On Wednesday (5/2/12), MSNBC host Chris Matthews played a long clip from the Daily Show, where Jon Stewart mocked Republicans who are complaining about Barack Obama’s celebration of the killing of Osama bin Laden. Stewart naturally recalls George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” photo op stunt from 2003. Stewart points out that if Republicans are angry about Obama “spiking the football,” Bush was spiking the ball before the game started.
So the clip played, and then we cut to Matthews, chuckling away. Of course Stewart’s point is right on–anyone who listens to this whining from the right is bound to recall Bush’s celebration of the Iraq “victory.” The hypocrisy is staggering.
But if you’re going to have a laugh about this, then you might want to remember how excited Chris Matthews (5/1/03) was about that Bush stunt. It probably won’t make you laugh, and Matthews probably doesn’t want to remember it either:
We’re proud of our president. Americans love having a guy as president, a guy who has a little swagger, who’s physical, who’s not a complicated guy like Clinton or even like Dukakis or Mondale, all those guys, McGovern. They want a guy who’s president. Women like a guy who’s president. Check it out. The women like this war. I think we like having a hero as our president. It’s simple. We’re not like the Brits.
A few more, courtesy of Media Matters (4/27/06):
MATTHEWS: What’s the importance of the president’s amazing display of leadership tonight?
[…]
MATTHEWS: What do you make of the actual visual that people will see on TV and probably, as you know, as well as I, will remember a lot longer than words spoken tonight? And that’s the president looking very much like a jet, you know, a high-flying jet star. A guy who is a jet pilot. Has been in the past when he was younger, obviously. What does that image mean to the American people, a guy who can actually get into a supersonic plane and actually fly in an unpressurized cabin like an actual jet pilot?
[…]
MATTHEWS: Do you think this role, and I want to talk politically… the president deserves everything he’s doing tonight in terms of his leadership. He won the war. He was an effective commander. Everybody recognizes that, I believe, except a few critics. Do you think he is defining the office of the presidency, at least for this time, as basically that of commander in chief? That… if you’re going to run against him, you’d better be ready to take [that] away from him.
And:
MATTHEWS: The president there — look at this guy! We’re watching him. He looks like he flew the plane. He only flew it as a passenger, but he’s flown….He looks for real. What is it about the commander in chief role, the hat that he does wear, that makes him — I mean, he seems like — he didn’t fight in a war, but he looks like he does.
Matthews is mocked–and rightly so–for saying that hearing a Barack Obama speech made a thrill go up his leg. His ability to be dazzled by politicians would appear to be bipartisan.
And this schmuck gets paid *how* much?
Welcome to the meritocracy.
Chris Matthews has moved decidedly to the left in recent years. I used to not understand where he was coming from as he always seemed to be sending out mixed messages. I think the Republicans brash treatment of our democracy in recent years has finally gotten him to see the light.
Yeah, it’s unonstitutional “brash treatment ” for sure. They just don’t care.
The problem with Obamas run around the field carrying the American flag is that it is a year after the fact.Not in any way timely except for strictly political reasons.His polls are shrinking and some dunce aid says hey lets revisit our one victory.Second aid says but Mr President that was a year ago.Dunce says “dust that baby off and act like it was yesterday.No body will know the difference.My favorite was one station actually began their broadcast with “Breaking news.Osama is dead.The 911 mastermind is gone.Then almost as an after thought……one year ago today!I felt like I was in the twilight zone.This is so transparent.Then Obamas idiotic remarks saying Mitt would of ignored all his advisors.And worst even….. took his remarks on hunting OBL out of context.Picked up by the idiot press and trumpeted.I still stick by what I have been saying.IS THIS ALL YOU GOT?
Why is it that the Republican Party has a whole network devoted to it, while most of the rest of the media are so dedicated to dragging the Democrats to the right that the biggest accomplishment that President Obama can come up with is an illegal assassination on foreign soil? How would the US react if the Venezuelans assassinated Luis Posada? Is this really the level of our politics? President Obama is proud of disregarding professional advice to make this raid while Romney responds that he would have violated the law just as enthusiastically…
OK, so, removal of the 9/11 mastermind is inappropriate conversation for the anniversary of “Mission Accomplished”??? “Obama’s idiotic comments”? Did Michael E actually hear Obama’s comments regarding the event…the credit he gave to all those involved?
Matthews has been “moving to the left?” Really? He’s just another beltway sycophant who is shallow and mis-informed. It’s beyond belief that he’s now being rehabilitated as some sort of thoughtful “forward leaning” sage. He’s a very well-paid buffoon and nincompoop. You’re right, Tishado–this is the best we (the US) can do? This is what we brag about? A hit squad (exactly what they are) executing an unarmed suspect in a sovereign nation (one of our “partners” in the “War On Terror” no less)? Remember when the Obama administration tried to pretend that there was a firefight, and that bin Laden was armed? They finally let it all hang out–he was executed because we can do what we want–formerly a Righ-wing notion, but now firmly embraced by “the left,” which means people like Ed Schultz and Chris Matthews. Obama is simply out-flanking the Right to the right, and this drives the Right nuts. The Right typically hypervetilates because Obama did something that they think they should be doing. The Right only points out the truth (its unseemly to brag about these things) when it serves their own sociopathic notions of what’s politically expedient. Very, very bad, and a bad sign of things to come.
“obama’s polls are shrinking”
actually that’s not true….his overall approval numbers are higher than they were in jan 12 [45.3%] and have been mostly unchanged over the last few months….46.3% on 2/1/12, 47.0% on 5/1/12
here’s the last two approval/disapproval polls from major pollsters
ABC News/Wash Post 4/5 – 4/8 1103 A 50 45 +5
ABC News/Wash Post 3/7 – 3/10 1003 A 46 50 -4
[change +9]
CBS News/NY Times 4/13 – 4/17 957 A 48 42 +6
CBS News/NY Times 3/7 – 3/11 1009 A 41 47 -6
[change +12]
CNN/Opinion Research 4/13 – 4/15 1015 A 49 48 +1
CNN/Opinion Research 3/24 – 3/25 1014 A 51 45 +6
[change -5]
FOX News 4/22 – 4/24 915 RV 45 51 -6
FOX News 4/9 – 4/11 910 RV 42 51 -9
[change +3]
Gallup 5/1 – 5/3 1500 A 50 44 +6
Gallup 4/10 – 4/12 1500 A 49 44 +5
[change +1]
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 4/13 – 4/17 1000 A 49 46 +3
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 2/29 – 3/3 800 A 50 45 +5
[change -2]
Pew Research 4/4 – 4/15 1514 A 46 45 +1
Pew Research 3/7 – 3/11 1503 A 50 41 +9
[change – 8]
Quinnipiac 4/11 – 4/17 2577 RV 47 48 -1
Quinnipiac 2/14 – 2/20 2605 RV 45 49 -4
[change +3]
Rasmussen Reports 5/1 – 5/3 1500 LV 49 49 Tie
Rasmussen Reports 4/10 – 4/12 1500 LV 46 51 -5
[change +5]
Reuters/Ipsos 4/12 – 4/15 1044 A 49 49 Tie
Reuters/Ipsos 3/8 – 3/11 1084 A 50 48 +2
[change -2]
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html#polls
Woodward
Listen to Dick Morris on his lunch time explanation of the polls and how Obama is really doing in them.At this time last election cycle- Obama had raised almost twice what he has now as a CANDIDATE!Rule of thumb is the president raises more on a 10 to 1 scale.Yet he has been fund raising more than any other president on record.(We will ignore his vacation time(compare it to Bush)In fact I think Dick hit on that as well.So you think his polls are holding hmmmm?Give you a hint,from inside.I worked for Clinton during his first term.Worked with a certain individual who now works on Obamas team.He is a numbers cruncher…bean counter….synthesizer of information related to this election.Not to divulge too much but he told me Friday last, that the white house is in full panic mode concerning polls external and internal.I will tell him how confident you are of what YOU see in the polls.I read the polls you sent.They look horrible to me.He is at best scraping 50% on approval on total polling.If you understand how polls work you would know that is death for a president in his position.Reminds me of Carter before Reagan.I would say the more honest polls are 50% of Dems think his is doing a good job.The Republican numbers are laughable.Independents dismal.He will be forced to run a negative separatist campaign to cement his hardcore followers.It is all he will have.I have seen some polls putting Mitt slightly up.Personally I think that is a joke.If the election were tomorrow I think Obama would loose in a landslide like the Reagan election.But of course there is always time for Mitt to blow it.But be assured it is his to win or loose.Again spend some time on Dick Morris lunchtime talks.Get on that sight.I think he is doing a great job.He was indispensable for Clinton.Believe me he knows his stuff.
Theresa
I am not attacking anything(except the bullshit on Mitt)concerning this celebration over the death of OBL.I am just wondering how it fast forwarded to one year later.What next…. celebrate the day we caught Saddam for a week?Or how about the day our tank forces defeated the republican guards under general Schwardskopf?It is so obvious that this is a campaign ploy.Pulled out of hat to raise polls.
i’m not arguing his numbers are fantastic, and i clearly stated they were under 50%, but they are not dropping as you contended.
“I would say the more honest polls are 50% of Dems think his is doing a good job.The Republican numbers are laughable.Independents dismal.”
gallup may 1st breaks it down by party: In April, Obama averaged 84% approval among Democrats, 43% among independents, and 12% among Republicans.
“I have seen some polls putting Mitt slightly up.Personally I think that is a joke.”
as of yesterday, the right leaning real clear politics’ average of polls has obama up 3.2
state by state polling [with the exception of indiana] shows obama pretty much in the same place he was in 08. close in oh, fl, ia, nc, nh and mo and up in nv, nm, co and va.
“If the election were tomorrow I think Obama would loose in a landslide like the Reagan election.”
certainly not. the best romney can hope for is 290-248. the days of someone from either party winning over 30 states is long gone.
if the president simply wins the 18 states both he and kerry won plus florida that puts him over 270.
“(We will ignore his vacation time(compare it to Bush)”
bush was on vacation over 1000 days during his eight years….a record that will never be topped.
Hey, aren’t you guys forgetting the Supreme Court? Aren’t they the ones who decide who gets to be President when the race is close? And aren’t they mostly Republican thugs?
I’m not a fan of President Obama (though I voted for him once,) but I certainly think that he was within his rights to have Osama bin Laden killed. More within his rights than keeping Guantanamo open despite his promise to close it. More than continuing the war in Afghanistan. Personally, I think that once OBL was killed, our mission was done in Afghanistan. That’s why we were supposed to be there in the first place. The rest is security work that shouldn’t require us to be at war in Afghanistan.
I mean, what does the U.S. want, Afghan minerals?
My bad. We’ll be there forever now, or at least until the wealth is extracted.
“mean, what does the U.S. want, Afghan minerals?” – No. They want the opium poppy fields to finance their continuing black ops all over the world.
Looks like the only way Obama will get any respect from the Republicans is if he urinates on a corpse. He might even get some cheers on this from Democrats since they seem to be so proud of the other positions he has taken from the Republicans.
That wouldn’t affect my respect for Obama at all because he has long lost my respect for him on other issues.
Woodward thank God we don’t have to argue polls.Because in the end there will be an election.And that will be the answer for you and I.I think he will get crushed.You think otherwise.We shall see
As far as the vacation time listen to the Dick Morris lunchtime session , where he lays out the facts on “Obamas lavish lifestyle”.He will discuss his 17 vacations
Anyone who says you should “listen to the Dick Morris lunchtime session” is nobody from whom to take advice.
Milford…….Did you like anything about Bill Clinton?Because he took advice from mr Morris morning noon and night.Or are you saying we never should of listened to anything Bill Clinton ever said because he had Dick Morris as a top advisor?
Chris Matthews is a pompous ass. The way he swuns over Hussain is pathetic, I think he has an unheathy man crush
Glenn, Your comments about Hussain are spot on!
Orville, Are you on partial disability or full?
Used to be that the sciatic nerve was reserved for meetings with a deity speaking through a burning bush. Now it’s just a TV set with George Bush.
Glenn I gotta know……..How on Gods green earth do you take an incident (a suicide bomber blew himself up and a marine was pictured by his buddy urinating on the still smoking (“dead deluded martyr”),and railroad it around to being tied to the Republican party?This is not just plain old everyday liberal spin.This is a friggin liberal tornado.
Lewis ????????What the hell are you on about?I got George Bush,the burning bush, and the sciatic nerve.Is this an experiment to try to put those 3 things in one thought as a brain teaser?
There are many opinions regarding the upcoming election, sadly, and because most Americans live and think in the moment, if petro goes down, and if coal receives some
support (even if its only perceived) O Bama will have a chance for re-election, is that right? NO, but thats a serious reality to consider. Watch the factor tonight, Love slams O Bama and yepp, he is a Democrat. Still sadly, most other DEM affiliated celebrities are still buying O Bama’s dream for a better BS.
For those of us here with short memories or who don’t listen to conservative radio:
A politician who served in the U.S. Army for two decades today slammed those from outside the military who have criticised the four Marines seen in a video urinating on dead Afghan bodies.
Florida Rep. Allen West, an ex-Army lieutenant colonel, insisted the Marines were wrong but fumed: ‘As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.’
His comments follow reports that all four men could imminently face criminal charges of bringing dishonour to the armed forces. Two men have been interviewed but not detained, reported CNN.
‘All these over-emotional pundits and armchair quarterbacks need to chill,’ Mr West told the Weekly Standard of their ‘self-righteous indignation’. But he said the men must face a ‘maximum punishment’.
In addition he suggested they all receive a reprimand letter, issue a public apology to God, the U.S. and their fellow servicemen – and then sing ‘the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter’.
The Iraq and Afghanistan veteran spoke after California military psychologist Eugenia Weiss suggested the soldiers involved may have been ‘stressed’ or ‘pranksters with extremely bad taste’.
Meanwhile a conservative radio host said she wants ‘a million cool points for these guys’ and would be willing to join them.
‘C’mon people, this is a war,’ CNN contributor Dana Loesch told FM News Talk 97.1 in St Louis, Missouri. ‘Do I have a problem with that as a citizen of the United States? No, I don’t.’
CNN political analyst and Andrew Breitbardt protégée, Loesch said the marines who urinated on corpses deserve “one million cool points,” and that she would “drop trou” and do it herself
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085872/Urination-video-4-US-Marines-charged-hours.html#ixzz1uOgT6c9z
I suspect there were Obama supporters as well as Allen West supporters among those finding the wherewithal to defend this behavior.
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