'Hardball' and Dumbed-Down US Politics - by Robert Parry

[kpete]

Published on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 by Consortium News
'Hardball' and Dumbed-Down US Politics

by Robert Parry

When the United States most needed courageous journalism in 2003, Matthews hailed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, declaring "we're all neocons now" and praising the manliness of President George W. Bush's flight-suited arrival on the USS Abraham Lincoln to celebrate "mission accomplished."

And today, if Matthews's interest in political "hardball" were genuine - not just an excuse to position himself as a relentless front-runner - he might have used some of the hours devoted to the Haitian crisis to explain how real "hardball" politics works. He also might have discussed the true merits and demerits of Coakley and her Republican rival, state Sen. Scott Brown, not just the atmospherics of their campaigns.

Instead, regarding Haiti, Matthews detected a silver lining in the catastrophe that may have killed more than 100,000 people. He said the horrific event might finally cause the people there to cast off their supposedly frivolous attitude toward politics.

In a stunning display of racial and historical tone-deafness, Matthews compared Haiti's alleged political fun-and-games with those of Louisiana in its supposed tolerance of corrupt machine politicians who left New Orleans vulnerable to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. Whether he intended it or not, there was the creepy implication that descendants of African slaves were at fault for their own suffering in both cases.

more:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/20-9


Sick Tweety

[Solly Mack]

1. k/r

[alsame]

2. The US media is toxic. nt

[City Lights]

6. Indeed.

I've got them on ignore.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Matthews is a shameless sexist. So, you're surprised he's also a racist?

[Skidmore]

4. Chris Matthews keeps trying to write a movie script starring

himself as kingmaker. He does this all the time. Tries to fit real time events into movies and force people there into roles as scripted characters. He's enamoured of his own visage on the screen, gleefully trotting out footage of himself being parodied. He's ready for his close-up.

[TomClash]

5. The descendants of African slaves must be . . .

. . . pretty powerful. If they can create hurricanes and earthquakes, then watch out whitey! :rofl:

[brewens]

7. Here is the transcript of Matthews after "mission accomplished" day.

It about made me puke. One of the reasons I have no respect for him.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200604270005?f=s_search

[Ninga]

8. His shallowness is stunning. I am depressed. n/t