On his MSNBC show this evening, Chris Matthews criticized Hillary's lack of "humanity" for denying that, in the photo of her in the Situation Room during the attack on Bin Laden, she was having an emotional reaction. Matthews played video of Hillary suggesting that rather than reacting in horror, she was merely stifling a cough. Riiight.
On the one hand, Hillary richly deserved Matthews' wrist-rap for her blatantly phony explanation. Madame 3 AM obviously doesn't want to be seen to be looking weak. Still, it was surprising to witness the harsh terms with which Matthews went after Clinton. Yo Chris, your guy pounded her in the primaries. Chill!
View video after the jump.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: A dramatic re-telling: this Situation Room photo was perhaps the most iconic image, I think, of the mission to kill Bin Laden so far, but is it what it seems? Hillary Clinton said today the look on her face most people assume was shock could have been something else altogether. Let's listen [cut to clip of Hillary].
HILLARY CLINTON: Those were 38 of the most intense minutes. I have no idea what any of us were looking at at that particular millisecond when the picture was taken. I'm somewhat sheepishly concerned that it was my preventing one of my early-Spring allergic coughs. So it may have no great meaning whatsoever.
MATTHEWS: Wow. Anyway. Look, I guess I understand why the Secretary of State said what she just said there. But my guess--and my God--what's wrong with having a decent reaction to a horrific picture? People are killing people. I prefer humanity. And that's all I'm going to say.
