Chris Matthews Swallows a Whopper

In a bit of news that probably won't be blared too loudly by the MSM, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) strongly implied that Cindy Sheehan misled him in a letter that precipitated their meeting today (Tuesday, September 27, 2005). Sen. McCain believed the meeting would be attended by "constituent mothers" from Arizona. But when the encounter transpired, that was not the case.

After their afternoon meeting, Sen. McCain was interviewed on the Sean Hannity Show (radio). Sean asked the Senator about the meeting. (Audiotape on file, emphasis mine.)

HANNITY: Let me ask you about your meeting with Cindy Sheehan today. I don't have a lot of time. How did it go?

McCAIN: Uh, we agreed to disagree. I was a little disappointed, and let me tell you why. I got a letter from her, which I got in my hand. It says, "I am a constituent of yours. I, along with a number of constituent mothers representing Cindy Sheehan from Arizona ..." basically. OK? So, I agreed to meet with her, and nobody, no mother or family member from Arizona showed up.

It's been pretty well publicized that Cindy Sheehan is from Vacaville, California. But did Sen. McCain really believe that Cindy Sheehan was one of his constituents? It may be so. In a post on the topic of politicians meeting with Sheehan, the Wizbang! blog reported last Sunday (September 25, 2005) that McCain "went to great length's [sic] to explain that Sheehan was a constituent, and though he vehemently disagreed with her, he at least owed her one private meeting" (emphasis mine).

In a report after the event, the Associated Press (via this Washington Post item) wrote, "McCain, R-Ariz., also seemed disappointed in the meeting, which he said had been misrepresented as including some of his constituents. Only one person in her small delegation has ties to the state, and that person no longer lives there."

"That person no longer lives there"? Well, that did not stop Sheehan from saying this during a subsequent exchange on MSNBC's Hardball [link to transcript]:

MATTHEWS: Let me ask you about your meeting with John McCain. When was it this afternoon?

SHEEHAN: It was at 4:00 this afternoon, just right before I came over here.

MATTHEWS: How long was it?

SHEEHAN: It was about 20 minutes.

MATTHEWS: Alone with him?

SHEEHAN: I was with, yes, him and his staff. And my sister and a constituent went with us.

File under: Ugh.