Chris Matthews Smears the 'Scary' GOP as the 'Wahhabis of American Government'
MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Tuesday escalated his attack on the Republican Party, comparing them to a violent sect of Islam. The Hardball host frothed, "Well, the GOP has become the Wahhabis of American government, willing to risk bringing down the whole country in the service of their anti-tax ideology."
Discussing the debt ceiling vote, Matthews placed all of the blame on the right. In a tease for the segment, he fumed, "The Tea Party Republicans who are ready to bring down this country's economy in the name of ideology. This is really getting serious, and I believe scary, what's really being perpetrated here."
[See Video below. MP3 audio here.]
Of course, Matthews is the same person who slammed Tea Party conservatives as unthinking "haters"who just lash out at Barack Obama with cheap comments.
On Tuesday, the MSNBC anchor said of Republicans: "The party's being driven by fanatics and they're determined to bounce America's savings bonds and have the United States begin to become like Greece."
Talking to Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, Matthews hyperbolically wondered if Republicans want to "go right off the cliff and take this country into Greece, into the way the world watches us go down the hill."
A partial transcript of the exchanges can be found below:
5:01
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Also, is the Republican Party willing to risk economic armageddon in the name of religion, that is the religion of no taxes? Well, the GOP has become the Wahhabis of American government, willing to risk bringing down the whole country in the service of their anti-tax ideology. This is no phony crisis. If you're not careful, if we're not careful, the country risks becoming Greece. Not ancient Greece, by the way, current Greece.
5:15
MATTHEWS: The Tea Party Republicans who are ready to bring down this country's economy in the name of ideology. This is really getting serious, and I believe scary, what's really being perpetrated here. Possibly, the defaulting of United States government on our debt in the world. The party's being driven by fanatics and they're determined to bounce America's savings bonds and have the United States begin to become like Greece.
5:20
MATTHEWS: And I look around me with fanatics. I see fanatics, mostly on the right, some of the left. It seems to me that they're quite willing when I hear them talking, your own colleague Senator Roy Blunt dismissing the debt ceiling deadline saying, quote, "the deadline is never really a deadline. I don't think world markets are going to get roiled and I don't think our creditors are not going to get paid." And here's someone from the far right, Michele Bachmann dismissing the consequences of not raising the debt ceiling. Let's listen to her now.
MICHELE BACHMANN: Well, first of all it isn't true that government would default on its debt, because, very simply the Treasury Secretary can pay the interest on the debt first and then from there we have to just prioritize our spending.
MATTHEWS: This, to me, is scary. What's your view? That these people are willing to go right into armageddon, not face the warning signs. Go right off the cliff and take this country into Greece, into the way the world watches us go down the hill.
SENATOR CLAIRE MCCASKILL: Yeah. It's a real problem, compromise has become a dirty word and, frankly, our countries has been the greatest country on the planet, because our democracy learned the art of compromise. And now compromise is something the two ends of the spectrums don't want to see happen and we're going to suffer for it. You know, the other thing is frustrating about this, Chris, that I think they are trying to tell the American people that when we raise the debt limit we're asking for permission to spend more money. That's not true. All we're doing is making good on the spending that's already occurred. This would be like going out and buying a new car. These guys all voted for this spending. They all voted for the things that put us in this deficit position and now they're saying they don't want to pay the bill. It's like they bought a new car and don't want to make payments. It is defaulting, and we will default on obligations our government has, whether it's the people who are getting a Social Security check or to our military pay or whether it's to our debt that we have to pay, and all of those things would have serious and significant consequences. People need to quit trying to win elections and start solving the problem.
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Comments
Tax increases
Submitted by Kilroy on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:22pm.
The other side of the coin is that the Democrats won't seriously discuss spending cuts. I know in my household when money gets tight first thing we do is cut spending, then if there is still a problem we find a way to earn more money. You can always find sensible ways to cut spending but not always reasonable ways to increase income.
The word you're looking for is "projection", Christine
Submitted by johnsonl on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:31pm.
Tinglepants. Socialist liberals will stop at nothing to put all of us at the government's mercy. Your ratings are a perfect example. Comcast loses money every day while the MSNBCer's rant and rave.
My "Chrissy Tingles Avoidance Alarm" just arrived....
Submitted by bigdaddy on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:32pm.
...When one of his interesting stories appears on NB, a horn that sounds like two toots from a short bus goes off.
WAHHABIS?
Submitted by sometimesright on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:35pm.
i take great offense to that. for someone who is so opposed to the use of the "hitler" analogy this idiot has alot of nerve comparing reps to those murderous extremists. MSNBC and that idiot are a match made in heaven.
And lest we forget, this was
Submitted by Reaver on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:52pm.
And lest we forget, this was the same tingly one who was crying about the lack of civility in our political discourse just a few short months ago. I’m guessing that theme is going to be retired for the remainder of the campaign season.
Weird and Wacky Wahhabis Warning
Submitted by ThisnThat on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 7:01pm.
Mathews is warning against the "extreme and rabid Republicans", who are a dire and imminant threat to this country. Using words like armageddon; scary; far right; and fanatics.
I don't seem to recall Mathews give us such a severe warning against the muslims who are actually dedicated to the destruction of this country. Does Mathews really believe American citizens for limited Government are worse than those muslim butchers? And has he ever, ever used such words against them?
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
Bringing down the country?????
Submitted by djwolf12 on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 6:35pm.
Tingles, THIS COUNTRY IS ALREADY BANKRUPT! yOUR PRESIDENT RAN UP RECORD DEFICITS IN 2-1/2 YEARS! Oh, nevermind that because he had to do it because it was BUSH'S FAULT!
MSNBC...............Lean forward, open your mouth and pull the trigger.
Mathews Defeats his Own Argument:
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 7:04pm.
If Mathews doesn't want the US to become like Greece why is he proposing going more deeply in debt by raising the debt ceiling and borrowing more? That is the road Greece went down and the road Republicans are trying to avoid. S&P has already lowered Greek Bonds to BB, junk status. Is that where Mathews wants the Democrats to take the country?
Mathews' name calling is out of frustration of guilt. He knows the Democrats ran up most of these big bills when they had complete control of the government. Democrat hands have been caught in the cookie jar and they need a distraction from that fact.
→ Chris Matthews
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 7:04pm.
Chris, would you be talking about the Wahhabis who sneak guns into the hands of our enemies, the Mexican Drug Cartel?
OOPS! That would be Eric Holder's mosque, wouldn't it?
They keep talking about compromise
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 7:50pm.
but they neglect to put it in proper context. Let's say two people want to go to lunch, but can't agree on the restaurant. One wants to got to a deli for traditional lunch fare and the other to a pasture for cow patties. They could conceivably compromise and eat out of the bathroom at the deli, but frankly, it's likely to be a rotten lunch. Compromise, for the sake of compromise, isn't always best, especially when one side is offering nothing but a crap sandwich.
Compromise, for the sake of
Submitted by Bhaal on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 8:20pm.
Compromise, for the sake of compromise, is the best for Chris as he is already full of crap.
If we have reached the point where taxes are what fuels America
Submitted by Dave. on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 8:29pm.
...we're screwed.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Discussing paying bills with
Submitted by Thoreau on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 8:45pm.
Discussing paying bills with children that have never held down a job isn't possible.
Somebody slap that boy!
Submitted by telecaster on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 10:16pm.
Apparently lost on this moron is the idea that whatever the economic challenges left over from the Bush years, they were exponentially increased in the first two Obama years. If the economy was so bad whose bright idea was it to immediately force feed the nation a gargantuan new entitlement, apply billions to bail out bankers, car makers and fund "shovel ready" projects this president readily admits never existed? He admits it and the msm continues it's mindless rah rah bleating from the bleachers.....it's enough sycophantic drivel to make you want to vomit. If the Democrats ever get another chance to lead this nation we're all stupid and we all deserve whatever BS utopia they'll attempt to impose next time. But they have a right to feel hopeful...cause ain't no one on our side saying or doing anything to stop them.
The political system in this country is in a shambles and the Democrats can spout all they want about how great and smart and articulate big ears is but he has been an unmitigated disaster for this nation, yet we continue to hear the praises and choruses of the hypnotized faithful like matthews. Unfrickinbelievable.
This isn't inflammatory, this is dumb
Submitted by rogue operator on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 10:44pm.
I'm trying to picture in my mind the kind of drooling MSNBC audience member who might converted by such rhetoric. Wonder why you can't grow your audience share, MSNBC? It's because you unwittingly portray lefties as unhinged psychopaths to anyone with a shred of rationality. Hell, you might as well become a Fox sister network you are helping them so much.
Barack Obama is the "HAMAS of American government"
Submitted by OxyCon on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 12:00am.
What would happen if a pundit said that?
Of course, tingels, doesn't
Submitted by jdhawk on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 5:20am.
Of course, tingels, doesn't know what the hell he is talking about. Greece is in a death spiral because for decades they were growing government so that it has nearly snuffed out private economic activity. The formula that would permit Greece's turnaround is unavailable to them. That is drastically reducing government spending, lowering taxes and thus, increasing private economic activity. Instead, they are raising taxes and further squeezing out private eocnomic activity. They must do this or lose the backing of both the IMF and the ECB.
The IMF and ECB is forcing Greece into this economic straight jacket because the countries of the Euro Zone each have major amounts of Greece's debt. If Greece defaults on that debt, those countries economic infrastructure will nosedive. Also, the Euro itself is likely to disintergrate.That would cause economic activity with Europe to fall drastically as other forms of money are devised by each of the countries as it was before the Euro.
The above, in one form or another, is the fate of the U.S. if we keep on this path of growing government at the expesne of the private sector. The only prudient course of action is to reduce the size of government, reduce the tax burden and spur private economic activity before it is too late.
I think he is a dick, too!
McClaskey agrees with me on the debt ceiling. Pigs are flying.
Submitted by acaiguana on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 5:56am.
Well, she says we are only trying to make good on spending that has already occurred.
That'd be a big DUH....
The Democrats spent it and now want to tax it. Rather than their usual model of tax it then spend it.
Repeal Obama Care, that's a buncha trillions of thingies right there. Yep.
Confiscate all unspent (un-obligated) funds today. That's almost a Trillion, believe it or not.
Reduce all government employment by 15% today. Bye bye permanent and guaranteed job stuff.
That's to start. There are about 300 thousand other moves they could make.
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana notes from the Underground' (Soon to be at theaters near you)
When Bush was President,
Submitted by Tiger on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 7:49am.
the GOP was compared to the Taliban. I guess Chrissy has forgiven the Taliban and is attacking the Wahhabis
Shoot this should be taken as a compliment from a lefty
Submitted by gmaniac1 on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 12:26pm.
like Baby Boy lovin Tingles. They love the wahhabi terrorists when they are killing American civilians and soldiers to the point they don't report it on it accurately or at all.
The more pissy Crissy gets the more you know you're on the right path to economic and spiritual salvation. So here's to hoping Crissy Tingles implodes* by Christmas!
*used figuratively as not to offend our liberal trolls and "conservative" amoebas;)
Tingles preaches tolerance yet practices intolerance...
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 1:21pm.
...where conservatives are concerned. This is the epitome of hypocrisy, as he continually reviles conservatives (particularly conservative women) and accuses them of intolerance. The good thing is that only the few dozen people who watch his show had to put up with his diatribe.