"Rush Limbaugh is My Friend"

[wadestock]

...statement by Chris Matthews in during last Thursday nite's interview with Al Franken on "Hardball"

Is Chris Matthews a "ditto head"?

I never could quite put my finger on why this guy was such a jerk. I started out thinking he was generally tolerable, but now I'm getting to the point that I can't stomach him. Why do I watch? You know how it is if you watch this crap.....you watch because you want to see just how bad it can get.

As he talks over his guests, attempting to look thoughtful by purposefully looking in a series of set directions every 5 seconds, first at 4 o'clock direction, then 10 o'clock, then 2 o'clock....spitting out words to the point that his lips actually appear to be a sequence of bursting bladders.....then the child like smiles and laughter that we're all supposed to think is genuine....he really does represent just how superficial and inept political commentary can get.

First off, there's nothing tough about this guy. He brings nothing to the table in terms of provoking any serious thought. As a matter of fact, you can almost guarantee that he'll be your tour guide to make sure you avoid those treacherous waters. Now we find he's friends with Limbaugh. I'm detested by the whole thing. God knows what advice he may have gotten from Limbaugh and just how warped this guy might be.

At first I was curious to see if he might actually be an intellect...one who has the guts not to sell out to the freeper mob. There were signs here and there that he might even be unbiased. He seems to do his homework, seems to be quick on his feet, appears to be pushing for answers. But it's all fluff. I'm getting to the point where the only shows I can sit down and watch without thinking I'm watching a cheap infomercial are Countdown and the McLaughlin Report. I have a whole new level of respect for McLaughlin after 911. A true intellect that sees things the way they are and can think effective outside the maddening crowd.

This interview with Franken was just one of a number of revealing events for Matthews. Here's Franken giving of himself to go and do shows for the troops and basically all Matthews has to say is, "I wonder how they can appreciate your show knowing that you're a liberal". Later in the interview he almost couldn't handle Franken sticking in his face the fact that Limbaugh lies...yeah...consistently. He became completely inept at that point, stuttering that he doubted Franken could actually look at his material and make such a conclusion.

In my opinion he originally defined and revealed himself during an interview with Ron Reagan (son) when Ron made some idle harmless tongue in cheek comment (wish I could remember the exact context and verbiage, but it was something like, "no, not unless the President was drinking") and Matthews almost lost it, making sure that they quickly defined at that moment that they weren't "officially" accusing the President of drinking. He even went so far as to make it sound as if he was making a clear disclaimer directly into the monitor so that he didn't risk hurting any of his freeper buddies.

[izzybeans]

1. I wondered that myself...

it would explain all the spitting and yelling as well.

[liberal N proud]

2. They are all very close to each other sucking up to each other

like little kids to a pro athlete.
Matthews, Limpballs, O'Realy, they are all the same regurgitated media whores.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

3. That's it, exactly

It's like MediaWhoresOnline used to say, they are "the Kool Kidz."

[Bouncy Ball]

4. Do you have cable? Get it cut off.

Do you have satellite service? Cancel it.

Does that sound kinda crazy to you? It did to us, too, when we did it.

Haven't regretted it for one moment.

I've watched Matthews enough to know if I wouldn't invite a screaming, spitting, incoherent idiot into my living room on a regular basis, I also wouldn't want him on my TV screen, bombarding me with completely asinine statements.

The best part? The WORST FEAR of all these right wing pundits is not to be proven wrong, not even to be shown to be incompetent, but to be

TOTALLY IGNORED.

Think about it. That is THE worst thing that could happen to them.

(I wrote emails to our satellite provider and all major networks, letting them know exactly why we got our service cut off.)

On edit: 59 million people voted for Kerry. Just IMAGINE if only 1% of those people did what we did (cut off cable or satellite). That's 590,000 lost customers. The cable and satellite providers would DEFINTELY NOTICE THAT.

[izzybeans]

6. I'd do the same but...

I need my dosage of Comedy Central in the P.M. Network news is an unfortunate by product, though sometimes equally funny-though in a masochistic kind of way.

[Bouncy Ball]

9. I have a friend who still has satellite service

she TiVos The Daily Show for me every weeknight (unless it's a repeat). Then she brings over the tape on Saturday night and we watch all of them at once. She loves the show, too.

That's the only thing I would miss.

[beam me up scottie]

13. I would also love to cut the cable but like you,

I would really miss The Daily Show, MI-5 and BBC America. I read on another post that some use BitTorrent to download their favorite shows.
Anyone have more info or a link?

[AmandaRuth]

10. you got it.

The only real power we have is our money. Truly, I wonder why that is such a hard concept for many dems to understand.

[soleft]

5. Haven't seen Matthews face since 11/1 - oh joy, oh rapture

[htuttle]

7. Imagine Matthews, Limbaugh and Carlson stranded on a raft at sea

Who gets eaten first?

I think it would be Tucker Carlson.

The thing is, he wouldn't be filling enough for the remaining two fatties, so I think Rush would end up eating Matthews shortly thereafter..

Just saying...

[MADem]

15. Tucker and Chris should stuff the fatboy full of Oxies

...and they could eat well until they were rescued....

[Supersedeas]

8. Tweety's show on Sunday was particular sickening re: torture

Asks panel about Gonzalez and torture memo's, than has just a blanket assertion with no argument to back it us that "torture is necessary because some detainees 'may' have information."

I've had it with yellow face, yellow heart Matthews.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

11. That is the dumbest thing I ever heard

"and you won't know if the have it unless you torture them until they shit their pants. :crazy:

[wadestock]

12. I've followed the guy for a long time....

Haven't read his books...really see no reason to cause I don't think he has much to say.

Truth is...he has a lot of democratic roots...and is often defined today more so as possibly a "conservative democrat" in the lines of Lieberman.
I don't see much of anything democratic about this guy today whatsoever.

Probably one of the most annoying things about him is that he is probably got sucked up into the industry and sold out. Forget about the democratic roots....they're meaningless.

Some compare him to Lieberman....well Lieberman is no democrat in my opinion....he's is on planet X for not coming out strong against the Bush tax cuts...and actually supporting them by his idle comments for a long time throughout the election.

The party should very carefully define itself in terms of the deficit, the path for strong fiscal responsibility, and be careful to weed out those that are in it for the money vs those that are really bringing heartfelt responsibility to the table.

[MADem]

16. His father and brother are PA GOP

His brother is an Atty Gen (R) in some town, cannot recall which.

Chris's dem roots come from the JFK call to arms...he joined the Peace Corps, it defined him, he worked for my old pal Tip O'Neill for YEARS, and Ed Muskie, as well.

Some of the shit he pulls in an effort to appear "fair and balanced" must no doubt have Tipper rolling in his grave....and that's a workout for our late, beloved rep!

[sea dee]

14. My hope

I hope Chris isn't a Rush fan :(

[Greybnk48]

17. I quit watching quite a while ago

The last straw for me had to do with Coulter. Ron Reagan was filling in for Matthews and Coulter was on hawking her "book" Treason. Ron Reagan ripped her to pieces--it was wonderful! He basically told her she was a liar and an idiot. When Matthews returned to the show he had her on again to apologize and allow her to hawk her book without being attacked by the big bad liberals.

That was it for me. Pandering to that POS was revolting.

Other randon rants:
You will not hear an unbiased discussion on Hardball. Take a nice after/before dinner walk instead.

His show rose to prominance supporting the Clinton witchhunt. Hardball was counter-balanced by (oddly enough) Geraldo's show. Now that the witch hunt is over, Hardball is irrelevant, unless you're RW and want to hear what you already believe.