On Tuesday night prior to President Trump’s address to a Joint Session of Congress, MSNBC anchors Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow joked that the impending visual of Trump being announced in the House chamber as President would be a mistake like the Best Picture flub at the Oscars.
“Somebody’s going to yell “Mr. Speaker” and it’s always on your mind and I realize — and I think a lot of us still wish what I thought that we got the wrong envelope the last three months, you know? That there was a mistake made,” Matthews remarked to Maddow.
Maddow exclaimed that the country’s suffering through another “Warren Beatty moment” to which Matthews agreed:
A Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. Not Annette Bening — of course, Faye Dunaway got the wrong envelope. A lot of people are still shocked by the fact that he is pres — I wake up and I go, wait a minute? This is really happening. This isn't a gag reel. This has been three months of reality[.]
Turning serious, Matthews lamented that “I think you’re going to see a visual tonight what we all know the country to be — divided” with Democrats from deep blue districts not applauding for fear of a primary opponent.
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For Republicans, Matthews likened them to Prisoners of War (POW):
And on the other side, a kind of a POW, you better stand up and applaud because they're watching, you know? A little bit of fingers crossed but they're going to be applauding, we've seen these numbers. On that side of the aisle, 88 percent, 86 percent, solid support. So I think you’re see Republicans showing tremendous support but mystified by this guy. He has broken every rule in politics, this guy Trump, and they don't get the new lingo so they're waiting to see.
Minutes later, Matthews and company were discussing the released excerpts from Trump’s speech and so the Hardball host had this to say about one line regarding the need for “courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts”: “We didn't know he had a heart.”
Here’s the relevant portion of the transcript from MSNBC prior to the President’s speech on February 28:
MSNBC’s Presidential Address to Congress Coverage
February 28, 2017
8:03 p.m. Eastern
CHRIS MATTHEWS: I was going to say that the — what you were saying Rachel — is the reality tonight when you’re going to see him in. Somebody’s going to yell “Mr. Speaker” and it’s always on your mind and I realize — and I think a lot of us still wish what I thought that we got the wrong envelope the last three months, you know? That there was a mistake made.
RACHEL MADDOW: We're having a Warren Beatty moment.
MATTHEWS: A Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. Not Annette Bening — of course, Faye Dunaway got the wrong envelope. A lot of people are still shocked by the fact that he is pres — I wake up and I go, wait a minute? This is really happening. This isn't a gag reel. This has been three months of reality and I think tonight, we’re going to see it. We talked about — all three of us before. I think you’re going to see a visual tonight what we all know the country to be — divided.
And I think you’re going to look on the Democratic side — on your right hand — looking at all the Democrats, especially from very 100 percent Democratic districts, big city districts. You're going to see nobody applauding. They don't want their picture taken. They don't want a primary challenge. It’s going to be frowns. And on the other side, a kind of a POW, you better stand up and applaud because they're watching, you know? A little bit of fingers crossed but they're going to be applauding, we've seen these numbers.
On that side of the aisle, 88 percent, 86 percent, solid support. So I think you’re see Republicans showing tremendous support but mystified by this guy. He has broken every rule in politics, this guy Trump, and they don't get the new lingo so they're waiting to see. He's going to have programs. He's going to actually introduce an immigration bill. He's going to actually legalize people that have been here and haven’t broken the law, he's going to do all that? You can do that? I didn't know you could do that. So I think it’s going to be interesting but the real thing tonight is division and it will be sad because I think with all the talk about compromise, you're going to see Democrats sitting on their hands, Republicans applauding without enthusiasm but I don't think we'll ever in our lifetimes hopefully see such divisions as we'll see tonight.
