MSNBC's Chris Matthews is very upset about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney saying President Obama is pursuing a foreign policy of "appeasement."
On Wednesday's Hardball, the host was so outraged by this that his Republican Strategist guest, Florida's Sally Bradshaw, ended up laughing in his face and mocking him when he talked about "sophisticated voters" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
SALLY BRADSHAW, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Because that’s exactly what he’s done. I mean, your worldview might be your worldview to you, David, but it’s not my worldview.
DAVID CORN, MOTHER JONES: You’re amazing.
BRADSHAW: Thank you. And it’s not the view of the majority of voters, particularly Jewish voters, which is a problem for Obama and an opportunity for Mitt Romney.
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Thank you, Sally, for coming on, but the latest polling out of Israel, he’s definitely got a big uptick, a strong uptick for the President. They are very happy, I believe, and they are very sophisticated voters in this country, by the way…
MATTHEWS: …the most sophisticated voters, and in many ways they hear these arguments and they’re going to see through them. Anyway, thank you David Corn.
BRADSHAW: [Laughs]
For his part, Matthews was correct about recent upticks in Israeli opinion of Obama, but he left out key elements of the poll he likely was referring to.
As the liberal Brookings Institution reported last Thursday (emphasis added):
In contrast with 2010, when majorities of Israeli Jews expressed unfavorable views of President Obama, a majority (54%) of Israeli Jews polled in 2011 expressed a favorable view of the U.S. President while 39% expressed negative views.
Overall strong majority of Israeli Jews, 80%, continue to have a favorable view of the United States. Still, 39% are discourage [sic] by the Obama Administration's policy in the Middle East, 22% are encouraged, while 35% are neither discouraged nor encouraged.
I'm of course not surprised Matthews didn't mention that second section from the poll. He also conveniently neglected September's Gallup poll showing a steep decline in how American Jews view Obama.
Maybe these glaring omissions were responsible for Bradshaw's laughter.
I on the other hand see it as sad given that this guy has not one but two nationally televised programs to misinform the public.
