Chris Matthews is not a liberal. Andrea Mitchell has told us so. Yet there are times when our fervent belief in that tenet is strained. Such as on this afternoon's "Hardball," when the only two moments from last night's GOP debate that Matthews singled out for praise were when candidates adopted liberal positions: McCain opposing torture and Rudy sticking up for abortion.View video here.
Excerpts follow.
MSNBC HOST CHRIS MATTHEWS: Last night in Columbia, South Carolina, the two GOP frontrunners showed profiles in courage: McCain opposing torture, Giuliani defending abortion rights. . . Here's Senator McCain on the issue of torture last night; I was very taken with these words . . . You know, I don't offer strong opinions all the time on this show [of course not], I usually bow to the guests. But I am so taken with that . . . I know he scored, Chuck [NBC political director Todd] no points last night but he scored one with me . . . Anybody's who's ever been in uniform is against torture, and it's the pencil necks, if you will, the armchair generals who always like wars a lot except when they or their family members might be in those wars.Matthews was also filled with praise for Rudy's pro-abortion rights stance.Story Continues Below Ad ↓
MATTHEWS: There again, he took Barry Goldwater's libertarian position, and he laced it with Catholicism: we have to do everything we can to reduce the number of abortions, we have to create opportunities for adoption. We have to discourage unwanted pregnancies.Chris's guest, Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capeheart, seconded Matthew's notion.
CAPEHEART: I think it was a great moment for John McCain, for him to stand on that stage with those other guys, who as you said, it was bloodthirsty . . . I think [McCain and Giuliani's positions] are winners with swing voters, middle-of-the-road people who are a little uncomfortable with what could be viewed as the extremist position coming from the Republican party.By the way, Matthews's other guests for the show, in addition to Todd, and Capeheart of WaPo, were Dem senators Whitehouse and Feinstein. Oh, and Chris opened the show by referring to AG Alberto Gonzales as a Bush "henchman." Not that Chris is liberal or nuthin'.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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And Chris Matthews can be d
May 16, 2007 - 20:38 ET by motherbeltAnd Chris Matthews can be described as a "Democratic henchman."
Chris Matthews is totally unh
May 16, 2007 - 22:36 ET by newkidontheblockChris Matthews is totally unhinged. Its hard to make sense out of any of his positions. The quote doesn't do justice to Matthews' enthusiasm for John McCain, he seemed to be almost moved to tears over this. McCain is a loser and the proof of that is with the adoration he receives from the NBC News pinheads like Matthews and Russert.
Anyone got a barf bag?
May 17, 2007 - 01:10 ET by zfAnyone got a barf bag?
Chris Matthews' claim to fame
May 17, 2007 - 02:11 ET by DrKJChris Matthews' claim to fame is his buffoonery; a proper legacy for a liberal pundit. He really is a "poster child" for demonstrating that obscurantism and liberalism are one of the same.
Probably expressed my feeling
May 17, 2007 - 02:32 ET by maggieqpublicProbably expressed my feelings about this before… years ago when Chris Matthews hosted a political opinion show (Dixieland background music, pre-Hardball), he was absolutely a nip-at-the-heels terrier when a guest, left or right, would respond to a question with party-line chatter. In my view, he moderated a fine political opinion show. Then, a few years ago, he unzipped his costume and emerged as a virulent “it’s all about me and what I think” host… What happened to him and why?
maggieq
May 17, 2007 - 08:56 ET by SportPoliticsI get the same impression, but he may have been libby all along when Iknew a lot less about all this stuff.
But I think the answer to your question relates to the point in time when he wrote that book, and then appeared on c-span interviewed, and disclosed his wife and sons political party and positions, and they showed I think another whole hour of he and his wife and some big event and his book release thing. So, it seems to me that's when his cat was out of the bag ( not that his demo government job wasn't an indicator - but his book updated all the current watchers).
Yeah, that's when I'd peg his transformation to total blathering liberal spitball.
Thanks for the update SportP
May 17, 2007 - 12:37 ET by maggieqpublicThanks for the update SportP…. I missed the c-span coming out party, so maybe that’s when he realized how much he liked being the center of attention. Unfortunately, “blathering liberal spitball” is a perfect description of Chris Matthews today.
Why doesn't anyone ever ask
May 17, 2007 - 05:59 ET by motherbeltWhy doesn't anyone ever ask "if you think abortion is OK, then why do you think we need to reduce their number, or encourage adoption instead?"
Maybe because the answer would be along the lines of ...well it's always sad when a woman has to give up a chi...no, wait, because children are our fu....um, no, because there is the psychological suff...er, er....um, what was the question????
This is precisely why we shou
May 17, 2007 - 09:22 ET by dscottThis is precisely why we shouldn't let the MSM sponsor any debates with Repub candidates, they only cherry pick the points of interest to their agenda. If we allow the MSM to do all or most of the reporting, they will control the flow of information to the public and thus by default make all the decisions of who they want to be candidates for POTUS. The MSM in their method of selective reporting have become a direct threat to the self governance (people's choice) of the Republic. The only way to neutralize their cherry picking is to insist that networks like Fox News or groups like the Heritage Foundation or Town Hall sponsor such events. The very fact that the Dems boycotted Fox News demonstrates they have an agenda which can only be achieved through the cherry picking of the MSM.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Chrisymat is just trying to l
May 17, 2007 - 09:31 ET by general companyChrisymat is just trying to let his viewers choose between what he feels is the lesser of 2 evils, because he knows that the Dems dont have a chance once they are on the same stage.
Besides: The more left leaning items he highlights to his viewers the more likely they will consider the Republicans.
Mathews is doing his job
May 17, 2007 - 09:56 ET by c5thenThat is if he's a Democratic/liberal pundit who is trying to steer public opinion toward a particular way of thinking.
As far as I'm concerned, Giuliani and Romney both shot themselves in the foot with a large % of the republican base. Romney was unable to articulate a logical reason for his positions other than he's trying to get the nomination. Giuliani articulated a position on abortion that is full of cognitive disonance.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
Soft Ball
May 17, 2007 - 09:57 ET by JimboI think people like Chris Matthews believe that they can affect the outcome of elections by continually spouting their views every night. To a certain extent, he can influence a certain segment of the voting public. That said, he and his ilk find themselves actually campaigning for Republican candidates, perhaps subconsciously. He and his ilk want a Republican to get the nomination that in his opinion can be beaten by the Democratic candidate. The whole process is highly disgusting.
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
I was in uniform and I am for
May 17, 2007 - 10:58 ET by BruzillaI was in uniform and I am for torture.
Ah, but Mcain would say: &q
May 17, 2007 - 12:02 ET by MightyMouthAh, but Mcain would ask: "Where you ever tortured?" (other than having heard the Dixie Chicks).
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...