Question for Chris Matthews: How Many Lies Are You Willing to Tell to Get Obama Reelected?
I have a serious question for MSNBC's Chris Matthews: How many lies are you willing to tell on national television to get Barack Obama reelected?
On Friday's Hardball, the host gave viewers a plethora of falsehoods and half-truths to giving us an idea of just how far he's prepared to go this election cycle to make sure the objection of his affection remains in the White House (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Would someone tell me how Romney’s economic program differs from W’s? OK. Take a while, but tell me, Mr. Turnaround, how would you have avoided the catastrophe that Bush took us into, where have you have signaled a 180, a smart course correction from the cut taxes, reduce regulation, full speed ahead, that took us careening into the worst economic horror since Hoover?
George W. Bush reduced regulations? Which ones, Mr. Matthews?
Can you name the bills Bush signed in his two terms that reduced regulations on the financial services industry for example?
As NewsBusters has been reporting since the economic collapse in the fall of 2008, the two bills that deregulated the financial services industry as well as commodities were signed in 1999 and 2000 by Bill Clinton before Bush took office.
But dishonest shills like Matthews continue to hide this immutable fact from the public repeatedly opting instead to accuse Bush of reducing regulations in those industries leading to their eventual collapse.
Matthews also neglects to mention that it was pressure from Clinton that got Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reduce lending requirements adding to the pumping up of the housing bubble.
The New York Times predicted in September 1999 this could lead to a crisis "in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's."
Despite all this, Matthews has the gall to point his dishonest finger at Bush:
MATTHEWS: I know the answer. I know you’re a W. ditto head. I know that you believe what the last Republican skipper of this boat believed, that all a smart captain of industry has to do is what every dues-paying member of the U.S. Chamber of Congress wants him or her to do: cut taxes, give me more of my money, and stay out of my way. That’s it, isn’t it, Mr. Romney? You want to do for business what business wants any president to do, when it cheered when W. did it.
So, the question the voters have to ask is this: why do you expect a different result when you keep doing the same thing?
This is a really funny question coming from a man who advocates in any economy the raising of taxes and the increase of government spending. But I digress:
MATTHEWS: Why do you, Mr. Romney, expect to take us anywhere different than that downward whirlpool W. skippered us into in 2008, when we had the signal of distress, ship in trouble, and send for Hank Paulson and the salvage boats, when he and George W. Bush brought the phrase bailout into American political parlance.
Bush brought the phrase bailout into American political parlance? Really?
I guess Matthews forgot that the first U.S. bailout occurred in 1791 when debts associated with the Revolutionary War owed by a number of states were absorbed by the federal government to prevent a financial panic.
As the Wall Street Journal also observed, the federal government bailed out banks in 1907.
Of course, the largest bailout by far in American history was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great Depression.
As Matthews is a huge fan of FDR and the New Deal, how could he possibly ignore this classic bailout?
Or what about the ones that occurred while Matthews was alive such as the bailout of the railroad industry in 1970?
The following year, defense contractor Lockheed received $1.4 billion in federal aid. Franklin National Bank got $1.75 billion in 1974.
Six years later, Chrysler got $1.5 billion in loan guarantees from the U.S. government. Another $4.5 billion was given to Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust in 1984.
Just five years later, $50 billion was initially allocated to bail out ailing savings and loans. The full cost to the federal government skyrocketed to almost $300 billion.
Yet with all this history of federal government bailouts, Matthews has the unmitigated audacity to claim Bush brought the phrase into American political parlance.
And he wasn't done:
MATTHEWS: My only question is this: if the Bushes were so great, if you’re squared and you’re rigging to that same sinking ship W. left as president to get back to port, why do you sing the praises of Bill Clinton so often these days? Can we safely predict that the person that you will hide between now and November is the guy whose policies you’re out there selling?
No wonder you don’t want to mention his name. You put us on that course, mister, and we’re going to the same collision.
And what about the collision course Clinton set the nation on by signing the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000? Combined with all the pressure his administration put on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make bad loans, Clinton was really the Edward John Smith of this generation.
But Matthews and his ilk never want to tell Americans the truth about who actually set the nation's course right into that iceberg in the previous decade.
That was all George W. Bush's fault despite him not creating one piece of legislation any media shills can name that tie his hands to the Titanic's steering wheel.
Imagine the lies ahead of us the next five months.
With Matthews, they appear to have no bounds.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
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Comments
How many lies will he tell?
Submitted by misterbee241 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:13am.
As many as it takes.
Best answer!
Submitted by Galvanic on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:57am.
You nailed it.
wondering
Submitted by kinijane on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 12:41pm.
I am just wondering if its lying or if he is just plain stupid? He certainly does not do
his homework. Could be some of both.
I'm going with both
Submitted by michiganruth on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 5:21pm.
although after Matthews' Jeopardy appearance, just plain "stupid" certainly fits!
No kidding, and it wasnt just Bush
Submitted by merly1 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 1:12pm.
There was a Dem Congress that took over 1/4/2007.
That was plenty of time to right the mortgage ship that collapsed in 10/2008.
That includes one Sen Obama, part of the Dem majority Senate..............
Obama didnt "inherit" this economy as much as contribute to it.
Why the unending meme that it was all Bush, not the Dem Congress?
Or as Bill Clinton said,
Submitted by needle on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 2:00pm.
when similarly confronted by Bob Dole, "You gotta do, what you gotta do."
If you want to understand what is happening to our country, consider the so-called Democratic Party's outright aversion to virtue, and
keep in mind:
Tyrannies are based on fear;
Monarchies are based on honor; and
Democracy are based on virtue.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
They're not lies
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 4:09pm.
They're memes!
Meme of the Democrats
Submitted by LionKing on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 12:19am.
The #1 meme of the Democrats:
It's only wrong if you get caught!
Since Chrissy did so well on Jeopardy,
Submitted by texasborngranny on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:18am.
how 'bout we do it this way:
CATEGORY: MSNBC Lies to Help Obama
CLUE: As many as it takes.
ANSWER (in the form of a question): "How many lies are you willing to tell on national television to get Barack Obama reelected?"
Oh, wait!!! Chrissy crashed and burned on Jeopardy...
TINGLES: i'LL TAKE ORGANIZATIONS FOR 200
Submitted by ricklail on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:25am.
MEDIA MATTERS
Tingles: OH OH OH I know that, I know that. Who does the research for all the hosts on MESSNBC?
That's right Tingles and it brings you up to -2300 here in Double Jeopardy.
Guess I won't bother repeating it...LOL
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:25am.
Remember, it's not a lie if YOU believe it! -George Costanza
Why in the he77 are these
Submitted by ontheright on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:46am.
Why in the he77 are these talking point idiots NEVER called out for their blatant lies, corruption and fraud???? The most recent high-profile victim of the MSM's constant deceit and malfeasence is the poor George Zimmerman - even when the news broke that he wasn't "white" afterall, the incompetent, lying, racist media kept coming with waves and waves of out right lies, half-truths and overall misinformation - and nothing can be done!?!?!?! When does this crap stop????
This is the best analysis I've seen to date regarding the "narrative" and the framing of the Zimmerman story - may have to cut and paste to view. The "socialist/communist" patients have almost over-run the asylum
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/05/trayvon_and_zimmerman_the_structu...
They're never called out
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 12:13pm.
They're never called out because they only say these things in the presence of like-minded people, or in circumstances like this which don't allow for rebuttal.
Bush not only signed into law
Submitted by stratman on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:48am.
Bush not only signed into law any bill reducing legislation that promoted the financial crisis, he tried to reign in Fannie Mae and the Democrats at least twice.
I don't think Fannie Mae needed any coercion from Clinton or Barney Frank to hand out bad loans, buy up bad loans, or securitize them into bundled packages and then sell them to willing dupes. Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelick and others were more than willing to feed the beast while banking millions themselves.
The stench of Republicans in this matter was the 1999 repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the final piece of the puzzle but by no means the root cause. No, the vast majority of the cause is owned by the Democrats who enjoy freedom and monetary gain without prosecution in public or the courts.
Good article, Noel. Keep the flame to Matthews tingling hide.
Prissy on Jeopardy.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:51am.
Prissy: I'll take four letter words for $1,000.
What word describes the statements you make on your show?
Prissy: What is Truth?
That's five letters, Chrissy.
Prissy: Ooo, Ooo, what is bullshit?
Noel . . bam.
Submitted by Gary Hall on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 12:09pm.
Indeed; you note . .
George W. Bush reduced regulations? Which ones, Mr. Matthews?
Can you name the bills Bush signed in his two terms that reduced regulations on the financial services industry . .?
. . . then ask the burning questions.
That and the daily, "We can't afford to return the the failed policies of President Bush which created this crisis?"
Just what were those policies - once again. Can anyone name them? OK, the response to 9/11 and the Iraq War ran up a big bill, and some of Bush's bi-partisan spending did indeed lead to a sizable increase in debt - and that is a problem in the long haul to be sure - however, that had nothing to do with the financial collapse which resulted from the collapse of the housing bubble.
Why is is that the Republicans can't fire back with these elementary questions, in rebuttal to those ridiculous charges? The POTUS and his VP, major voices in the MSM, and Democratic pundits levy the charges almost ever day - the the R's display nothing more than lock jaw.
And speaking of Hoover, as Mathews did . . I recall the words of a certain very popular with the MSNBC crowd progressive economist by the name of Dean Baker, CEPR, who offered up in March of 2001, reflecting back on the economic crisis Clinton left to Bush:A Year After Warning of Stock Collapse, Economist Cites Political Leaders' "Negligence"
An economist who predicted a collapse of stock prices a year ago, when the NASDAQ composite index was near its peak, said today that "the nation's political leaders chose to ignore the stock market bubble" -- and "as a result, millions of families have seen their dreams of a secure retirement or their children's college education vanish."
OK - let's play the Matthew's game: "it's all Bill Clinton's fault."
"The decline in the stock market was an entirely predictable event for anyone familiar with basic arithmetic [..] As a result, millions of families have seen their dreams of a secure retirement or their children's college education vanish with the stock market bubble. The level of negligence of the nation's political leaders in ignoring the stock bubble exceeds anything since the days of Herbert Hoover."
He's talking about the Clinton era - not the Bush era, folks. They are the ones with the historic monolith government policies and the financial deregulations, which plowed the ground settting the stage for the current crisis. Bush stands guilty of not getting in the way of the ultimate crash - and that is the direction the conversation must take.
It's a given that Chris Matthews would celebrate a return to the policies of the Clinton years, as would the entire MSM. Just why would they do that again?
Great stuff, Noel. Let's hope that Romney reads it.
(;~> gary
Great comment Gary...Noel.... right on..but
Submitted by Paul G on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 6:44pm.
Our 'selected' leader has no balls...nor does ANYONE who goes on these shows do. We give a high five to the likes of newt or Sarah when they call them out. But I'm tired of the rest of the (R) that sit there like sitting ducks.
Why isn't our side saying over and over again that the the dems controlled EVERYTHING while our Country was going to shit? BTW...hows the budget going?
Chris Matthews can go straight to Hell for all I care
Submitted by Dave. on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 12:15pm.
I now view anyone that supports the reelection of the obviously Kenyan-born communist fraud that goes by the name of Barack Hussein Obama to be someone that willingly supports the destruction of America as founded.
And I am well beyond sick to damn death of the lot of them.
Chris Matthews is nothing but a sniveling, cowardly communist puke that shouldn't be allowed to even visit this country, much less live in it.
Why this country even tolerates people rooting for its very destruction to draw breath within its borders is beyond me.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
How many lies will Matthews tell...
Submitted by Conservator on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 1:42pm.
...to get Barack Obama reelected? - as many as it will take. But since his ratings are so low - basically leftist extremists - it really doesn't matter. With all of the lefty MSM working hard to reelect Obama, it appears only to hurt him as new polls show Romney gaining momentum.
Or maybe
Submitted by needle on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 2:05pm.
the DNC media is losing traction. I could say that it is about time, except actually it is way over due.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
Noel: Isn't it interesting
Submitted by NCfairandbalanced on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 2:44pm.
Noel:
Isn't it interesting that Matthews does not rebut your claims of him lying? Now, I know what he would say. "I won't dignify these claims and give free publicity to MRC and NB, hence my silence".
That is not believable. Why doesn't Chris's most trusted adviser tell him to rebut Sheppard and make him look like the idiot. Bring down NB! Bring down Brent Bozelle and the MRC!
Here's that trusted adviser's problem: He can't rebut, because HE knows the truth every bit as much as you do, Noel. And, probably so does Matthews himself. But as long as people believe him...
Isn't that pathetic? By the way (as my name indicates) I would feel the same way if our side perverted the truth to carry out an agenda. I just don't see it there. At least, certainly not to this degree.
NC
Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 2:53pm.
NC,
If the anchors and commentators on MSNBC had to actually address their lies, they wouldn't have any time to make more of them. It would be a full-time job. ns
Actually, Chris Matthews did tell the truth - one time.
Submitted by Gary Hall on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 4:00pm.
Actually, Chris Matthews did tell the truth - one time.
Chris Matthews Slams Obama: He's Got 'The Worst Kind of a Notion of the Presidency'
(;~/ gary
Matthews
Submitted by LionKing on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 12:12am.
Matthews avoidance of the truth and facts clearly explains his poor showing on Jeopardy.
I think liberals repeat the falsehoods so much that they eventually believe them to be true.
Well, I think Bush's biggest mistake
Submitted by Benjamin on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 1:06am.
was not standing up to the Democrats when Nancy Pelosi and her minions took over Congress in 2007. If you look at a graph of our national debt, it has almost doubled since 2007. There was also too many RINOS who just went along. People don't remember, but in 2008, there were two stimulus bills pushed through (and Bush signed) before the collapse. They did nothing but jack up the debt.
I recall Pelosi's first speech to the House when she took over as Speaker. She said "NO....NEW....DEFICIT....SPENDING"! And now, after about 8 trillion in debt, where are we?
Holy cheese on a stick, Noel!
Submitted by megax5000 on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 7:47pm.
Holy cheese on a stick, Noel! I do believe this is the first time I've been hear that I MOSTLY agree with you.
But I don't think you've actually given this much thought. In your rush to defend Bush and blame reduced financial regulations on Clinton, are you in turn actually advocating for MORE regulations?
I'm also quite impressed that you listed all those other instances of the government bailing out the private sector throughout our history. Guess we had a lot more socialists than I thought, eh?