What does it take to get both Chris Matthews and Joan Walsh to say something kind about Donald Trump? Just make sure the target is the Hardball host's favorite archnemesis, Dick "it's pronounced CHEE-knee, by the way!" Cheney.
The moment came during a segment with Walsh and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele discussing, who else but Donald Trump and how his poll numbers have seen an uptick since his controversial call to temporarily halt all Muslims – or at least all non-U.S. citizen Muslims – from immigrating or entering back into the country after a foreign trip.
Here's the video and relevant transcript:
MSNBC
Hardball
Dec. 10, 2015; 7:14 p.m. EasternCHRIS MATTHEWS: Anyway, yesterday Bill O'Reilly asked Trump to respond to Republicans like Dick Cheney who came out against his proposal to ban Muslims. Let's watch.
BILL O'REILLY: They're all saying that this is an extremist point of view. You're going to alienate the Muslim world, that's going to come back to hurt America. How do you react to a guy like Cheney?
DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me, extremist point of view? I was against the war in Iraq in 2003, 2004. I said don't do it.
O'REILLY: Let's keep it here. Let's keep it here.
TRUMP: No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Cheney's the one that started the war in Iraq. You talk about an extremist.
MATTHEWS: You know what O'Reilly's problem was then? He was with Cheney!
MICHAEL STEELE: Exactly.
MATTHEWS: That's his problem! He was caught off base in that one!
JOAN WALSH: I'm with Trump there, you know.
MATTHEWS: Yeah, you know.
WALSH: You're going to talk about riling up Muslims, you're going to talk about fomenting –
MATTHEWS: I don't mind being consistent –
WASLH: – extremists.
MATTHEWS: – but Trump was right there.
STEELE: Yeah, Trump was right there. And it goes to some of his appeal.
MATTHEWS: Cheney was much more dangerous.
WALSH: Absolutely.
