Did anyone watch Hardball last night?

[whometense]

I know, I know, we're supposed to be boycotting.

But Matthews said something that shocked me so much I wanted to read the transcript to see it again. When I went to look at last night's transcript the part I remember hearing is just not there.

So, was anyone else watching? Did anyone else hear Matthews giving Bush the advice that if he wants to win the midterm elections he should bomb Iran in October? I swear he did - but it is NOT in the transcript: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11857792/

[jillan]

1. No - I missed it. But I do watch now and then.(shhhh!)

If this is true - OMG!!!!!

Whome - how about asking this question in GD?
I'm sure someone out there watched it as well.

[Mass]

2. There was a thread on GD or GDP about this subject yesterday.

I cant find it now, but I remember it.

[whometense]

3. Thanks -

I'll go hunt for it.

At least I know I'm not that crazy...

[Mass]

4. Here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2516289

[whometense]

7. So someone took dictation

http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2006/03/cant-get-that-flock-of-seagulls-song.html

On Hardball, in response to Bush's declining poll numbers, talk of wagging the Persian dog.

Tweety's guests are Pat Buchanan and the Washington Post's Dana Milbank:

Buchanan: The x question here is Iran. The president is going very, very tough on Iran. And you know he’s talking about their nuclear weapons. And Cheney says they won’t be allowed to get 'em. And McCain says the military option’s on the table. You elevate this issue into a hot confrontation by fall, and the Republicans are back on their home court.

Milbank: It certainly would cause a rallying effect, so I mean, everything in this poll says lame-duck presidency. But you have to remember terrorist strike, national crisis — well, he’s still probably not going to get tax reform through — but suddenly he’s a strong national leader again. So you certainly can’t rule out that possibility. You know on your--

Matthews: Could they also think he’s insane?

Buchanan: No, no. The Demo--

Matthews: I’m dead serious about this. Could that be too radical a move? I’m trying to find this out.

Milbank: Every time--

Buchanan: They’d support him, the Democrats would support him. Hillary would support him, Lieberman would support him, Biden would probably support him.... I don’t think he’s going to do it for political reasons, but if he did do it for political reasons, you’d do it in October.

Matthews: Why? To win.

Buchanan: Sure, you’d go right up the polls. Just like, you’d go right up, you’d win the election.

Matthews: Dana, I’m staggered by the possible truth in what he just said. That a blitzkrieg-type action by the president, do something before the public even thought about him doing it, would put him on top of the heap again.

Milbank: There is undoubtedly a rallying effect. There’s no way, there’s no way around that.

[TayTay]

17. This is wrong analysis

That ship has sailed. Bush would not get a push in the polls if he invaded or bombed Iran. If this was 2002 and war fever was still new, he might have, but he would not get one now. Hell, Truman was forced to not run again for the Presidency based on too much war (Korea) and Johnson could not run again based on 'the war.' This dog don't hunt and these people are talking out of their arseholes.

[whometense]

19. agree completely

I don't think it would work.

The problem for me is that these people are so insulated/isolated/bubble-wrapped, and just plain don't-give-a-shit-what-anyone-else-thinks that I wouldn't put it past them to bomb Iran anyway, just on the hope that it might help.

See the depths of my cynicism?? Sad, huh?

[TayTay]

20. You have reason to be so doubtful

This Admin doesn't have to run for anything again, ever. They have a complacent Congress that refuses to hold them accountable for anything. They just re-affirmed this week their doctrine of Pre-Emptive War. They are very, very dangerous and possibly insane.

It is a real possibility, but it won't endear them to the American public. The Pew Research poll that just came out said the number one word used to describe Bush is now, 'incompetent.' That would not improve if he got into it in Iran. Not at all.

[karynnj]

5. I missed it too

That is incredibly scary. Matthews was one of the few people speaking out against the Iraq war. That he put it in the context of winning 2006, is beyond sick.

[whometense]

6. It WAS scary. And sick.

Honest to god, my jaw was hanging.

With Matthews - well, let's just say I wouldn't begin to understand his "thought" process. On the one hand he's just losing it over Bush's plummeting poll numbers - I mean he's still talking about what a likeable guy Bush is, and it's like he's reaaallly upset about the polls, which is weird enough for a supposed journalist.

But it sounded like he was laying out a blueprint for this imagined invasion. Talking about the timing of it?????????? It freaked me out. I thought, in succession:

1.) He's really lost it. This guy has gone over the cliff.

2.) What's he hearing? And from whom?

[jillan]

8. I cannot believe what I'm reading about this.

This is the sickest thing that has come out of the mouths of rw yet.

And Buchanan? I thought he was against going into Iraq in the first place.
But then again * poll numbers were higher then.

Why would they even discuss this on national tv? What if some sicko like Rove was watching and actually thinking that this was a great idea?

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

If we bomb Iran, Tweety and Buchanan better be the first to enlist.

[whometense]

9. I'm wondering

who scrubbed it from the transcript, and why.

[jillan]

11. I have a question about this, since I didn't see it.

About body language, voice tone...

Did Tweety seem concerned? Or excited?
Was he asking the questions because he was worried that
the bushies may try to pull this off? That he wouldn't put it past them?

Or was he asking the questions because he was
realizing that this was the only way ** could get his
ratings up? And therefore, maybe it was time to bomb Iran?


I bet someone at MSNBC said to get it off his site.

[whometense]

12. I wish someone had a clip.

I wanted to see it again. I was so shocked I could barely take in what they were saying.

You know how agitated Tweety gets? He was like that - I honestly couldn't tell if he was excited or upset. That's why I asked whether anyone else had seen it - I was hoping to compare impressions.

On edit: I just emailed it to Olbermann and to Media Matters. So we'll see.

[jillan]

13. ughhh

But reading the transcript (or what's left of it)
he was definitely using closed ended questions.
Asking questions to get a certain response..an effective tool
I learned in sales.

I got the feeling that the conversation went exactly
where Tweety wanted it to go. Which is scary in itself.
Maybe Tweety needs a vacation. A long one:hi:

[karynnj]

10. Milbank was just as bad.

What is going on?

[jillan]

14. I didn't get that either.

:shrug:

Wonder if KO saw the show?

[whometense]

15. He definitely was.

It really felt like I'd fallen into the rabbithole.

[ginnyinWI]

16. I'm going with #1

Tweety's not such a powerful player, I don't think, that he's on any inside tracks. He just loves to run off at the mouth and see what stuff he can stir up. It's getting so that I hate the sound of his voice and quickly turn it off if I happen upon it. If he were an animal, it would be a hyena!

[ProSense]

18. I vote

#1

Tweety is a self-involved kook.


Then again, do we know that Bush isn't crazy enough to attack Iran?

It would be crazy, but he started a war to get Saddam, damn the consequences.

[Island Blue]

21. I checked Crooks & Liars to see if they had posted it

but no such luck. I didn't see it but this is completely outrageous! What have we come to that this is even mentioned as a legitimate way to win an election? It wouldn't surprise me one single bit however if this isn't already *'s "victory strategy".