Keith gave Matthews a subtle slapdown today prior to going into the church.

[monmouth]

Chris was going on and on and on as to whether Jimmy Carter would bring up, mention, allude to Ford's feelings about the Iraq war. You could literally hear him salivating. It went on for way too long because of the delay waiting for Mrs. Ford at the Church. Finally, Keith said Chris, do you honestly think Mr. Carter would bring a political topic up at a family, community funeral service? Chris responded that Carter was a political guy and wouldn't be able to restrain himself. I am imagining Keith gave him one of "those" looks and that conversatio ended quickly. It was a thing of beauty. They both got quiet and thank God we were able to listen to the music.... Keith is such a professional, Chris such such a...well.

[AlinPA]

1. I watched CSPAN to avoid Matthews and his crowd.

[MADem]

2. I didn't hear Tweety during the church service, KO must have sent him off to eat a donut

so he doesn't have issues with his diabetes again like he did after the elections...

[annabanana]

3. I heard that. .

Tweety has a. . . what's the latin for the "fear of a vacuum"? It's a compulsive chattiness that infects most TV bobbleheads.

[Demoiselle]

4. Hurrah (again!) FOR KEITH. eom

[orpupilofnature57]

5. Keith brings integrity ,to a institution of prostitution!

[MrModerate]

6. I really can't handle the Dead President Waltz . . .

And not only because of constipated blowhards like Matthews. I'm still finding vomit splatters on my ceiling from Ronnie Raygun's accession to godhead and I thank the fates that the MSM decided on the "modesty" theme for Ford, thereby reducing the potential excesses.

I'm afraid -- very afraid -- if George Sr. kicks it while Dim Son is still squatting at 1600 Penn. Ave. that they'll build a ziggurat at Dupont Circle and sacrifice virgins (bused in from the Midwest) as part of a 10-day orgy of mourning.

Feh.

[wryter2000]

7. You and me both

What especially gets to me is how they schlep the body all over creation.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

12. This is not new stuff. Lincoln took a

postmortem train trip of over 1500 miles, and a month before he was buried

In Washington, Lincoln's body was placed on a train drawn by the engine Edward H. Jones (various engines pulled the train on the 1,666-mile trip). The coffin of his son William had been disinterred from a Georgetown cemetery and traveled in the same funeral car.

Along the route, thousands of mourners watched the train, and huge crowds paid their respects when the body arrived in major cities. Elaborate horse-drawn hearses carried the coffin from the train to the sites where public viewing was allowed.

On May 4, the bodies of Lincoln and his son arrived at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where commitment services were held.

April 21, 1865
Funeral train leaves Washington, D.C., and arrives in Baltimore, Maryland, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for public viewing.

April 22, 1865
Train leaves Harrisburg and arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

April 23, 1865
Train remains in Philadelphia during public viewing.

April 24, 1865
Train leaves Philadelphia and arrives in New York City for public viewing.

April 25, 1865
Train leaves New York City and arrives in Albany, New York, for public viewing.

April 26, 1865
Train leaves Albany and travels through New York state.

April 27, 1865
Train arrives in Buffalo, New York, for public viewing and heads for Ohio.

April 28, 1865
Train arrives in Cleveland, Ohio, for public viewing.

April 29, 1865
Train leaves Cleveland and travels to Columbus, Ohio, for public viewing.

April 30, 1865
Train arrives in Indianapolis, Indiana, for public viewing.

May 1, 1865
Train leaves Indianapolis and arrives in Chicago, Illinois, for public viewing.

May 2, 1865
Train leaves Chicago for Springfield, Illinois.

May 3, 1865
Train completes journey in Springfield, where final viewing is held.

[fujiyama]

18. But Ford was no Lincoln

And neither was Reagan.

Lincoln was assassinated after saving the union. I'd say that makes a pretty big difference, so such an outpouring for great presidents like Lincoln or FDR actually make sense.

[wryter2000]

25. Interesting

Of course, for Lincoln and FDR, the natural way to get their bodies home was by train, and if people wanted to assemble to watch the train go by, that's different than schlepping the body around. However, if they took the bodies off the train into town for viewing, that's a whole nother story.

[LittleClarkie]

20. For some reason I've got inappropriate giggles going on now

I think it was the word "shlep."

[wryter2000]

26. That's why I used it.

Maybe I should have called it a meshuganah schlep. :evilgrin:

[No Exit]

8. You are so right when you say how much more professional Keith is than Chris

I was thinking that same thing when I saw them doing election coverage together. Here was this guy who's been in politics since at least the Carter administration--in which, I believe, he was a speechwriter or something--and he's been all over TV ever since, and he has this daily political show, and he appears to live and breathe politics and he seems to know all sorts of political history.

And here's this guy who used to be... a sportscaster.

And the sportscaster guy is so very OBVIOUSLY a million times more articulate, his voice is so much better modulated, he has such a better on-screen presence, his vocabulary is clearly top-flight (as is his intelligence), his pronunciation is flawless, his delivery is as sophisticated as it gets...

And the political wonk guy is spitting his words 80 miles a minute, as usual, interviewing HIMSELF instead of interviewing guests, garbling, cutting people off, practically blabbering... leaving the viewer/listener with a sense that no conversation, nor even any sentence, has been properly finished...

[monmouth]

9. Your comments are so flawless and articulate, wish I could write like that.

It would be nice if you sent this to MSNBC. Maybe they'll get the idea to let Keith do a solo next time instead of dragging Chris along. OR, Andrea's not bad, sort of my fav female commentator. Really, your comment is right on, MSNBC bosses would love it.

[No Exit]

10. Heh. I wish my political sense were as

"flawless". I voted for the Chimperor and his running mate, Lucifer, in 2000.

I don't think MSNBC bosses would agree with my praising Keith to the detriment of Chris. I'm not at all sure that the MSNBC honchos approve of Keith's politics.

And I must admit, much as I complain about Tweety, I still watch him.

[ellisonz]

21. Late Welcome to the Bright Side!

Finally, a new day is beginning in Washington. Thank God.

PS. Go Olbermann.

[Supersedeas]

24. Well said

[Ian David]

11. Funeral? What funeral? Who died? n/t

[No Exit]

14. Silly! He's talking about Matthews and Olbermann on TV for the James Brown state funeral!

Oh. Wait...

[MichiganVote]

13. Somebody forgot to give Matthews his ritalin today

[beaconess]

15. He did something similar after the service

Matthews went on and on about how great a guy Ford must have been to be friends with Jimmy Carter since, according to Matthews, Jimmy Carter is a really hard guy to like! Olbermann then told a story about Carter that showed that, while Carter often appeared reserved, he was actually very friendly and open, but his reserve was largely due to his reluctance to make himself too obvious.

It was a smooth, gentle smackdown and a gracious defense of Jimmy Carter.

Olbermann is great. MSNBC is smart to pair him with this windbag since he takes some of the air out of the pontificating.

[mloutre]

16. Well, the last time I talked to Jimmy Carter...

...which was, after all, a while ago and back when I lived in Atlanta... we were up on the roof of a Habitat house in the hot sun and what he said to me was "hand me some more nails."

On the other paw, I've heard it opined on some of the blogs that Tweety (aka Matthews) has a drinking problem and that you can really see it in action on many of his broadcasts. Anybody know anything about that? I hate to see someone dissed for something without real evidence (so all you Mattt Drudge types can just not post replies to this query, ahem ahem)...

[Auntie Bush]

17. Tweety admitted he had a drinking problem on Hardball tonight.

I was surprised to hear him admit it...though he didn't come out and say it directly...kind of beat around the bush...but definitely admitted he knows what it's like to drink too much and how hard it is to be deprived of something you want so much. I got the feeling he was on the wagon... so I'm surprised to hear he drinks while broadcasting.

I thought Keith was wonderful today. I also have to admit I thought it was of the best days Tweety had. The last time he was on with Keith...he constantly interrupted him or cut him off as soon as possible...like they were in a pi**ing contest. This time he rarely interrupted and actually let Keith talk and finish a thought...so let's give credit where credit is due. Actually I told my husband it seemed like Tweety had gotten orders from headquarters to not interrupt Keith and treat him as a co-anchor...not a guest on HIS show.

[anitar1]

19. As someone once said, Tweety ain't got no couth.

As for drinking--he is a diabetic, and drinking is hell on diabetics. That may be why he landed in the hospital a few weeks back.

[Jennicut]

22. As a fellow diabetic Tweety must really be doing damage to his body with the drinking

Alcohol is almost like a no-no with diabetes. I have it limited and very rarely. Christmas, New Years, maybe half a wine cooler. It can raise your blood sugar not to mention I am on metaformin (a pill to lower blood sugar) and abusing alcohol combined with this medication can cause liver damamge. I've had diabetes for 2 years now and have never been hospitalized but I'm sure Tweety has had it for a long time and abusing alcohol with it is bad. He looks like he lost weight recently as well which believe it or not is a sign your blood sugar is way too high. I can't explain Tweety's reluctance to shut up however. Yesterday it was like he was on some kind of sugar high. Too many donuts (which I haven't had since being diagnosed with diabetes...so sad!). Keith is so dignified and sophisticated and Tweety is well, not. I though all the speeches yesterday were nice and meaningful, even Rummy's. Weird day when Rumsfeld is more reigned in then Tweety. Carter's was great and genuine.

[Cascadian]

23. Keith could clean Chris' clock.

Keith Olbermann is the best damn news anchor out there PERIOD! He pulls no punches and calls B.S. on the Neocons.


John

[Mad_Dem_X]

27. This is why I watch CSPAN

for anything political. You don't have to hear the talking heads yabbering.