Matthews: Canning McChrystal Helps Obama’s Oil Spill Image

Another leg tingle is on the way for MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews. Wednesday on "Andrea Mitchell Reports," Chris Matthews asserted that the President's image had been tainted because "BP has been the front institution, not the United States government, in this whole horror down in the gulf."

Yet, the White House no longer needs to worry, because to Matthews, the releasing of General McChrystal benefits the President's image of handling the oil spill by creating a "chance for him and somewhat in a way or somewhat in a personnel manner to insist on his role as Commander in Chief."

Andrea Mitchell was relieved because according to a new poll, "only 50% think that the president is doing a good job in handling the oil spill." Nevertheless, Matthews made sure to explain that although the President's image may pay a price, it was us who,"created this problem through our capitalist system, free enterprise system and now we have to fix it."

Alas, the culprit is capitalism! Wait, even in China? [Proof available here]

ANDREA MITCHELL: Thank you so much, Senator Nelson. And -- we want to thank you for being with us today. We know you have a very busy schedule. We are waiting, of course, as you can see the rose garden all prepared for the President to come out. He has had that meeting with the entire national security team in the basement, the situation room. This after about a 20-minute one-on-one with General McChrystal earlier in the day. Previously earlier still this morning, then with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Chris Matthews, Bill Cohen, former defense secretary, was saying that it should have been the Pentagon brass, civilian brass, and military who dealt with this rather than putting this on the President, it was a mistake to elevate this by having McChrystal come and be called on the carpet by the President. It should of been done on the field.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: It may have been done that way but the President may benefit here. There is a question that has been raised in this handling of the oil spill – about the chain of command and executive authority. And here's a chance for him and somewhat in a way or somewhat in a personnel manner to insist on his role as commander in chief. In a way that hasn't been so clear during this whole oil spill matter. BP has been the front institution, not the United States government, in this whole horror down in the gulf and I think its hurt the President's standing.

MITCHELL: In fact, we have hard evidence now because we broke the new information from the NBC news Wall Street Journal poll with Chuck Todd, at the top of the program. Where this is beginning to really erode the President's popularity. His overall approval rating and the hard numbers we have are, only 50% think that the President is doing a good job in handling the oil spill.


MATTHEWS: You and I saw this in the Iranian hostage crisis. Just because the situation is intractable It doesn't mean the President of the United States doesn't pay a price for not being able to deal with it. You are supposed to fix problems. If the problems are un-fixable you pay. That's the way it works in this country. Jack Kennedy once said the problems of man are man-made and they can be solved by man. That's an American doctrine. We can solve the problems we create. This time we created this problem through our capitalist system, free enterprise system and now we have to fix it. And we haven't fixed it and It is getting worse today as we can see.