MSNBC’s Hardball host Chris Matthews spent Thursday’s show doubling down on his clownish tirades from the night before, suggesting this time that the GOP’s tax reform celebration at the White House was akin to “a North Korean parade” led by a President similar to Ethiopian dictator Haile Selassie.
In a tease for a segment on tax reform, Matthews continued to melt down over “the pig-out” supposedly given to only the rich even though “Republicans had no problem lavishing praise on this President....like lemmings.”
“Are they going to back him on the — on firing Mueller? Look at them. Looks like a North Korean parade,” Matthews boasted.
After a commercial break, Matthews laid out another comparison for the White House event: “It was like a scene out of Julius Caesar yesterday on the south lawn of the White House. One by one Republican leaders lined up to praise his eminence, the imperious Donald Trump.”
Matthews couldn’t seem to settle on one comparison, so the scatterbrained host told his panel a few moments later:
You know, I don't know where to start except I remember Haile Selassie used to get the Lion of Judah and these incredible praises. He seems to believe them, but yet, Orrin Hatch who is a man who believes what he says gives him this almost religious kind of tribute. Trump says good pr, like great stroke there. What do you think of that, Ryan? He undercut the guy's honest tribute. He doesn't even know how to take praise properly.
For those not aware, Selassie ruled Ethiopia with an iron fist from 1930 to 1974 and, like most African dictators, was accused of committing human rights abuses and ethnic cleansing. He was worshipped by those who subscribed to the Rastafari movement as God and the Messiah alluded to in the Bible.
Matthews dredged up North Korea when talking to anti-Trump/Jen Rubin Republican Charlie Sykes, wondering “[w]hat was that photo op about” with Republicans looking “like North Korean soliders.”
“Look at all the smiles in unison, synchronized swimming. There’s Roy Blunt. There’s Al — the guy from — Young from Alaska and Vice President Pence. They're all there just grinning exactly the same, proper Republican way,” he added.
Sykes responded with his typical form of smugness and disregard for civility:
But why do you actually have this ritualized fluffing of the Orange God King? I mean and I also understand this is an interesting, you know, tactic. You know, to keep him in line, but I had the feeling as I was watching this, like, do you understand you're doing this in public, we can see what you're doing here? I mean, this is great. Paul, you got your tax cuts, but have a little pride. Just a little bit of dignity left when all this is over.
The MSNBC Republican added that the party will “never” turn their backs on Trump and Wednesday illustrated how they “[took] the knee for — for — for Trump and I don't think they're going to back away from that.”
Matthews ran out of gas as the segment went along, but not before he could reiterate how “astounding” Wednesday was in the amount of “genuflection” towards Trump.
Once again, Matthews didn’t get the memo that he should sit out any debate over whether a person or group of people are sycophants considering his undying infatuation with Barack Obama.
Here’s the relevant transcript from MSNBC’s Hardball on December 21:
MSNBC’s Hardball
December 21, 2017
7:40 p.m. Eastern
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Up next, could yesterday's display at the White House, the pig-out over the tax cut — trouble — be trouble for the Russia investigation? Republicans had no problem lavishing praise on this President with those same — look at them all up there like — like lemmings. Are they going to back him on the — on firing Mueller? Look at them. Looks like a North Korean parade. Anyway, you're watching Hardball.
(....)
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to Hardball. It was like a scene out of Julius Caesar yesterday on the south lawn of the White House. One by one Republican leaders lined up to praise his eminence, the imperious Donald Trump.
(....)
MATTHEWS: You know, I don't know where to start except I remember Haile Selassie used to get the Lion of Judah and these incredible praises. He seems to believe them, but yet, Orrin Hatch who is a man who believes what he says gives him this almost religious kind of tribute. Trump says good pr, like great stroke there. What do you think of that, Ryan? He undercut the guy's honest tribute. He doesn't even know how to take praise properly.
(....)
MATTHEWS: Charlie, what was that photo op about? Why did they — look at the faces. They were like North Korean soldiers. Look at all the smiles in unison, synchronized swimming. There’s Roy Blunt. There’s Al — the guy from — Young from Alaska and Vice President Pence. They're all there just grinning exactly the same, proper Republican way.
CHARLIE SYKES: I get that they were excited. I get that they liked tax cuts.
MATTHEWS: That’s what excitement looks like.
SYKES: But why do you actually have this ritualized fluffing of the Orange God King? I mean and I also understand this is an interesting, you know, tactic. You know, to keep him in line, but I had the feeling as I was watching this, like, do you understand you're doing this in public, we can see what you're doing here? I mean, this is great. Paul, you got your tax cuts, but have a little pride. Just a little bit of dignity left when all this is over.
(....)
SYKES: These guys never going to push back. They're never going to turn on Trump. I think that was obvious. I think there was some speculation once they got their tax bill then they could throw him under the bus. No. What you saw then was — what you saw was really the taking the knee for — for — for Trump and I don't think they're going to back away from that.
(....)
MATTHEWS: This is astounding. I'll tell you, I don't understand it. I still have been watching the Republican Party since I was born practically. I don't get this genuflection.
