Matthews, Blitzer call McCain "maverick," "straight talk[er]," for calling for Craig resignation

Summary: Continuing a pattern of uncritically calling Sen. John McCain a "maverick" and a "straight talker," CNN's Wolf Blitzer and MSNBC's Chris Matthews suggested that, because McCain has called on Sen. Larry Craig to resign, he is espousing "straight talk from the Straight Talk Express" and "is very much the maverick" -- despite other Republicans having called for Craig's resignation as well.

On the August 29 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, while discussing an earlier interview by CNN senior national correspondent John King with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), host Wolf Blitzer said to King: "There was some straight talk from the Straight Talk Express," the latter being the name of McCain's campaign bus. Blitzer added that, although McCain "dodged some of your questions ... he also was pretty candid when it came to a very sensitive subject -- the future of Senator Larry Craig [R-ID]." King agreed, replying: "He certainly was, Wolf. He was blunt on a number of the pressing controversies of the moment." On August 8, Craig pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges following his June 11 arrest during an investigation of "lewd conduct" in a restroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

During the Situation Room segment, on-screen text read: "Frank Talk with Sen. McCain: Presidential Candidate Turns 71."

Similarly, on the same day's edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews noted that McCain had called for Craig's resignation and said that McCain "goes his own way and is very much the maverick, as we know." But neither Blitzer, King, nor Matthews explained what made calling for Craig's resignation "straight talk" or why they considered it the "maverick" position-- given that, in the days since Craig's guilty plea was first reported, Republicans such as Sen. Norm Coleman (MN) and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI) have also called on Craig to resign, as Matthews noted. Additionally, the Republican Senate leadership has recommended that the Ethics Committee mount an investigation, releasing a statement saying, "In the meantime, Leadership is examining other aspects of the case to determine if additional action is required." Think Progress has identified five additional Republicans who have since reportedly called on Craig to resign.

As Media Matters for America has noted, media figures frequently call McCain a "maverick" or cite McCain's "maverick reputation" -- sometimes apropos of nothing -- including Chris Matthews and Blitzer, without noting the numerous instances in which McCain has fallen in line with the Bush administration or the Republican Party establishment on issues large and small. Media Matters has further noted that Blitzer, Matthews, and many other media figures have called McCain a "straight talker" despite several flip-flops.

From the August 29 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

BLITZER: There was some straight talk from the Straight Talk Express. He dodged some of your questions, but he also was pretty candid when it came to a very sensitive subject -- the future of Senator Larry Craig.

KING: He certainly was, Wolf. He was blunt on a number of the pressing political controversies of the moment.

Let me digress for a second to say he is back in Phoenix at this hour going to his favorite Mexican restaurant tonight so he will have a birthday celebration beyond our interview -- but it came at a very difficult time for John McCain. At this time last year, he was viewed as a favorite for the Republican nomination, if not the favorite.

From the August 29 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Who else do we have joining us? I forgot. Who else is -- Mike Viqueira!

MIKE VIQUEIRA (NBC News congressional correspondent): It's me, Chris. Yes.

MATTHEWS: I think that -- haven't you just gotten promoted to something big lately? I've been listening to the blogs.

VIQUEIRA: No, I'm not going anywhere near that, sir.

MATTHEWS: No, I think you're going to greatness land. Let me ask you, Mike, about this hill. I just sat here today collecting the press releases from people like Norm Coleman of Minnesota, who's up for re-election, John McCain, who goes his own way and is very much the maverick, as we know. Pete Hoekstra -- is it "hook-stra" or "hock-stra" from Michigan.

VIQUEIRA: "Huck-stra."

MATTHEWS: Huck-stra. They are growing -- the number of people calling for this fellow, Larry Craig, to walk.

VIQUEIRA: Yeah, Chris, it's almost as if Republicans suddenly had an epiphany this afternoon after being stunned into silence over the last 24 hours over these revelations of Larry Craig. It's not that many people didn't suspect that he had -- that he engaged in gay sex. Those rumors have been going around for at least 25 years.

MATTHEWS: Really?

—B.J.L.