Twelve years ago this week, Massachusetts shocked the world as the liberal state elected a Republican Senator, ending then-President Barack Obama’s brief 60 vote majority. The media did not react well to the GOP win, railing about how it was “premeditated murder” and an affront to the cause of the sacred Ted Kennedy. And that was only one Senate win. Imagine how the networks, CNN and MSNBC might react to a 2022 midterm red wave?
It was January 19, 2010 that Scott Brown won. That evening, Chris Matthews ranted at just how bad it would be for a Republican to prevail Speaking about the impact on ObamaCare, Matthews fretted, “It's that rare election where voters know exactly what they're voting on. If they're with Democrat Martha Coakley they get health care reform. If they go for Republican Scott Brown it's deliberate, premeditated murder for health care!”
Since upsetting the Democratic agenda isn’t allowed, NBC’s Today turned a post-win interview with Brown into a very awkward moment. On January 20, 2010, then-host Meredith Vieira brought up health care, scorning the Senator-elect: “You plan to do whatever you can to derail...the cause of his lifetime?”
The viciousness of Vieira’s insult prompted Brown to retort: “Well first of all, you're misrepresenting. I never said I was gonna do everything I can to stop health care. I believe that everybody should have health care, it's just a question on how we do it.”
On January 19, 2010, CNN dismissed the rise of Brown as voters this way: “Bottom line is, like so many voters around the nation, folks here in Massachusetts are feeling angry and scared.”
Angry and scared. If Republicans win big in November, routing Joe Biden’s Democratic Party, be prepared to hear more about just how “angry and scared” voters must be.
For more examples from our FLASHBACK series, which we call the NewsBusters Time Machine, go here.
