Well what do we have here:
After praising the drafters of the First Amendment for allowing him to make a living, [Chris Matthews] outlined what he said was the fundamental difference between the Bush and Clinton administrations.
The Clinton camp, he said, never put pressure on his bosses to silence him.
“Not so this crowd,” he added, explaining that Bush White House officials — especially those from Vice President Cheney’s office — called MSNBC brass to complain about the content of his show and attempted to influence its editorial content. “They will not silence me!” Matthews declared.
“They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,” Matthews continued, although he did not specify the exact criminal behavior to which he referred. He then drew an obvious Bush-Nixon parallel by saying, “Spiro Agnew was not an American hero.”
Matthews left the throng of Washington A-listers with a parting shot at Cheney: “God help us if we had Cheney during the Cuban missile crisis. We’d all be under a parking lot.”
I understand the knee-jerk reaction is to say “what took you so long” but the fact of the matter is that it’s going to be awfully difficult to unravel this situation unless journalists start speaking up about the strong-arm tactics that have been used on them, fostering Paul Krugman’s climate of “asymmetrical intimidation” (where no penalty is paid for ridiculing Democrats but you get your ass handed to you for saying anything untoward about the GOP). I also think it took more guts, not less to say it in front of the Pale & Male Club who have been the ones engaging in this charming little game that has landed us in the middle of such a toxic journalistic climate.
Of course there will be times when it looks like people are just trying to catch the next wave, but Matthews actually did speak out at the time and told Joe Wilson that Karl Rove had said his wife was “fair game.” I really do think he should be applauded for speaking out here. Hopefully others will follow suit.
Oh and some names would be nice….
Related posts:
- Chris Matthews Misleads Viewers on Viability of Public Option
- Early Morning Swim: Chris Matthews Smacks Birther Congressman Around
- Chris Matthews Forces Birther Congressman to Admit Obama’s a Citizen
- FDL Book Salon Welcomes Chris Mooney, Unscientific America
- Chris Bowers is a Narcissistic Megalomaniac Who Destroyed Single Payer – And I Helped
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
FISA is postponed…
Nearly zed?
Sorry, Jane…!!!
Cheney in the man sized safe with a shotgun.
Sheldon Whitehouse for President
the Pale and Male Club – I love it! (And I’m a member.)
early EPU again — singles?
Agreed. Also woth noting that both Tom Friedman and David Brooks appear to have little epiphanies this week. We should welcome them all to this side of the political divide. Y’know, fix the problems first, then worry about fixing the blame.
CTuttle @ 1
Details, and a link or two, por favor?
I wonder if CM will talk about his remarks today…I especially like this one,
“They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,”
I hope he knows something we don’t know, but it is probably about the secret torture memo.
Matthews is all over the place, today its a good place.
I keep trying to like Matthews, but he really pissed me off when he helped cheerlead the Iraq War in 2002. Now he tries to pretend he was always against it. This helps, but he has a lot of making up to do before he fully redeems himself. Still, he is a loud voice, and a welcome one if he is truly coming around. We’ll see.
It’d be nice to hear from some of those “leaned-upon bosses” too, on the record and on camera.
Oh, and I also want a pony.
LS @ 5
Now what brought that up? (I’ve been off in the corner muttering ‘Whitehouse in the White House’ for what seems ages now.)
EPU’d and OT, but…*g*
I’ve not had time today to read all the previous threads, so if this was already talked about, jest ignore me. *g*
OT, but some good news by the Progressive Caucus (Real Democrats All The Time!):
Thank doG for Progressives!
I think that his friendship with Keith Olbermann and his obvious desire to (1) get better ratings and (2) know which way the wind is blowing are helping Tweety’s nut sack to finally descend.
Perhaps he’ll have to keep watching Countdown to see how it’s done. Tweety was never a journalist, and always played the sycophant on TV, maybe now he’ll begin to play a Journalist on TV too…
If Dan Abrams lets him… although one has to wonder if Abrams is a little embarrased by his treatment of David Shuster at the behest of the “brass”… perhaps he’ll be a bit less inclined to reign his staff in based solely on the word of the Pale and Male Club (love that phrase, Jane).
Matthews has been against the Iraq war. And as to Cheney? Good for you Mr. Matthews!
A toast to Matthews. That was really brave.
Jo Fish @ 15
Probably helps that he’s trying to sell books. /cynic
Peterr @ 13
Ditto, and I want a pony, too. We should recognize that Rather and his lawsuit probably deserve a lot of the credit for the recent change of tune. That will really shine a spotlight on the roaches.
Jo Fish @ 15
I thought it was lithium balancing
burnspbesq @ 8
Exactly. Welcome them with open arms. We’ve gotta build an enormous coalition and time is not on our side.
burnspbesq @ 9
Yes, Sir…
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/…..n_fisa.php
Jeez, they are looking for a bank robber who killed someone in Florida as we speak, and he’s suspected to be in an apartment building…they just said the SWAT teams have to go door to door and kick doors down if necessary.
Re: FISA postponed:
Dems Postpone Unveiling Of Big FISA Bill Until Next Week
egregious @ 18
I’d be happy to toast him. But I’m not so sure how brave it was. The worm seems to have turned, every day brings W & Co. lower in the public opinion and diminishes their power. Reminds me of Watergate, as it was really heating up. Keep your fingers crossed!
behindthefall @ 14
I just watched the Goldsmith hearing that was re-aired on CSPAN. He is so brilliant.
Problem is that Matthews (and most Washington Dems) have such an overwhelming need for approval that they will do anything to be liked by the other denizens of the Village. This usually involves kneepads and Republicans.
Matthews sees Olbermans ratings skyrocketing: for telling the truth! Who’d a thunk it! Maybe Matthews wanted to all along but was stopped by his bosses/Cheney etc.
Matthews was, I think always against the war. What he was in favor of was Commander Codpiece looking and behaving well, Codpiece-ish. He was one of the primary swooners on “Mission Accomplished” day and has never been able to get the simple fact that Beloved Leader flew out the AL on an S-3, a multi-engine subhunter and cargo-hauler and not an F/A-18 correct to this day.
He was always easily played by Rove’s shop, and was studying hard at his Wurlitzer lessons… something made him quit for percussion, seemingly. He’s banging a drum now…
With Cheney’s JAR into decimal points, Mathews might be feeling a little cocky.
I think I’ll watch “Hardball”. It’s on in 15 minutes here.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 17
Only recently. I used to be a big fan of his, watched him every single day, and I remember quite clearly the sense of betrayal at his coverage in the early days of the war. He was definitely not speaking against it then. Definitely not. And even now, he still comments on Dem problems without mentioning the corresponding Rethug ones in the same segment. But I’m willing to cut him some slack if he is finally moving in the right direction.
Kathy/Fozzetti @ 28
I don’t know about that, has anyone else noticed that Dan Abrams has been asking some serious questions during his segment…?!!! 8-)
LS @ 5
I totally agree. Feingold and Whitehouse speak for me.
Putting aside what took him so long (and when he will backslide) is the verbal force with which he address the issue… nicely said. He must be getting jelous of how cool KO is.
I’ll give a w00t to Matthews :)
Know about that criminality…
Roopez123 @ 33
Russ is much more charismatic…!!! ;-)
I dont know the sales numbers for Matthews book, but he seems to be getting roughed up a little ont the plugging tour.
CTuttle @ 37
What a team that would be! I think they are both charismatic though.
CTuttle @ 37
You’re right, but watch Whitehouse during his committee hearings. Absolutely brilliant. A class act.
Roopez123 @ 40
It was interesting because in the Goldsmith hearing, he took over for Leahy for a final question. When the hearing was over, the camera never took it’s sights off him until he left the chamber.
LS @ 10
There’s so much criminality with this gang, he has to be right. The only detail that matters, really, is: which crime will (finally!) get these crooks impeached?
CTuttle @ 33
He really gave it to Rivkin re torture last night! Kind of a reverse repug screamer (screaming I don’t really approve of, but in this case I make an exception :-) )
Wasn’t Jimmy Carter at one time Mr. Matthews’ boss? And also, didn’t Matthews once work for Tip O’Neill?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 45
Yes, and yes, but then he got rich and famous, and started howling in chorus with the other Establishment dogs.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 45
I believe that is a Yes to both.
MSNBC seems on to the fact that goopers are out and dems are in…They’re blasting the clusterfucker with both barrels! Nice to see. Why can’t CNN get the word?
At any rate, it’s starting to look as if Clusterfuck is slippin below the waves once again- after a bump, his poll numbers are down to record lows again..He may slip under for the final time…
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving fuck head.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 43
I believe he started with Tip, then joined Jimmy’s campaign, and, was his speech writer for a spell in the WH…!!!
Capone committed every crime in the book- and then went to jail for tax evasion. Could be a repeat of history with these slime buckets.
rwcole @ 49
With W it would be more like tax elimination. But that’s not a crime, of course…
I heard Matthews criticize this administration many times. Then he would turn around and attack Bush critics or make some excuse as to why so many got Iraq wrong. Frankly, I never could figure out just where he stood. To his credit he became stronger and stronger with his criticisms of BuchCo until it has reach this point.
I now watch sparingly because I’d rather spend my time watching or listening to C-SPAN. Go direct. The other side is I just can’t stand a shrill. It’s like scraping fingernails down a blackboard – more pain than content.
rwcole @ 48
Not when they’re in charge of the ‘Untouchables’…!!!
Wouldn’t it be great if the revelations WRT torture are what takes them down?
But strong-arming the press is not a good idea — eventually they get peeved and fire back.
Clusterfuck’s been on the edge of the Abyss for a year- startin the long final slide- and then crawlin his way back up to where he has a few fingers over the edge. Once this thing lets go- it will be all over in an instant- not a friend in town. I have a hunch it’s comin soon.
We’ve got economic problems- the fucker lies his ass off daily- now we’ve got his veto favorin killin children- may be one straw too many.
egregious @ 18
Will concede it was “really brave” and can only add “albeit, long overdue.” Matthews is coming up now on Hardball and opening with the question:
Why is the Senator Craig stalling?
QuakerGirl @ 51
Perfect description! What ever happened to civil discourse…
I want to thank Larry Craig for refusing to quit. This Democrat loves it. More trouble for the GOP is always welcome in this house.
Brisingamen @ 53
Would that it were so simple. But the MSM is governed by other things–ratings and keeping the owners happy, for ex.
Oh, geez, Newspaperbrat @56, I could have done without the pun!
I’ll take help from anyone who goes after Cheney.
newspaperbrat @ 56
Carburetor problems, mebbe?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 57
LOL – good one, kiddo! I want to see if they really hold the ethics hearings like they threatened. Pass the popcorn!
rwcole @ 50
Don’t you wish you could get a peek at Scooter Libby’s returns? Aren’t you just a little bit curious about how (if at all) the contributions to his defense fund, and his legal fees, were treated?
Brisingamen @ 60
heh heh – would love to take credit but it came straight from Matthew’s big mouth. ;~)
/me hopes he elaborates
Imus called the White House a bunch of WAR CRIMINALS every day.
Cheney pulled the plug.
That’s the Big Picture. And that pressure has been exerted on who knows how many news outlets.
People seem so excited when a newsperson states an opinion that is not their own. They seem to lose the ability to think beyond that moment.
Don Imus is controversial, smart at times, stupid at times, brilliant. He’s an Old Lion. And we need Old Lions.
Chris Matthews is not a caricature. He is a fallible human being who has worked under pressures we may understand, or we may not. My guess is NOT….
Senator Craig. In this Democrat’s view your actions since your restroom escapade and arrest have been nothing short of delicious.
Boston1775 @ 66
Is that right? Do you have a link?
Tweety puns?
Will wonders never cease — I thought that sport was strictly for headline writers…
Boston1775 @ 67
and we facilitated that rug pulling…pretty muuch everyone was calling for imus to be fired, even progressives
even though he was closer to center then most of talk radio
we were played like a violin…they laughed and laughed and laughed at what they had us do
Oklahoma kiddo @ 68
Did you just offer to eat senator Craig? He’ll be so pleased when I tell him lol.
PeterK @ 69
I used to listen to imus and yes, he challenged cheney every chance he could get
Big, Bold headline over at Huffpo;
” A National Punchline’.
RE;
Senator Widestance.
Lol
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Boston1775 @ 67
PeterK @ 69
That’s why I started to watch Imus even tho he said a lot of other stupid stuff
perris @ 71
That is so true. Imus always did a better job of exposing phonies than any of the respectable media people. I was aghast at his ouster, as I am every time someone gets guillotined for the mere use of words.
Something mandatory (reporting?) should be considered when a public official tries to manipulate a media boss or journalist like Tweety says happened. Obviously this and other tactics have been used by many or we wouldn’t be in such a fix today. And may I say Tim Russert must have been the biggest/easiest whimp of them all! I also think it should be considered treason for intel agencies or military who manipulate or employ journalists.
If we were dirty tricksters we’d all email, write and phone Larry Craig’s office and tell him how much we support his stance on not quitting.
twȝk @ 75
he was the first person I heard in talk radio who was not on a progressive station that supported kerry
jumping on the bandwagon to get rid of him, we were played like cheap violins
Rudy v. Hillary. Interesting. One changed from Democrat to Republican and the other did the opposite.
Eureka Springs @ 77
I’m with you on that one.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 77
hmmmm
*going to play some tricks, write some letters, make some phone calls*
toby martin @ 72
To the moderator: “lol” means it’s a joke, sis. I loves me the Oklahoma Kiddo.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 75
please I’m not revisiting the imus controversy he was and still is a racist, homophobic, msysognist, sexist and really not very funny shock jock. And Tweety’s idea of conversation is endless speculation on the sexual relationship of the Clinton’s,
perris @ 78
perris @ 80
So many lessons are being learned too late. So many.
Boston1775 @ 86
he trashed kerry constantly and said he was ashamed of his support. He made fun of Mrs. Kerry, He supported McCain this time around and slandered Ned lamont the entire time during the campaign,
Boston1775 @ 86
Oh for fuck’s sake. I think we can find better people to object to this administration than a mysogynist racist homophobe.
NBC is a broadcaster and theoretically a news organization. Why wouldn’t they release video of the event?
I propose a pressure campaign starting here and now to pressure these bosses into getting the footage out there.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 87
good points you make to be sure
“On a side note: Matthews was overheard discussing his Tuesday appearance on “The Daily Show,” which featured a heated exchange with host Jon Stewart. According to one source, Matthews was steadfast in his belief that the debate left Stewart crestfallen, and Matthews victorious.”
He’s still campaigning, heh.
“I’m a little bit clueless…and I’m a little bit rock’n’roll.”
perris @ 70
Please don’t build Imus up into some saint that he wasn’t. He was a misogynistic racist pig. He hid behind his “producer’ and the rest of his crew to say things he wanted to say but was afraid to say. He spent way to much time sucking up to the reich wing and giving them a forum. He was against the war. Barely. Call him the Ron Paul of the talk radio set. One good position does not counteract all the bad things he espouses.
So Log Cabin Republicans are upset with Mitt. Hey, Log Cabin people… switch parties.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 77
If we tell them who we are, even he will be surprised how wide his support is.
Jo Fish @ 16
So Tweety is finally admitting what we all knew(Or at least strongly suspected)? When did Commander Codpiece ever go on Tweety’s show? When will the Big Punkin’ crack? It’s a crying shame that people like Tweety let themselves be co-opted for so long. I know Tweety’s been making noises here and there ever since last November, but I wonder what caused the real “Come to Jesus” moment for him.
Maybe this is generally known, but I just dropped by ‘Ravings of a Rational Mind’ and found mention of http://ratiocinatonsofasavageheart.blogspot.com/, a blog by the same blogger known so well to FDL. (I just can’t come up with his username here off the top of my head.)
It’s great, IMHO. His tinfoil is just like my tinfoil, which is one reason why I like it, and it is more wide-ranging and far better documented (mine lacks documentation entirely). Go see how we have been spared TWO nuclear attacks on Iran in the past couple of weeks by SHEER, DUMB LUCK — or some very determined intervention by guardian angels.
perris @ 79
I didn’t jump on the bandwagon with that one cause I thought it more about getting him out because of what he was saying about Cheney’s War Crimes.
On the other hand I didn’t jump up to support him either.
Puddin’ Head doesn’t like being #2. That’s all it is. He has so much to make up for. Anyone in their right mind would have fired him by now. But I guess threats of a loss of one’s FCC license works wonders for a bunch of bullies.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 84
He is an old school guy, and I don’t think he actually dislikes anybody. If we believe in free speech, we shouldn’t go after someone just because we are not pleased with all their casual comments. Some, if not all, of what he said was meant to be humorous by being absurd. I have that same sense of humor myself. Militant touchiness is more problematic than uttered absurdities, IMHO.
In the faux media outrage over the Kerry joke both Matthews and Imus piled on…particularly
Imus who kept saying Kerry should apologize
and even when Kerry did…it was just more craptastic piling on
Jon Stewart may have woken the beast.
Is it time for a cold frosty beverage yet? Preferably one containing alcohol.
Yawn. Thanks for the story, Chris. But I would have rather heard this speech in, say, the summer of 2004, when it could have made a difference.
kinmo @ 102
I’m ready for an adult beverage. Apple Martini, straight up.
peanutbutter @ 88
Mys*gynists have a right to exist and speak as well. But I must say, in my experience those who are so quick to pin the “mis*gynist” label on a man (as several have done here) have drunk too much radical feminist Kool-Aid and think they are at war with men generally. Peanutbutter, do you still think that men have no issues in modern society, and are not entitled to claim to have any?
behindthefall @ 92
CRAAAAAP.
No edit
Al the spook.
The martini lamp is lit…I’ll take a traditional with 2 bleu cheese stuffed olives. Bombay Sapphire.
You guys are killing me! I’m ready for a drink too, but it’s 2.5 hours till I can leave work!
Twisted Martini @ 108
Interesting. I think that I had a green apple martini in Chicago and it was absolutely delicious. I had two and I was flying. First time I ever had one.
A personal rule of thumb is no more than 2 martinis in an evening. You can really lose control!
Geraldo @ 91
Stewart cleaned Tweety’s clock. Of course only in Tweety’s mind would he have come out on top.
peanutbutter @ 104
Ditto.
I’ll be leaving work in 10 minutes, play some outdoor tennis under the lights, then feeding time
toby martin @ 100
militant touchiness oh puleeze
I think you need to examine your sense of humor if you find a daily parade of homophobic, sexist, racist antisemitic jokes is funny.
I save up my lunch hours all week and leave early on Fridays. I’ve been doing it for a couple of years and I love it. In an office, by 2:00 everyone is really done for the week.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 100
Yes, that’s all true, and he said lots of other things that made me cringe. I’ve known his shtick since the early ’70’s. He makes his living by making fun and being outrageous. But he went after both sides when he entered the political arena, and he is an ENTERTAINER for real, not at all like Rush, who is really a political operative. Imus never wanted to be taken seriously, he just wanted you to laugh. I like to laugh, and I’d hate to see us create a climate where a misfired attempt at humor gets slapped down as though it was really about being malicious.
Craig’s lawyer Stanley Brand said the Senate traditionally has shied away from disciplining members for misdemeanors unrelated to their duties and might be unwise to cross that line now.
“Are they going to begin to take up misdemeanor cases as a matter of course?” Brand said Friday on NBC’s “Today” show. “That’s going to put a lot of other people in serious jeopardy down the road.”
That almost smacks of blackmail.
Agreed, and hopefully Dan Rather has started a large crack in the dam of decency.
Matthews is a strange one though, and the title of the new book seems to put it all into perspective. He really does value appearance and calculation over substance. “Aqua Velva Fred”, and the Presidential Romney-ness, and the comments about Kucinich’s height all indicate a that Matthews is a big bucket of shallow. Hopefully this is the beginning of something more… real?
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 111
Stewart cleaned his clock, no doubt, but Chris didn’t get it.
So, the question of the day on Tweety is “Should Craig stay or go?”. I’ll bet soldiers wish they were Larry Craig so they didn’t have to stay.
Wingnut Preager says the reason Gore didn’t win in 2000 is that Clinton didn’t resign. And Tweety agrees.
Gotta run–later!
This Machine Kills Fascists @ 115
I think it’s tied to ratings, money, and the popularity of KO. It’s OK to question goopers now.. IOKTQGN [ehem.. a work in progress *g*]
Twisted Martini @ 106
Really? Not with a twist? I’ll have Hendricks with a twist, please.
I have a hard time complimenting Matthews on anything. As I see it, this was more horn tooting as a promotion for his new book and 10 year anniversary (!) on MSNBC. Perhaps in his sincere remarks to the audience he could have publically spit on Tim Russert who tried his level best to sell him down the river. That would be honest. That’s candor.
Bustednuckles @ 108
I truly miss his presence here…!!! 8-(
By the way, please send a little love to these brave souls…
http://cpc.lee.house.gov/index…..ItemID=245
Wow.
It’s becoming quite disturbing to me to see how easily Liberal people forget and forgive. I was getting upset reading these comments, and was going to point out how ludicrous it is to give Tweety and his cocktail weenie buddies any respect at all, and then remembered Oliver Willis did this brilliantly a while back.
And his extremely creepy treatment of women….Remember the recent clip where he’s asking the female reporter to lean in to the camera for no apparent reason than to try to look down her shirt? And how about his love of the world’s oldest profession?
http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh013007.shtml
We do NOT want or need Bobo Brooks, Freidman, Tweety and any of these ass-kissers. They do not deserve any place in shaping our national discourse. There are plenty of people that could fill that role much better….Imagine a show called: Bustin’ Balls with Jane Hamsher.
Could happen if enough demand it.
Matthews is an opportunist. Simple as that. As an entertainer (as opposed to a real reporter or journalist) he can speak out at any time. If he’s holding back from WH pressure, he’s made that decision based on his own crass political motives. When he’s not waxing poetic about a candidates smell or how fabulous Ann Coulter is he can be caught contradicting himself on almost every issue.
He doesn’t deserve applause. He deserves scorn.
deandra @ 123
Exactly. How better to get some press?
Ish @ 126
We prefer Gin Rickys by the pool. In fact we’re having a small partaay tonight for some family and friends. Gin Rickys or Mexican beer or sodas. And pot luck.
CTuttle @ 127
One of the reasons I love California! We have some of the best lawmakers- Woolsey, Lee, George Miller, Waxman; and some of the worst – Issa, Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle, and until last year, Richard Pombo.
theWalrus @ 129
Right on, Paul. ;)
Sounds good OK, what should i bring?
bonkers @ 126
You are right, of course, and I’ve never ben a particularly forgiving soul myself, but when our side is so outgunned, I’ll take allies where I can find them, even if their motives and purity are suspect. We need our message to be transmitted to the masses, it is to our overall benefit. Bustin’ Balls with Jane Hamsher would immediately become my favorite show, but I wouldn’t want to hang by my nipples waiting for her to get a platform in the MSM.
Ish @ 132
Both of my State’s congress critters are members…!!! *g*
toby martin @ 106
Oklahoma kiddo @ 131
pot luck? Ya mean, “pot, if we’re lucky,” right?
Twisted Martini @ 135
Just yourself. We have olives, cocktail onions and very dry vermouth. And we use Bombay here.
toby martin @ 106
True, but they don’t have a right to be on commercial radio. If the audience finds the mis*gynist’s comments offensive, and stops listening, then it’s bye-bye ratings, and bye-bye advertisers, and bye-bye mis*gynist.
burnspbesq @ 134
Pheww, what’s the word for women who are eternally angry at men? There is a difference between having one’s ratings fall, and being pushed out by boycott threats. Former OK, latter smacks of fascism.
bonkers @ 124
Well that would be good :)
But they individuals you mention would replaced by other speaker monkeys if they weren’t around. It is the politicalization of the media that needs to be addressed.
Wow. Alfred’s analysis of the missing nukes is outstanding. Putting Larry Johnson’s take and Alfred’s together, along with Cheney wanting to start up the next phase of his war agenda and government overtake; makes the possibility of a botched potential false flag incident(s) a possible scenario. Consider this, those who have followed the story, that 9/11 occurred during “training operations”, which was the explanation as to why fighters were not in the region to protect the targets, and caused Norad to be confused about what was real and what was “exercise” in identifying the planes that were hijacked (remember, Dick was controlling the shots from the bunker); hence the “exercise” went “live”. Operation Topoff 4 is scheduled in the next couple of weeks. It is a simulation of dirty bombs, etc., in 2 states. Alfred points out that if the nukes were switched by simply disguising them to appear innocuous, they could easily have slipped through all of the security, however, someone at Barksdale or Minot finally figured it out. If a rogue group were to have ordered B-52’s to fly with “dummy” bombs in an “exercise”…and if the dummies were the real thing…voila, we have Iran, disaster, martial law, and the end to the world as we know it. Whew.
burnspbesq @ 136
It’s well proven that ratings and advertising have very little to do with it. The main factor is that the pundits push their Conglomerate’s agenda onto the electorate, ensuring a political climate where Russ Findgold is considered an extreme Liberal, when he really should be considered a “centrist” IMO.
None of this somehow makes Tweety a better person. What this does make him is a person, through no talent or credit of his own, who has perhaps a bit more ability at the moment to reach some critical segments of the population otherwise not disposed to listening to us.
In other words, solely and only a tool ;-)
Now if he sez the same thing on his broadcast as actual viewers will hear it, he might be taking the first steps to making amends for his past decade of bullshit.
bonkers @ 144
“Well proven?” By what proof?
I call. Let’s see your cards.
burnspbesq @ 147
Tucker? *g
twȝk @ 148
A measly pair of deuces…??? ;-)
CTuttle @ 149
707
Yeah, I never played cards so the simile kinds escapes me :)
twȝk @ 149
Point taken. :-)
I’d like to believe that’s an outlier, not a data point with any real predictive value.
Didn’t anybody mention this fuckery…
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..-if-i-die/
twȝk @ 149
Donahue?
CTuttle @ 153
OhmyGod, they’ll be coming for me next.
Cheney and W. always refused to go on Hardball and never allowed Tweety a White House interview. That alone eventually turned Matthews against them. Matthews never saw the light until he was forced to stare at the sun.
If Matthews’ claims that “they will not silence me” ring a little hollow, they should. After all, Chris Matthews has spent the last several years telling us that President Bush, his White House and the Republican leadership team are “good guys.”
For the history of Matthews’ praise for the good guys of the GOP, see:
“Chris Matthews: Bush White House ‘Good Guys’ Won’t Silence Me.”
toby martin @ 154
When did that idiot get his own show?
What is the name of Al the spook’s blog again?
Twisted Martini @ 112
From the Silver Jews’ song “Advice to the Graduate”
Sleep on your back
And ash in your shoes
And always use the old sense of the words
Your third drink will lead you astray
Wandering down the backstreets of the world
Speaking of climate, does anyone seriously believe the “revised” economic numbers that are fueling the stock market? Am I the only one that thinks they’re as cooked as Enron…or The Clear?
Marion Jones declaration today transcends sports. This is the asterisk age. Sports, government, media…. It took one shamed, courageous black woman to admit the truth. Would that the Murdocks and Limpaws and Chee-knees and Bushes and Blackwaters would do the same.
Give back honor to Roger Maris. Give back truth and honor to sports and government. Give back the USA.
Prairie Sunshine @ 161
What did she say?
Late for the party, as usual: I haven’t read all the comments yet, but having seen the top post, I tip my hat to Tweety, who had the guts to say what he did.
Of course, it helps that his reputation is built on feistiness, so he’s still in character for him to slam Cheney. If, say, Timmeh had said the same words, everyone would have fallen out of their chairs in amazement.
I hope Tweety’s rant will encourage others who have been bullied in the same way. Wolf Blitzer seems to have recovered his ability to ask a probing question or two lately.
Hey, is it too late to hope for a Renaissance of real Journalism?
Bob in HI
Matthews has got to make an occasional veiled criticism of Cheney, lest it be too obvious how complicit he himself is.
Chris is keeping it unspecific so that six months from now he can pretend he was a big Bush critic.
twȝk @ 161
She admitted to using steroids (the infamous “clear” and “cream” from BALCO).
Furious @ 157
Tweety must be getting hard up for material. The last time I saw him, he had his *wife* sit in his chair and interview *him*!!! And one of the things he confessed to, about his own style, is that he was overly given to hero-worship (who knew?), so at least he has some self-consciousness about that.
Bob in HI
dakine01 @ 165
Ah, thanks.
burnspbesq @ 148
OK. Kids, self-employment, etc prevent too much time on this, but in less than three minutes, here are few links:
Glen Beck…absolute no-name on radio…gets PRIMETIME cnn show. Embarrassing ratings that continue to plummet to this day. If ratings mattered, he’d be gone by now, right, but in fact, starts becoming a “special guest” on other networks like ABC! Wha!?!?
http://mediamatters.org/columns/200705080004
Nip n’ Tucker: Daddy is leader of cocktail weenie circuit. If ratings mattered, wouldn’t he have been gone a long time ago? Most recently, Lou Dobbs is double Phucker, and Brittany Hume is over triple. He barely beats Headline News, and it’s been this way for quite some time. Softballs is on both side of him and both have much higher ratings than lil’ Tuck.
Pox Snooze (first few years): I should point out that I worked at a TV station during this time, and Fox took it over while I was there and we became ambulance chasers over night. Our ratings plummeted, but to this day they (I quickly left) continue on this track even more, despite never gaining any ratings ground on the channel that’s locally owned and is known as the “community channel,” like my old station was when they were #1.
The Cable Channel lost BIG money for years, (this NYT article says $400 million in first five years…was that ratings driven?) and had disappointing ratings despite unprecedented promotion, and sleezy political deals and litigation to force it onto cable providers across the country. Yet Ruturd Murdoch kept throwing money into it. They didn’t start gaining until the 2000 election and then 9/11, which was tailor made for them (Hmmm…), and the Iraq Invasion is what really boosted their ratings.
With more time, this could go on a long time. Do you still think it’s about ratings first and foremost?
It’s about pushing the ideology of the power structures, not ratings. If they’re able to get ratings also, even better for them, but that’s not the first motivation. Have you ever heard of a Liberal radio/TV show on a Conglomerate outlet with low to average ratings, like we commonly see with conservative hosts? Didn’t think so…
katherine Graham Cracker @ 116
REAL men don’t get defensive when foul mouthed fem bloggers call a msysognist a msysognist! *G*
Imus, was, and is, a scumbag. He was, and is, all that he’s been called in this thread . . .
Old School don’t excuse overt comments WRT racist, sexist, homophobic and class based slurs.
When you use the language, you are the perpetrator, as much as anyone.
He should rot.
Jane you are full of it on this one. I have watched Matthews at least three nights a week for years and he has been hammering on the Bush administration, Cheney included and the right wing radicals for close to five years now. Hammering hard. I have seen him be so hard on Bill Kristol, David Frum and other “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots that I will put money on it they seem to not ever come on his program
You must not watch the show if you are saying that he is jumping on some wave. He was one of the very first MSMers to bring attention to the situation at Walter Reed, he focused on returning soliders earlier than FDL was bringing them up. So Please…
There are a lot of things that I do not like that Matthews says or the way he sometimes drills people. But you are either hard of hearing, or so far left that you can not listen to Matthews honestly, or not watching Hardball at all and listening to other people here at FDL instead of listening to the program for yourself.
Criticizing the Bush administration and this war is not something new for Chris Matthews.
Jo Fish @ 16
You obviously have not been watching Matthews the last five years. It is Olberman following Matthews. Olberman turned up the heat the last three years and definitely higher but almost too far left (but obviously this is what his role is now on MSNBC). Matthews has been hammering hard for a solid five years and if you had been watching the show you would know that.
Reading some of these comments proves to me that some of the folks here just have knee jerk reactions to certain people without any evidence.
To state that Matthews has jumped on some anti-war bandwagon is utter horseshit. He knows he was duped in the run-up to the invasion, and started asking the hard questions that many in the MSM missed in the run up (although Matthews did ask some before the invasion but not enough). He started hammering after he realized that he had been somewhat sucked into the MSM’s “groupthink” vortex.
You folks should go through the Matthews archives and check his programs out for yourselves and stop relying on the hear say here at FDL on issues.
ccmask @ 102
We will see if Jon Stewart takes Matthews up on coming onto his show. Stewart slinked out the back door on this one. Let’s see if Stewart has the Hardballs to put himself in Matthews territory. If Stewart does not go on Matthews show it proves that he sure can dish it out, but not willing to take it.
I’m glad media matters and newshounds exist. They watch the shit we don’t have to and if we do want to actually see it we can always click on their links or go right to the source. In the meantime, fuck Chris Matthews. Who gives a rats ass what he has to say. He is nobody, a nobody with a tv show. I couldn’t care less if he went on his show and begged forgiveness for his part in this occupation, I’d still say fuck him. And all the other pricks in the media who now all of a sudden have seen the light and have decided to share their wisdom with their readers and viewers. They’re only doing it because they want to stay in the printed press or on tv because times they are a changing. Mark my words, they, the dc media and all of the politicians will do away with “free” internet access. Then I’ll get a freakin ham radio I suppose because the US media is all bullshit. Might as well listen to propaganda from another country just to get a taste of some real news filtering through once in a while. So yeah, I guess I’m sick of reading about Chris Matthews and what he has to say. Drooling piece of shit is not needed in our fight in trying to restore our country back to some resemblance of what we are struggling to get back, maintain, and improve on.
Amen Sister Colleen.. A freaking Men!
Walter Reed Chris matthews
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9118826/
Interesting that Jon Stewart was much harder on Chris Matthews than on Bill Kristol. Interesting
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/daily-show-bill-
kristol-pt-2/2528498385
Jesus Jon Stewart had the opportunity to nail Kristol and he did not. Stewart played softball with one of the zealots who started the war in Iraq. So very very interesting
Seriously go back and listen to Jon Stewart’s interview with Bill Kristol ( who helped start the war). Stewart completely plays softball with one of the most serious warmongers and Stewart focuses on Bush’s mistakes, and completely avoids nailing Kristol. So Stewart “selectively” attacks people and not someone like Kristol.
Stewart you were a weenie with Kristol.
It was a “love fest” between Kristol and Stewart.
Watch Kristol 1 and 2
http://video.aol.com/video-det…..2528498385
Good points, Jane. I agree–we should say aloud that he’s doing the right thing. One thing that we’re supposed to have going for us on our side is that we believe in integrity more than personal loyalty. When we think he’s wrong, we should say so. We have. And when we think he’s right, we should say so as well.
Thanks Eureka, I mean thanks for reading my rant. If I may address Kathleen now, I’m glad you like Chris Matthews and I understand how you can give him credit when you feel credit is due. This man, if he was so concerned would have been shouting off the roof tops like all the other talking heads who were privy to info we didn’t have. Back in the early days in this administration he might have been throwing up little warning flags about what was going on but then basically sucking their cocks right on the tv. Oooh, he’s so nice, he’s so manly, he’s such a good guy and he smells so, so good. Come on, if you watch and trust, with trust being the keyword here, Chris Matthews to deliver the news about what was going on in the beginning of this shit hole we’re in now, then you must have felt total confusion. In other words he was talking out of both sides of his mouth/ass. And no, I’m not gay bashing here. Chris Matthews never had anyone on his show to have an honest dialouge, only to cater to the people who butter his bread. Bottom line. Fuck him.
Oh for fuck sakes, I come back to comment and all of a sudden it’s all about Jon Stewart now. Can we focus here Kathleen? We are talking about Chris Matthews here.
Kathleen,
I have two points for you.
First, you insulted Jane in your previous comment, above http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..nt-1017041
Granted, that you only said that Jane was “full of it on this one”, said that she was not paying attention “You must not watch the show”, and that she is semi-deaf, possibly dishonest, and/or or cannot make up her own mind without guidance from the astute commenters at FDL (such as yourself) : “you are either hard of hearing, or so far left that you can not listen to Matthews honestly, or not watching Hardball at all and listening to other people here at FDL instead of listening to the program for yourself.” Well, gosh. What do you really think? I mean, I do value your opinion. /s
Secondly, check out this link: http://openlettertochrismatthe…..tions.html
snippets to follow-
~~~Chris Matthews is a major opinion leader who has repeatedly compared Americans concerned about the war in Iraq to Osama bin Laden, a charge that borders on accusing over half the American public with treason. Matthews is perceived, wrongly, as a responsible and objective mainstream journalist with a reputation for calling it as he sees it. That gives his partisan smears a veneer of credibility that makes them particularly offensive and dangerous in a nation at war. It is wrong for Chris Matthews and MSNBC to politicize the deaths of 3,000 Americans on September 11.~~~
You can click through to further links at the link above, e.g. Media Matters: Chris Matthews: 2005’s Misinformer of the Year
Gee, could “Kathleen” be Kathleen Matthews [Chris Matthews’ wife, and a newscaster in DeeCee]?
I too have been watching C. Matthews, and I totally disagree with “Kathleen” and agree with Jane, although many times it’s hard to tell WRT Matthews, because he’s so busy interrupting his “guest” that the conversation isn’t linear.
Stewart cleaned his clock.
Trust is almost impossible to get back once it is lost. Sad, really.
Valley Girl. I call it like I see it as Jane and many others here at FDL call it.
And as I said I do not agree with everything that Matthews says or how he hammers people or brings attention to whether Hillary is “warm and fuzzy” instead of her record and what she says and stands for.
Here is what Jane said “Of course there will be times when it looks like people are just trying to catch the next wave, but Matthews actually did speak out at the time and told Joe Wilson that Karl Rove had said his wife was “fair game.” I really do think he should be applauded for speaking out here. Hopefully others will follow suit.”
To infer that Matthews is playing catch up is hogwash. He has been critical of this war for close to four years . He asked some hard questions before the invasion, by far not enough. He has been asking very hard questions for quite some time especially after he realized that he had been duped as many (not all) of the American public had been.
What I object to is everyone jumping on a bandwagon about anyone based on what others say. I see that you posted incidents where Matthews has said absurd and out of line comments and I agree he certainly does that. But to infer that Matthews has just recently been hard on the Bush administration and the right wing radicals is utter bull.
Funny here at FDL when people share opinions that do not fall in line with the blogger how reactionary people become. We do not all have to agree. And I certainly do not mind that you politely shared your criticism of me, that is fair and we do not have to agree.
Mauimom @ 183
That Stewart/Matthews episode was a pissing match. Stewart was harder on Chris Matthews than he has been on Bill Kristol (one of the radicals who started this unnecessary war). I find this very interesting.
If Stewart does not take Matthews up on his invite to come on Hardball, Stewart demonstrates that he can dish it out, but can’t take it.
Colleen @ 181
I went back to some of Stewarts shows to see how hard he was on people that he should be really hard on like Bill Kristol, you know one of the guys who started this war. Go watch for yourself.
So what we disagree.
Colleen I would put money on it that you have never watched Hardball, if you had you would know that Matthews has been hammering for at least four years. He had Kristol, Frum, Gaffney and others who were pushing for the invasion (in early 2003) and did ask hard questions, not hard enough to get the f—ing truth.
Stewart was harder on Matthews than Kristol because when the chips were down and Chris could have made a difference in the 2000 and 2004 elections, he was lazy and portrayed Democrats as fools. Matthews treats liberals like they are idiots, plain and simple. He might agree with Democratic positions, but he presents them as half-witted ideas. He shows no respect and therefore, receives none in return. Besides, Jon thought his book was horrible.
I believe in redemption and CM has surprised me of late.
I’ll give him some slack, but he will remain suspect.
Sort of the Joe Kennedy “forgive your enemy, but don’t forget who they are” thang.
burnspbesq @ 8
Matthews has done better than either of those two in recent years.
But, I agree, in principle and according to Christian tradition we should allow the sinners to recant and face their torture, er uh extraordinary rendition without humiliating foul-mouthed fem-blogging commentary. Or, we could just say, welcome to the Light, now let us join to convert others. The latter isn’t as much sadistic fun, but probably the better way to go.
BTW, I heard Brooks on PBS News this evening and he was trying to disburse blame to as many non-R places as he could. So, I don’t know what you saw.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 81
Really? I hadn’t realized Rudy switched.
But, they’re still both Corporatist NeoCons. Really I could imagine a Giuliani-Clinton ticket without really any stretch of the imagination.
Giuliani-Clinton — the ticket from Hades
katherine Graham Cracker @ 123
So they completely ignored all the election fraud? Strange how Al got so many more votes nationally and they didn’t think it was stolen from him. Just how many more votes does a Dem have to win by before they actually get to win?
dakine01 @ 165
She said her trainer had given them to her without her knowledge.
What she admitted to was that AFTER she found out the truth she went on to cover it up and lie.
I felt very sad for her. She’s a victim of the stupid trainer and she’ll likely lose all her medals.
What could she had achieved without that crap?
Oh, she also announced she’s retired from running.
burnspbesq @ 158
At least he was a lefty idiot, and he had a show on MSNBC until he spoke against the Iraq War in the early days. His ratings were decent, but they dumped him for opposing the war.
kathleen @ 170
Wrong, and I have watched him EVERY day for eight years. He was OK till the Iraq War loomed, then he became another cheerleader, which thoroughly disgusted me at the time. Now he is starting to come back, but his motives are as likely self-interest as principle.
kathleen @ 176
kathleen @ 177
Kathleen, your perception is strange. I saw Stewart with Kristol, and he made a complete fool of him. What was beautiful was that he did it with total grace and without raising his voice.
Kathleen: IMO, Tweety sucks. I don’t watch him often because he pisses me off. And when I do watch him, its because I want to hear fake crap and laugh about it.
Matthews is doing a book signing today on the very stage where Frederick Douglass spoke some 170 years ago. And though this may now be the affluent island of Nantucket, there will be several people there who hope to draw him out on this while the video tape is running.
To Kathleen @ 173 – Perhaps if Jon Stewart has a new book out to promote, he will appear on “Hardball”; I don’t recall Chris appearing on too many shows prior to this, do you? I believe the reason many people happened upon Keith Olbermann was we were spinning the dial trying to get some truth from “newsmen” about what was going on.
I had no faith in “W” after he became governor here in Texas and he lifted all the restrictions on the chemical plants just to begin with and after “messing with Texas”, he set his eyes on the presidency – unbelievable! It has been difficult to search out the real facts, but thanks to Molly Ivins and Bill Moyer, there were occasional glimpses, so you feel a need to continue to look for the truth. Occasionally, Chris would speak the truth and then I latched onto Keith – Halleloooooya!
I suspect many people found Keith the same way and the comparison, well, may I say there was no real comparison. If Chris is going to start speaking the truth on a steady and reliable basis, surely more and more people will hear it and stay tuned. However, we know that his family is mostly republican and his wife, I believe, works as spokesperson for Marriott Corp, which is a big donator to the Bushes, if I have my facts correct. All I can say is that truth is music to my ears.