MSNBC's Chris Matthews explains 'Oh God' remark

[Hepburn]

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC's Chris Matthews said he was surprised by the "peculiar stagecraft" of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's response to President Barack Obama's speech to Congress, leading him to quietly say "Oh God" as Jindal approached a microphone.

The remark inspired a brief Internet guessing game about who had said it and questions about whether someone at MSNBC was mocking the Republican governor.

Matthews' barely audible "Oh God" appeared to be a classic case of someone talking on TV without realizing their microphone was on, and potentially embarrassing to a network many Republicans already regard with suspicion because of left-leaning talk shows by Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow.

"I was taken aback by that peculiar stagecraft, the walking from somewhere in the back of this narrow hall, the winding staircase looming there, the odd antibellum look of the scene," Matthews said in a script for his "Hardball" show on Wednesday. "Was this some mimicking of a president walking along the state floor to the East Room?"

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hpKxxghd9s9AqOEJDmTRmI-DyoQQD96IRT4G0

Frankly, the ENTIRE Jindal speech was weird and I found myself saying "Oh, Gawd..." many times during Jindal's performance.

[cherish44]

1. I was waiting for Scarlett O'Hara to descend the stairs

nt

[Captain Hilts]

5. Heeeere you go!

[EFerrari]

6. LOL!

:rofl:

:applause:

[Hepburn]

12. Latte spew....

...:rofl:

[pleah]

15. That was one of my favorite skits!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Kali]

21. need to shop ol' Bobby's face onto that

[Captain Hilts]

22. BRILLIANT idea!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kali]

25. and maybe Tweety on Carol - with a balloon saying "oh god"

}(

[dgibby]

23. OMG! Funniest skit on tv, ever!

To paraphrase: Oh, this ole thing? I saw it hanging in the window and just had to have it!:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Thanks!:yourock:

[Captain Hilts]

24. Yes, it was. We all could have thrown out our TVs and waited for DTV. nt

[Beaverhausen]

26. "I saw it in the window and just had to have it"

:rofl:

[EFerrari]

2. The lighting was DARk and his make up was palid.

It looked like the stage manager didn't want us to see him.

[Duer 157099]

3. Hah, that's exactly how I took it, too

I wasn't sure who said it, but I had the same reaction to the "stagecraft" and it seemed like that was what the comment was about. LOL

[fed_up_mother]

4. My first thought was "Oh, God, who picked that tie?"

[Hepburn]

9. His tie came across funny on the screen....

...like it have moving lines on it.

:shrug:

[Emit]

28. It sure did! Made my eyes cross. n/t

[Arkana]

7. I half expected Jindal to finish with "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!"

Seriously, he read that speech like he was reading it to a bunch of fifth-graders, not the American people (but I repeat myself).

[Captain Hilts]

8. It was pitifuly bad. GREEEATTT WIN Friars!!!!

Ernie D would be proud!

[H2O Man]

10. I was watching MSNBC

last night, and did not hear Mr. Matthews' comment. That, I think, is because I was gasping for air when Bobby J walked out.

[Hepburn]

13. It was an "Oh, gawd..." moment...

...and then he opened his mouth and it got even worse! :hi:

[H2O Man]

14. It definitely

went downhill the moment he started speaking. Perhaps the republican party is intent upon finding a candidate who is worse in real life than any skit Saturday Night Live could possibly make.

[Hepburn]

16. You know, H20, it was soooooo much like a SNL skit...

...that I actually thought for a second that I was in some time warp and that what it really was.

Jindal was odd ~~ kind of like a cross IMO between Don Knott and Pee Wee Hermann with stage directions from Mr. Rogers!

[H2O Man]

17. SNL

would be hard-pressed to find a tie like that one.

[Hepburn]

19. ....

....:rofl:

Glad I swallowed that bite of tortilla before I read your reply!

[GardeningGal]

11. I didn't know Matthews said that last night because I didn't watch

on cable tv. But that was my thought too when Jindal walked in and I promptly turned the tv off.

[Hepburn]

18. I was about to turn it off...

...but it was like watching a train wreck.

Fascinating in some ways because it was soooooooo bad. I kept thinking, "THIS is the best the Pubbies have to offer??? The 'rising star' of the GOP?????"

[BadgerKid]

20. The has-been, me-too GOP is looking

for any excuse to minimize PRESIDENT Obama.

[quiet.american]

27. I was laughing all night over that! Omg, Matthews definitely spoke for me. nt