What Chris Matthews actually said about the Obamas
I’ve gotten enough angry tweets about “not standing up for the president and first lady,” regarding an interview that I hadn’t even seen at the time I was being Twitterbombed, that I thought I’d watch it, give my take, and post the actual clip of what Chris Matthews said about the first couple. Here it is:
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And here’s what I have to say about it.
First off, there’s absolutely nothing new in this clip, if you’ve followed Matthews over the years. Here is a guy who is the ultimate political romantic — he loves American history, and literally delights in recounting the pageantry of the presidency, particularly the swashbuckling JFK, who was the president of his youth. Matthews often compares Barack Obama to Kennedy, and often in a good way — in this interview, he says both are young, both are inspiring, and both have the ability to rhetorically command the stage.
Where Matthews criticizes Obama is in two areas:
1. Not grabbing hold of the leadership mantle and calling upon Americans to follow him in a grand, proscribed mission. Here, the contrast with Kennedy is that the president in the early 1960s rallied Americans around a mission to the moon — giving the country something to rally around. You can be a big fan of Mr. Obama — as I assure you, Matthews is — and still see that indeed, he didn’t choose to evoke a “big mission” and rhetorically challenge Americans to follow. You can argue, and I do, that that’s because he came into office in the midst of an ongoing crisis, and facing unprecedented obstruction, even to the point where the opposition party seemed more interested in taking down Barack Obama than in coming together for the good of the country.
Obama had a window of opportunity to rally the country behind him in 2009, but as a pragmatist, he chose — and it was a choice — to turn the nation’s attention to healthcare reform, to achieve that historic feat, and then he chose to step back from the process and turn the grunt work largely over to Congress. There were no big, sweeping speeches making healthcare reform the modern moon landing. Obama worked behind the scenes, but Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the “Gang of Six” were the face of the negotiations. You don’t have to be a racist to consider that to have been a mistake. It was a choice, and history will judge whether getting healthcare done ultimately cost Obama more than it gained, by birthing town hall hooliganism and the tea party, though he will go down in history as achieving an historic accomplishment.
2. Not enjoying being president. Here, Matthews compares Obama to Bill Clinton, who clearly loved being president every day of his two terms, and it showed. Here, I have to agree with Matthews on some level, that Obama shows signs of being put off by the pettiness of Washington, in contrast to the exuberant Mr. Clinton. He is a “get things done” kind of guy, who in his past has been able to bridge ideological differences to accomplish big things, including when he was head of the Harvard Law Review.
I have no idea whether the Obamas enjoy being in the White House, but I suspect they both were unpleasantly surprised by the level of vitriol he faced on Capitol Hill and from the likes of the tea party, who literally brought guns to the Capitol to express their hatred of the president. I can guess, just based on appearances, that Barack Obama is less than enamored of the idea of glad handing members of Congress to get what he wants. Matthews says in the interview that members tell him they never hear from him. Well, I’ve heard the exact same thing from Congressmen, who have told me they have no relationship with Barack Obama personally.
Is Obama surrounded by a bunch of young “propeller heads” as Matthews calls them, who think they can get done in emails what past presidents accomplished with face time? Has he foregone much of the ceremonial part of being president, in favor of getting things done? And has he sometimes failed to communicate with the American people until he’s fighting his way out of a corner? Hell, I argued that in his first term, when the political office was a virtual waste of space. Even during the campaign, Obama gave that epic “yes we can” speech the night he’d LOST the New Hampshire primary — at a time when pundits, including Matthews, were arguing that he failed to show the kind of passion and fire you’d expect in a guy who wants to be president.
As for the part of the interview that seems to be getting the most heat, Matthews stepped on something of a third rail of racial politics, by appearing to say that the Obamas should show more “gratitude” for being in the White House, and that Mrs. Obama should spend less time flogging the obesity issue, and more time flaunting the greatness of simply being American.
Here, I think Matthews is being attacked for expressing his own romanticism about what the presidency is. Frankly. He was essentially restating what he always does — that the greatness of the country is embodied in its first family, and that while Obama evoked that sense of awe at just the idea of being able to attain that office, coming from nowhere and with an immigrant parent and a single mother, he stopped drawing on that well once in office.
Matthews is basically saying the Obama’s don’t look happy to be in the White House, and that their lack of obvious thrill at being a part of the pageant of American history shows through to the public, and is a drag on Obama’s presidency. You can agree or disagree with that — and I have said myself that Obama clearly has little use for the theatrical aspects of being president — and as Ann Kornblut pointed out when we were on a panel with Alex this morning, and she played a clip of the interview (I didn’t see the full interview until I got home…) that’s not what we hired Obama for — we hired him for his pragmatism — but you’d have to want to believe Matthews is racist to conclude that he is saying Obama isn’t showing the proper gratitude to white people, as some of my Twitter followers have charged. For that to be true, he’d have had to say that the lack of “gratitude” and happiness he perceives in the Obamas has something to do with the fact that they are black. But he didn’t say that. He said this (as transcribed by me from the video):
ALEX: You’ve just offered up a bunch of contradictions and the differences between Jack Kennedy and Obama … are there comparisons?
CHRIS: They’re both young, they’re both very well educated, they’re both idealistic, they’re both incredibly well spoken, articulate or whatever the word is. They’ve both got a great sense of poetry; they know how to say the right things about our country — Obama is wonderfully skilled at evoking what America is all about .. he thrills me when he does that, it’s one of the reasons I was inspired by him. He talked about our country. He evokes our country, from his background. But once having won the office he seemed to think that was the end of it, in terms of his connection to the American people. Don’t you feel … I think everybody feels an absence of communication from the time he’s been elected. And it’s not about not being left wing enough or being too left, that’s not his problem. it’s connection.
And Mrs. Obama — she’s an amazing asset. But what has she done, obesity? How bout connecting with the American people bout being Americans? I don’t think she’s … I don’t think she’s happy. I don’t think they like being in the White House. and the American people can tell that. They don’t seem thrilled at the fact that the American people have selected them as our first family. I don’t sense the gratitude, the happiness level. the thrill of being president. Bill Clinton loved being president every minute and you knew it. … and that’s what the American people like. they like knowing their president’s happy.
Where in that quote does Matthews link what he sees as a lack of enjoyment of the office with the Obamas’ race?
Look, you can like him or not, but Chris Matthews is one of the few white pundits (Lawrence O’Donnell being another) who regularly and directly addresses issues of race on television. He has also been an unabashed fan of this president and his family, even drawing tremendous rebuke from the right for openly displaying his admiration for Obama, particularly during the campaign. I don’t regularly appear on Chris’ show — have done exactly twice — so I’m not saying this because I’m worried about bookings. I’ve just been watching Hardball a really long time, and I give Chris credit for being willing to even talk about race, given the almost dead certainty that as a white guy, he will be under a very sharp microscope for any perceived transgression of political correctness (look how Lawrence was attacked for daring to go after Herman Cain for sitting out the civil rights movement…)
I have now watched that interview — several times — and I don’t see the racism in what Chris said. I’ve been a critic of the president’s laid back style myself, and of his political team, and have also been a consistent defender of his, including arguing that he has consistently beaten Republicans at their own game on Capitol Hill, even when the emo section of his base has refused to notice. But in this instance, I think the Twitter-rage is unfair. As black people, it’s incumbent on us to call out racism when we see it, even if we’re in media. But I also think it’s helpful not to flag everything as racism, just because a white person says it.
Feel free to resume attacking me on Twitter, and thanks for your time.
Here’s my rough transcript of the interview:
ALEX WITT: You say nations die or thrive on the ability and judgment of their leaders to stir them at perilous times. does Barack Obama have that ability, to pass the proper judgment, to properly analyze and to stir this nation at dire times?
CHRIS MATTHEWS: He has great analytical ability, clearly he has made the right judgments in his executive leadership. he has moved us very effectively in defense, in fighting terrorism. … I’m not sure he’s able to move the country. he had that ability as a candidate, and then the day he was inaugurated, with the Mall filled with people, African-Americans and everyone else, he sent us all home … it was the worst mistake of his presidency. The day he got inaugurated, he sent us all home and said, ‘thank you now watch how smart I am.’
That’s the worst kind of notion of the presidency. The presidency is not about being smart. Most of our great presidents have not been all that brilliant. Kennedy wasn’t brilliant, Roosevelt certainly wasn’t brilliant, Truman wasn’t; but what they did is they led the American people … they led us! This is so simple. If I could say one thing to Barack Obama, it’s ‘stop showing us how smart you are and lead us!’ Ask us to do something. Pull us behind you. Enlist us in the service or our country. Ask us to do something. There is no Peace Corps, there is no special forces. There is no 50 mile hikes. There’s no moon program. There’s nothing to root for. What are we trying to do in this administration? Why does he want a second term, would he tell us? What is he going to do in a second term, more of this? Is this it? Is this as good as it gets? Where we going? We gonna do something in a second term?
He’s yet to tell us. He has not said one thing about what he’d do in a second term. He never tells us what he’s going to do with reforming our healthcare systems: Medicare, Medicaid … how he’s going to reform Social Security. Is he going to deal with long term debt? how? Is he going to reform the tax system? How? Just tell us. Why are we in this fight with him? Just tell us, commander, give us our orders and tell us where we’re going. Give us the mission. And he hasn’t done it.
And I think it’s the people around him. Too many people around him; little kids with propellers on their heads. They’re all virtual. Politics, the social networking… these emails you get … I get these emails, you probably get them. I’m tired of getting them. stop sending them to me. I want to meet people. Their idea of running a campaign is a virtual universe of sending emails around to people. No it’s not, it’s meetings with people. It’s forging alliances. It’s White House meetings and dinner parties that go on til midnight. And he should be sitting late at night now, with senators and members of congress and governors, working together on how they’re gonna win this political fight that’s coming.
I don’t get a sense that he’s ever had a meeting. I hear stories that you wouldn’t believe.
not a single phone call since the election. … They don’t call. Members of congress, I keep asking, when did you hear from him last? … he doesn’t like their company.
ALEX: You’ve just offered up a bunch of contradictions and the differences between Jack Kennedy and Obama … are there comparisons?
CHRIS: They’re both young, they’re both very well educated, they’re both idealistic, they’re both incredibly well spoken, articulate or whatever the word is. They’ve both got a great sense of poetry; they know how to say the right things about our country — Obama is wonderfully skilled at evoking what America is all about .. he thrills me when he does that, it’s one of the reasons I was inspired by him. He talked about our country. He evokes our country, from his background. But once having won the office he seemed to think that was the end of it, in terms of his connection to the American people. Don’t you feel … I think everybody feels an absence of communication from the time he’s been elected. And it’s not about not being left wing enough or being too left, that’s not his problem. it’s connection.
And Mrs. Obama — she’s an amazing asset. But what has she done, obesity? How bout connecting with the American people bout being Americans? I don’t think she’s … I don’t think she’s happy. I don’t think they like being in the White House. and the American people can tell that. They don’t seem thrilled at the fact that the American people have selected them as our first family. I don’t sense the gratitude, the happiness level. the thrill of being president. Bill Clinton loved being president every minute and you knew it. … and that’s what the American people like. they like knowing their president’s happy.
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35 Responses to “What Chris Matthews actually said about the Obamas”
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WTF Has Barack Obama Done So Far?
As far as Michelle only doing ‘obesity’ how about her untiring efforts for the military, along with Mrs Biden?
As far as the president goes I think he has been focused on getting the job done, he has surpassed other presidents on foreign policy, passed many great bills in his first 2 years, we have not been attacked during his time in office, and as far as jobs go, the stupid people who elected tea baggers in the mid-terms have themselves to thank for no bills getting through the congress in the last year. It is hard to believe that he has done what he has and it won’t be until Jan that he has been in office 3 years and people are wondering why he has not fixed the problems that the last 10 years created. People forget that Bush started borrowing money 10 years ago for his tax cuts & wars, that is why the debt continues to grow – not Obama’s spending!
Matthews is a hypocritical buffoon who gushed over Bush in 2003, then claimed he was against the Iraq War, then attacks Obama for not being an Irish Catholic mafia scion. Just because he chooses to ignore what Obama is doing…He’s pathetic and reveals the beltway hackery that defines today’s corporate media.
And Matthews is accused of being LEFT WING!
Joy, you done sold out.
Clearly, Mr. Matthews doesn’t believe that achieving healthcare reform was a “big mission” not was ending the war in Iraq, killing bin Laden or all the other achievements this President has enjoyed in office. He would like to continue the mythology of JFK, clearly being a “political romantic ” is more important than being a political pragmatist that gets things done other than bedding everything in a skirt. As for being “unhappy” in the WH or “ungrateful”, guess gratitude would be the least of my feelings at being constantly demonized on the left and right and just recently shot at. As for our first lady, obesity is a daily killer and she is a tireless advocate for our troops and their families. Forget Chris Matthews and his crapping on our POTUS and FLOTUS to sell his book.
Bullshit. This defense of Tweety-the- hairball- Buffoon is absolute bullshit. Tweey is an idiot whose head is so far stuck up womanizing Billo the clown Clinton’s ass, that he doesn’t know up from down.
Tell Chris Matthews we are so, so sorry the Obama era is not sexy or romantic enough for him. Chris Matthews would not dare say these things about another President. While he may be “admiring”, to the rest of us he comes off condescending, therefore insulting. To make unfair comparisons between PBO and Clinton/JFK is totally beyond the pale. Bill Clinton may have enjoyed being President but he had the benefit of a good economy which offset his scandal laden administration. PBO may not be perfect but there is no doubt he is working very hard for the American people as we and the rest of the world continue to work through historic economic difficulties. Besides, who has time for romanticism when the modern day US president has to respond to world where news whether good or bad spreads like wildfire. Of course, he does not have time to hold hands with 535 members of Congress – that is why they have leadership, which Obama speaks with fairly regularly. He is also dealing with historic resistance in our legislative branch, whose responsibilities are to create laws that benefit the American people (the Congress elected in 2010 did not get that memo). Also, we have an omnipresent media that move from one shiny superfluous story to the next.
For CM to say Mrs. Obama is wasting her time talking obesity is just plain stupid considering 50% of children and 64% of adults are overweight. This issue obviously effects are healthcare system, productivity, and life span. Besides obesity, Mrs. Obama has been doing remarkable things for military families, moving their long neglected issues to the forefront.
I am tired of the nonsense that Chris Matthews and some others like him as they continue to put an asterisk on the accomplishments and character of this President. We should be more GRATEFUL.
I have seen this site linked at The Obama Diary many many times .
This is the first time I have ever actually clicked on it to read the entire thread.
It is also the very last time.
Chris Matthews and your support of what he did makes me sick.
When I have the time, I will point out all the lies Matthews just told up in that interview, Ms. Reid. Me thinks you are just covering.
It’s Bullshit! He is Barack Hussein Obama and not any of those other folks from a different era! Lead, Follow or get the HELL out of the way. This shit is fucking fluff!
Ditto.
What linda said.
A few observations:
Matthews is selling a book so must force comparisons to the President even where none exist…
Matthews does work from a white ethnic frame and does acknowledge the ethnic lens.
Used to watch his show regularly. I don’t now for the same reason I don’t watch crossfire-like shows. The scattershot approach means people will say stupid, absurd things…
Last, matthews remembers a time when white ethnics shaped politics in their own image, which is why I think he had such hope christie would run. Those days, however colorful, are over.
Change is hard, even for the “enlightened.”
I’m always suspicious of Mathews’ often times contradictory commentary on Obama. I don’t necessarily see it as racist. He talks in the clip and in an MSNBC commercial about Obama’s life story exemplifying America or whatever. But Mathews also played up the idea that Obama can’t connect with white working class folks who are the bread and butter Americans; that they’re what American is all about and they just don’t get Obama. (My words.) I don’t necessarily see that as racist, but I’ve always found it off putting.
As far as the “gratitude” thing, hearing that leveled against successful blacks has always rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I’m mistaken about what I infer from it, but is always comes across like, “The success you enjoy was handed to you. It’s due, not to skill or hard work, but our benevolence. And you’re not showing proper deference”. Maybe I overlook it, but I never hear this “lack gratitude” thing leveled at successful white people. For example, I’ve heard it used against black athletes. Never white athletes. It’s absolutely possible that Mathews never meant anything like that, but it still just doesn’t sit well with me.
Hey slave, aren’t you thankful I brought you our worst turkey for thanksgiving?
That is what Chris Matthews want THE OBAMAS to concede.
I let you live on my property Obama. At least you can be thankful for once.
Why is indifference from Black folks seen as angry tweets? Joy, you think your blackness will get you a show like it got Alex Wagner?
They will never give you a show. Tamron is as dark as they are legally allowed to go.
They (Professional Left) will never accept the OBAMAS until they bow down to their graciousness and benevolence.
Chris Matthews “I hear stories that you wouldn’t believe.”
What about the stories about JFK and BJC? We’ve heard stories about both of those Presidents for decades now.
Wow, i am extremely disappointed this site. I come here several times a day. I won’t be back. Let me explain…there is nothing wrong with criticizing this president. But how you attempt to compare a president that is dead and had numerous affairs to to a president who has had none!
How does Chris know that the Obama’s aren’t happy. He hears stories! Did he hear the one about wife? Yeah, my thought exactly!!! Stories
Chris Mathews I’ve heard only good reports about and someday I wil buy your book and put it next to the one I purchased 50 years ago The Making of
The President. I have a strong dissagreement with you now and really your comments against President Obama are truly off base. With your stature in the
news business ask for a meeting with Plough and Alexrod and suggest something he and Mrs. Obama can do to please you. We have enough trouble and we certainly don’t need you to cause any more trouble. listen to your own MSNBC
PSA cx claiming he’s pretty d…. good. Respect!
Forgot to say this before…
Watched about 10 minutes the other night bcause some guest caught my eye…
Last observations about show…
Could use researchers like maddow’s show…
Could use commentary from a seasoned, thoughtful, insightful activist (sharpton) or expert on the legislation process (odonnell)…
The sight of a host selling a book gives the show the feel of a shopping netwk…very undignified and bordering on the seedy and bizarre…
Finally matthews looks tired, unkempt and…unfocused. I know he’s on the circuit (was just here or is on his way to atlanta)…
May account for the stupidity coming from his mouth…
Btw…let’s not be too upset. Before christie he was singing the praises of charismatic palin…
I would suggest a nap…
Wow..your post is crap, Joy Reid. Defending Chris Matthews’ arrogant Ignorant rant against the Obamas is really kind of stupid. I had to see this to believe it because I’ve enjoyed your reality based posts before but you’ve gone into a freaking Orwellian well on this one. Someone said you “sold out” upthread..is that it? You’re sucking up to Chris Matthews? Unreal.
Michelle Obama connects with Americans in so many ways and so does President Obama and beltway spittle spewers would know that if they actually saw what they do. I’m not calling Matthews racist..he’s just a split personality dumbass a lot of the time. This is one of them.
But, please do whine some more about Michelle Obama..it only exposes you as ignorant. Freaking profieering off of Obama Hate..is what it’s all about.
Too bad so many of us out here love the President and his family. That must make it very sad for Chris and the rest of you.
[...] Joy-Ann Reid, in my opinion, one of the best political commentators in the business today presented an analysis of this portion of the interview, after her Twitter time line went tits up in the wake of what [...]
Relax folks. Matthews loves Irish Catholics and especially JFK; he’s not a racist and likes the President, but heaven forbid he ever compare or offer a suggestion or criticize……
Give him, and Joy, a break.
Ms. Reid, I have always loved your commentary and have always lauded you in your efforts to put truth out there. However, with this post, I have to respectfully disagree. I heard what Mr. Matthews said, and if he wanted this clarified, he would clarify this himself instead of having someone else do it for him. I won’t go after Chris Matthews on whethr or n a racist, for I don’t know the man, don’t know his relationship with people of color. I will say that what he has been relaying to the masses has been this cadre of white privilege he keeps spewing. How Barack Obama should emulate JFK and Bill Clinton. How Michelle Obama should, in his words, “How bout connecting with the American people bout being Americans?” I guess her work on Military families and Childhood Obesity, which does plague, you know, AMERICANS, doesn’t do that justice. I guess she should behave like Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, or Nancy Reagan, who, seemingly to Chris Matthews, dressed up in American regalia singing “Yankee Doodle.”
This isn’t the first time Chris Matthews has done this. I never seen him talk about how lucky Bill Clinton or George W. Bush was. The latter even more, since he was born with a silver spoon, as was JFK. Or how Chris Matthews would never say “I forgot he was white tonight.” After President Reagan, Bush, or Clinton’s state of the Union Addresses. Yet, it seems all the rage with President Obama.
I mean, lets not B.S. around this situation here folks, Chris Matthews is playing his fervent White superiority card. I mean, how does someone like him suddenly become a psychologist,a mind and lip reader, and a historian after Barack Obama gets elected President of the United States. I mean, we have seen Chris Matthews suddenly just KNOW that Barack Obama is just so sick of his job of President. How does he know? Did he call the President or does he have a recording of the President? Did he talk to the First Lady himself? He and you expect us to take his comments as if they are fact based and necessary from someone who professes himself as a true blue journalist. These are not fact based, nor fair criticisms. This is WHAT HE FEELS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY.
And the “gratitude” comment, just where in the hell did that one come from? Joy, when has President Obama ever, EVER not shown gratitude. And since when did anyone need gratitude from a President? Did anyone expect Bush or Reagan to just laud us with gratitude every single day they were in office?
You say that Chris Matthews is open to talking about race. Well Joy, next time you are on with him, ask him about these criticisms and why didn’t he ever criticize past presidents with this? Just what is Michelle Obama supposed to do to be a “proper” First Lady. Does Barack Obama have to wear a gaptoothed smile and say shucky ducky like old cue ball Herman Cain to prove his happiness. We will be waiting.
So Joy and your pal Chris, Do you realize that President Obama is NOT an Irish Catholic, or Bill Clinton? He is uniquely Barack H. Obama. So can we stop the comparison with dead and philandering WHITE presidents?
The comparison is precisely what rubs us all the wrong way. No one judges JFK for NOT being like previous non-Catholic Presidents. No one did Bill Clinton either, so why is this President Obama never treated as sui generis?
Of course Chris demonstrated his unbelievable ignorance of what the President and First Lady actually do everyday with ordinary Americans , and especially military families. Has Chris covered the jobs initiative that the First Lady got 80 companies to pledge commitment to hiring 25,000 veterans for? No. Has he followed Michelle Obama to schools to see her frolicking with schoolkids? No Are these people not Americans?
Did Chris talk about the biggest aircraft order in history that the President just helped secure between Boeing & an Indonesian airline for 230 aircrafts? No. did he mention the much hailed Canberra Declaration just laid out in Australia? No. Sure, the President does not love this country, nor is grateful, nor happy yet he keeps toiling everyday for the interest of this fucking country!!!
I guess you Joy have bought so much into beltway-titis that you miss the forest for the trees. The only people not happy with the First Family are the DC villagers, permagov denizens, and their lackeys who itch so much to socialize in the White House. They feel left out of the corridor of ultimate power.
Well this president was people-powered into office and we like him and his family just fine. Sorry for your and Chris’ discomfort. You will all love Willard Romney who will show ya’ll the proper level of “gratitude” and Irish Catholic greatness, right after dismantling Social Security, Medicare, and hauling us all into war with Iran. T’will be splendid “cheer” in the White House. Good luck!!!
I don’t know why people watch these shows anyway. They’re all narrative conventional wisdom pushing endeavors. And it’s kinda funny with Mathews as he hated Clinton when he was president and now he loves him. What are they all gonna say when Obama gets re-elected. They shot their wad in the first four years.
Look folks, Chris expressed his opinion. He doesn’t have to always agree with Obama. I think he’s right about FLOTUS not necessarily being happy in the white house. She’s not been around the national political stage like Hillary or Laura had been before going into the white house. It’s pretty daunting. Even reading Obama’s book, you can tell she was not enamored by his political ambitions.
It literrally plucks you away from your comfort zone and you feel stuck in this bubble where every step is constantly watched. She prefers her quite time with friends and families and impacting families privately without the pomp and pageantry. So in that sense, she is different from other first ladies. Jackie Kennedy wasn’t happy in the white house either.
Chris Matthews simply pointed that out. And for the last time, black folks need to stop screaming or trying to see racism in any and everything. That’s 50% of our problem
“Look folks, Chris expressed his opinion. He doesn’t have to always agree with Obama.” –Blazhay
So we don’t have a right to express our opinion about the shills Chris Matthews and Joy Reid?
I am a 68 year old WHITE woman and I was extremely disturbed by Chris Matthews spewing of nonsense. So disturbed that I have written him several emails letting him know that I think that he is making a total fool of himself.
Maybe it won’t help but I did that when he was complaining that we should just send some men down to where the BP well was spewing oil, with welding tools and close off the oil at its source. He had no concept of how far down the well was and that there was a reason that there were only robots down there, no people! Actually in that email I begged his producer or others who might have influence on him to please explain to him how he was making a fool of himself.
If, as an elderly white woman, I was offended at his constant ranting about things that he knows nothing about I can understand how others can be offended. I cannot believe he could say some of the things that he has been saying if he has been watching even a little of the many speeches and activities of President Obama (I am also irritated that people disrespectfully neglect the ‘President’ part of his title!) and his family. And the President did not tell people to ‘go home’ after the inauguration, he said ‘Change is hard and it takes time!’.
As far as ‘gratitude’, I think that it is just the opposite of what Matthews is saying. WE should have a huge amount of gratitude for a President who is so smart. And I would like Matthews to give specific examples of when our President has taken the attitude that he is the smartest man in the room. I think it is true virtually all of the time but our President does not do a lot of boasting or behaving like he thinks that he is the smartest man in the room. I think that we have seen from the jobs bill speeches on the road that he will do more boasting as the campaign heats up.
I challenge Matthews or anyone else to look at the number of hugs that both the President and FLOTUS give and receive and then try to tell me that they don’t ‘connect’ with the American people. I think that hugs are the most intimate kind of connection! Some of the outside groups, the DNC and other liberal groups need to push back on such silly memes!
It is really sad that our President is so well thought of and even loved in many if not most foreign countries but in his own country, according to people like Matthews, he is wrong even when he is right! Really, really sad!
Chris Matthews is so stupid to have a show on the air twice a day. He thinks he’s smart because he seems to know a lot of facts, but the man has absolutely NO analytical abilities whatsoever.
He’s constantly putting Pres. Obama down for going about the business of doing his job — a job GREATER THAN ONE NO OTHER AMERICAN PRESIDENT, except perhaps Roosevelt, was ever faced with. I’d like to ask Chris Matthews: Just when did Pres. Obama have the time, in his first term, to even think about forming anything like a peace corp when this man had a country tilting on the edge of a cliff when he was sworn in, two grossly mismanaged wars going on with people dying every day AND an opposition Congress that stated on Day 1 that they weren’t going to do ANYTHING except try to make him fail, and then proceeded to just that and nothing else.
Obviously Kennedy and Clinton, one or both of whom Chris Matthews promotes on his show every single week (if not every day) had much more free time than Pres. Obama during each of their presidencies, because they both seemed to have spent a lot of time either flying around the world or hanging around the Oval House in the wee hours of the morning cheating on their wives. It HAS to be THIS aspect of both of Matthews’ presidential heroes’ personalities that he admires so much, because Pres. Obama, in his three short years in office, has ALREADY surpassed them both in historical legislative accomplishments but still falls way short of the presidential mark by Chris Matthews’ standards.
Sorry, I haven’t responded sooner. Saw your interview and I scream every time I hear Chris Matthews try to make the comparison between JFK and President Obama. I am so sick of pundits comparing him to some President from the 40′s, 50′s, 60′s. Why can’t the President just be plain Barack Hussein Obama? I will never read his book. Yes, I was a fan of JFK, who wasn’t in the 1960′s. I am 66 yrs old so you know. I remember exactly what I was doing when we heard the news. I was a student at Lane College in Jackson, TN and we had just come back from picketing down town. It was required. I do feel differently about JFK because he wasn’t some God. He had many flaws. President Obama has done so many things. Let’s just give him credit!!!
First they want you to fix the economy like FDR; then they want you to pass legislation like LBJ, be optimistic like Reagan, tell it straight like Truman, politick like Clinton and charm and handle the crisis like JFK. Tough being all these guys at once; just never be Bush.
I just wish they’d get their heads out of the damn history books.
They are helping the military who are coming back to the USA because they want those votes. Obama will come back from the left toward the middle the closer we get to the election
[...] do. To Arianna Huffington, the President is a Nowhere Man. Chris Matthews accuses him of being arrogant and ungrateful for being allowed to live in the White House. Bill Maher veers from gangsta to wimpy and wussy in describing the President. Michael Moore voted [...]
[...] do. To Arianna Huffington, the President is a Nowhere Man. Chris Matthews accuses him of being arrogant and ungrateful for being allowed to live in the White House. Bill Maher veers from gangsta to wimpy and wussy in describing the President. Michael Moore [...]
[...] showing us how smart you are and lead us!’”, and set off a Tweetstorm. Friends of this blog Joy Reid and Marion Watts weighed in with sharply contrasting opinions on the substance and implications of [...]