You do not have to watch Chris Matthews. You really don't

[themaguffin]

And no this is not in response to one thread, but cont'd threads over the years.

Chris Matthews is all over the place. He talks faster than he thinks and yes he loves all things Kennedy and is currently pushing his book and naturally making comparing Kennedy and the 60s to Obama and now.

Guess what? He's always been comparing then and now. If not then the 50s or with FDR. That's what he does.

I am not apologizing for him, just explaining because it seems to get lost and people seemed shocked when he is not Keith (which he is not) or even one of the others.

He's simply not that. Not apologizing, just noting.

[valerief]

1. I don't. nt

[MADem]

2. He used to work for Tip. Also, Jimmy Carter.

His brother is a Republican who ran/lost for office in PA, his wife works for Mormon Marriott.

He gets tingles up his leg when George Bush struts.

He's an ardent Roman Catholic.

He's a poorly controlled Type 1 diabetic. It makes him ramble like a nutjob on occasion.

He is what he is, and what he's always been. You've just got to consider the source.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. In The Interest Of Fairness He Said President Obama Sent Tingles Up His Legs

And he was crucified for it by right wing pundits.

[MADem]

14. I was plainly convoluting it with this fawning performance...

http://mediamatters.org/research/200604270005

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I Didn't Miss Him Waxing Poetically Over Bush*'s Codpiece

I just don't think the impression should be left he's not fond of President Obama.

[MADem]

20. He's Chris Matthews. He's always fond of the Flavor of the Month.

That's how he gets 'em to come on his show.

He's no fool--knows upon which side his bread is buttered. Can't blame him; he probably has good health insurance so long as he keeps working.

That's fine with me, too, btw. I don't have a problem with pundits. They have opinions, some good, some dumb.

I don't spend a lot of time watching them these days, though. I find that the time spent avoiding them is time I can use to live well in the real world!

[Blue Owl]

3. I don't either.

Pretty sure he cares more about hearing the sound of his voice, not so much what it says.

[CakeGrrl]

4. I never have.

The reactions to him confirm that I'm not missing anything.

Besides, the mooning over Codpiece Bush would have been enough of a red flag.

[Enrique]

5. also don't get excited when he says something "good"

as in something that we at DU would generally agree with.

Yeah, once in a while he flirts with righteousness, and it's sometimes enjoyable to watch, but it seems some people think he "finally gets it" or he's turned some kind of corner and he's now "one of us" or something like that.

You put it well when you say, "He's simply not that."

[Kahuna]

6. A lot of people are still stuck on the Chris Matthews from the Clinton and

Bush years. It is hard to believe he has made a 180 turnaround. I've been watching Hardball nightly from the very beginning. I know about all of Matthews' whoring for the repukes. What I have to say about that is, that I noticed after Jack Welch retired, both Matthews and even Tim Russert changed overnight. As everyone knows, Matthews has always been an Obama devotee. Remember the famous, 'leg tingle?' When Matthews criticizes the president, he considers it constructive.

I don't know about any previous threads but I thought I'd weigh in because I'm sick of seeing all the discussions projecting Matthews from the pre-Obama perspective. He may become a Clinton-hater and bush-lover again. But for right now, he is no longer that guy. He openly criticizes bushco and openly compliments the Clintons.

[MADem]

21. Russert got scared about the Plame thing, and then he died--suddenly.

I always thought that was odd.

Of course, he was fat and ate a lot of rich crap. Sometimes a heart blowout is just a heart blowout.

[frazzled]

7. Tweety unplugged

He's always been all over the place, lacking any sort of filtering system, bereft of a coherent narrative. He's like an impulsive child who spouts whatever comes to the top of his head at any given moment, without thought as to how it might compare to something he said yesterday or something that might be deduced from it tomorrow.

Over the years (and I've actually had a minor sparring match with him in person), I've concluded that it's not malicious. I think maybe he has ADD or something?

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. +1

:thumbsup:

[themaguffin]

22. I agree.

[musiclawyer]

8. Fire Chris M. Replace with Chris Hayes

Watch his new weekend morning show TiVo if necessary. Incredible TV
Chris is Rachel like in his ability to explain and tell what I'd really happening in depth

Not as wonky as Lawrence O Evolving into a style between Keith and Rachel.
His format is the future if you want to learn sh-t and be entertained.

I love how he predicts on Saturday the crap and lies that will be on the mainstream Sunday morning shows

[sufrommich]

9. Meh, he pisses me off once in a while but I like his show. nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. I love him. I love the way he knows history. And I love that they

let him go - he used to think he had to be bilateral

I don't care if people don't like him. I do. so there !! :>)

[Kahuna]

24. It is definitely a different show post Jack Welch and post Katrina...

Before those events, he was a whore for the wingnuts, I believe because he was required to be so by jack welch. He openly refers to himself as a liberal now. He would have never done that while welch was his boss.

Most of the things he says are questions posed as the devil's advocate. They are not actually based upon his personal opinions. Or if he compliments bachmann or palin, he is not saying he likes them. He is being objective in assessing their political talents. I have heard them call both of them bubble heads time after time. He is no fan of either. Yet, you will see DUers misconstrue his objective political analysis,night after night as his own personal views. Rarely, does he present his own personal views. His show is about interviewing insiders to obtain THEIR personal views.

Also, after he interviews one of the gop's most heinous, you will hear him compliment them at the conclusion of the interview. I hate when he does that. But I understand that he does it so that he's not shut out of future interviews with those guests.

As I've said, I've watched him every night for 15 years. I've seen his many metamorphoses. I cannot predict tomorrow's mutation. But for right now, he has rediscovered his Democratic roots.

[MisterP]

11. You've been on this show for 20 minutes now,

you've sang six bars of something called "Muffin Top," and then told a disgusting story about Fleet Week.

[pscot]

15. You are not a pleasure unit...

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AlinPA]

18. Matthews is a loudmouthed slobbering fool.

[Vattel]

23. concise and accurate!

[Umbral]

19. I haven't watched Chris Matthews since he likened George Bush to Atticus Finch...

After that, it's impossible to take anything he says seriously. He's a fool's fool.

[deutsey]

25. Never watched him and plan to keep it that way. n/t

[Carolina]

26. Can't stand him

and not because of his bloviator occupation and drooling "can't get enough of myself" behavior on the air.

He's full of himself and full of shit.

Case in point: Years ago when my ex and I lived in DC, we were looking at a house in the Cleveland Park area of the city. The realtor was talking, etc to us, when in walked Matthews whose wife Kathleen was a news anchor at the local ABC affiliate. Rudely interrupting us, he started firing off questions to the realtor. When she politely told him that she'd be with him "in just a minute" and continued on with us, he demanded: "Don't you know who I am and who my wife is?!

Screw him and the hot air balloon that serves as his head.