Romney will surprise me, but probably not.
This lack of framing the issues is the problem and this is the main problem with the campaign.
That's not a prediction,
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 2:41pm.
it's a pledge.
Good grief,
Submitted by Boudin on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 3:19pm.
Everyone knows, the only thing that drives the debate, is the ridicule of the right.
Oh, and the patronizing of drones, and other assorted morons.
Ironic?
Submitted by WingletDriver on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 3:42pm.
". . . will Mitt Romney take control and drive this political debate as we've been talking about? Well, IRONICALLY, eleven say, 'No.'"
What's so ironic about it? Chris Matthews' grasp of the English language is pitiful.
Duh. . .
Submitted by rickbren on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 5:58pm.
Duh. . .
It's great seeing David Brooks in this rogues gallery.
Submitted by needle on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 8:53pm.
As if there remain any misgivings that need to be cleared up.
I suppose these yakking heads think MSNBC is going to drive the political debate this year.
When the jokers are on camera they should wave and say "Hi, Mommy; hi Daddy; hi everyone," like the kids did on the Howdy Doody Show [quite] some time ago.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
ROMNEY NOR ANY REPUBLICAN COULD DRIVE MEDIA COVERAGE
Submitted by cbeyer on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 9:27am.
Give me a break. This has nothing to do with Romney. The MSM is dominated by leftist liberals. It's not a conspiracy...never has been.....but rather that these so called journalists lean left and have been in a state of euphoria that America finally got it right and elected a black president.
The predominant media buys into DNC talking points. Take for instance, the mantra that was being pushed by the DNC that Republicans are at war with women and want to ban contraceptives. That totally fabricated democrat talking point was accepted by the media and promoted in interview after interview in spite of the fact that none of the Republican candidates had ever proposed banning a woman's right to buy contraceptives.
Our country is a mess with a faltering economy that is getting worse. The way to get Obama reelected is to focus on phony issues to deflect attention away from the performance of this president and his failure to do anything other than make the economy much worse. As long as the MSM gets its talking points from the DNC and Obama administration and continues to sync up trojan horses rather than focusing on real issues, the left and the media will drive the political conversation. It has nothing to do with Romney and would not be different with any other Republican candidate.
The media will drive it.
Submitted by almostacowboy on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 10:07am.
Well, at least they'll have their feet on the accelerator. The WH will be steering.
Remember the contraception "debate"?