On C-SPAN's Book TV, Matthews repeated his claim that McCain "deserves to be president"
On the November 10 edition of C-SPAN's Book TV live from the 2007 Miami Book Fair International, while promoting his new book Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation and Success (Random House, October 2007), MSNBC host Chris Matthews was asked, "[A]re there any success lessons from [Sen.] John McCain [R-AZ]?" During his answer, Matthews said: "I'm allowed to like certain people. I like [McCain], I like [Gov. Bill] Richardson [D-NM], I like some of these people. I like [Sen. Joe] Biden [D-DE]. There's some guys in this business that most people would like." He continued: "You don't have to think they should be president, although if John McCain were president tomorrow morning, I'd be happy, because even though I might not vote for -- or vote for him depending on the options, I just feel if he became president he would deserve it for what he's done for the country." Matthews added: "[D]eserve's a hard word, but he would deserve it. He served this country and the other guys haven't."
This is not the first time that Matthews has said that McCain "deserves to be president." As Media Matters for America has documented, Matthews has previously said that McCain "deserves to be president" because of his "contributions to the country over the years." As Media Matters has also noted, Matthews has described covering McCain's campaign's problems as the "worst part of [his] job." Furthermore, Matthews has frequently adopted the McCain campaign's talking point that McCain offers "straight talk," and has frequently praised the Arizona senator, including during a November 19, 2006, edition of his NBC-syndicated Chris Matthews Show, on which he referred to McCain as "kind of like a Martin Luther" and described him as a "smart hawk." More recently, Matthews repeated his description of McCain as a "maverick" who offers "straight talk" on the August 29 edition of MSNBC's Hardball.
From the November 10 edition of C-SPAN's Book TV:
PETER KRAMER (interviewer): In your book Life's a Campaign, are there any success lessons from John McCain?
MATTHEWS: Well, clearly, love of country is beyond a lesson. It's -- it's a wonderful thing. I mean, McCain is -- I absolutely believe he loves America, and I absolutely believe it came from the sacrifice that he endured for five and a half years, much of it in solitary, being beaten up -- look at -- he shows the marks. One of the reasons he looks old now beyond his years, is he was beaten the hell up by -- over there -- by those people whose nicknames he still has in his head that were beating him up over there, and I think -- I think he knows how to raise money a little bit. I have some stuff in there about how he says, "The good news is, there's a lot of money in the audience tonight, the bad news is a lot of it is still in your pocket" -- you know, I know he knows some of these tricks to sort of get an audience going. He doesn't have much money to run, he doesn't have a big-time campaign. He has to win in New Hampshire. We had him on last night with his mom, his 95-year-old mom, and that was to some extent his effort to let people know, "OK, I'm 71, I look old, but look, I got a 93-year-old mom, I got some good genes working here, I'm not going to crap out, if you will, some time in the first four years as president," you know. So I like him. I just -- I'm allowed to like certain people. I like him, I like Richardson, I like some of these people. I like Biden. There's some guys in this business that most people would like. You don't have to think they should be president, although if John McCain were president tomorrow morning, I'd be happy, because even though I might not vote for -- or vote for him depending on the options, I just feel if he became president, he would deserve it for what he's done for the country. He would, you know -- and deserve's a hard word, but he would deserve it. He served this country --
KRAMER: Does your --
MATTHEWS: -- and the other guys haven't. So few of these other people have put in their time for the country, you know, done things that were really sacrificial just for duty, and I think that he's got that covered in more ways than you can imagine, I think.
the standard should be what's good for the country, not who "deserves" it.
Bush didn't think McCain deserved to be president ( c. 2000 )
Exactly. 'Deserves' got nuthin' to do with it.
I forget- did Matthews ever say that John Kerry "deserved" to be President, based on his service in Vietnam? Has he ever declared anyone else "worthy" of being President, based on the fact that he "likes" him?
How about this- the person who gets the most votes in a free and fair election "deserves" the Presidency. That would be a marked improvement over 2000 and 2004.
I don't see how this reporter can regain any respect for impartiality or fairness in the remainder of this presidential campaign. This is mistake, a poor choice of words for him. From this point on every other candidate or supporter of a candidate is thinking this reporter believes someone else "deserves" the job.
Unless he comes out and says all the others deserve it too.
I remind you all just a few days ago he had to sort-of apologize for the clapping stories. Wait for it.
THE RICK -
The premise of your question simply makes no sense.
Let me spell it out for you - We on the conservative know that it was the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine that really gave conservative voices (such as Rush Limbaugh) a chance to be heard in the liberal media.
How does the repeal of the Fairness Doctorine pave the way for Limbaugh and the other hate talkers? Limbaugh could have had his show anytime, but objectors whould have an opportunity to respond with an opposing viewpoint under the Fairness Doctrine. Without the FD, wouldn't Liberalism run wild and unchecked on our airwaves?
[By the way, there was never an hour for hour requirement as Limbaugh often claims, it was usually two or three minutes set aside between shows.]
So tell me, if the media was/is Liberally biased, wouldn't conservatives want that 2 or 3 minutes that the Fairness doctrine allowed for their opposing views?
"Let me spell it out for you - We on the conservative know that it was the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine that really gave conservative voices (such as Rush Limbaugh) a chance to be heard in the liberal media."--JuTru
Why couldn't they be heard before?
Do you not understand the Fairness Doctrine?
You make it sound as though the FD only allowed Liberals to have shows and give rebuttals, when actually, the FD made way for opposing views to be heard.
My question makes perfect sense, it sounds as though you don't want to answer it because it challenges the often stated (false) premis of the Liberal Media.
Matthews is such a "Liberal" that he devotes pretty much every minute of every show to obsessively trashing Hillary Clinton, except when he takes the occasional break to lick one or more of the GOP candidates up and down. Yeah, real liberal.
Of course, you give your own obsessive paranoia away when you mention George Soros, the bogeyman who is hiding behind every liberal candidate, web site or radio network. Get some therepy, loser.
care to take back that big highlighted "not"? matthews clearly did leave open the option that he might vote for mccain. too bad you're so eager to post your swill that you don't even read what's said.
I bet you believe Tim Russet is a liberal. I watch Chris Matthews on the run up to the election with my dad. We watched his show everyday then we got to the point he was just bad. Everything started to be how great the Republicans were as the election got closer. He kept a moderate view till about 3 months before the election then went full course we have to get a Republican in office mode. When Matthews is off his meds he is ok, but he's lost a lot of creditability and I used to watch everyday. He's no liberal. He's a wolf in sheep clothing.
I'm honestly not sure if MMFA-true believers can understand what Chris Matthews is saying. That's because politics (largely because of the corrupt Soros funding) has become a lot uglier.
Hahahahahaaaahahahahahhaaaaaaa! Hey Justus, newsflash, it got ugly when the fairness doctrine was trashed and Limbaugh was bought an audience by the republicans.
Matthews is saying that while he (as a liberal) would NOT vote for McCain, he respects McCain as a patriotic American who has served his nation and would be a good president.
Oh ho ho ho ha ha haa te hee! McCain used to be a great guy, ever since South Carolina in 2000 he's been a lapdog for Bush. Kinda like those old Dolf Lungren movies, the guy that kneels so the bad guy can use his head as a stool for his foot while another stoolie shines his shoes? That's McCain!
I truly hope that you MMFA supporters are really ashamed of S.N.J.'s attempt to further corrode and destroy politics in the U.S.A.
Nice try at trying to project S.O.P of the republican party on liberals. Y'all should really pull your heads out of Rush's pimply butt and take a breath of fresh air and look around. It's so much better all around on our side of the fence.
Matthews is a G.E lapdog. If anything that makes him a Republican...not a liberal.
That's because politics (largely because of the corrupt Soros funding) has become a lot uglier.
Justice you say some pretty dumb things 99.9% of the time but this has got to be a gold star statement. Politics has been a dirty game for a long time but it was perfected by Lee Atwater who was guess who’s mentor?….Karl Rove.
Matthews is saying that while he (as a liberal) would NOT vote for McCain, he respects McCain as a patriotic American who has served his nation and would be a good president.
We don’t need you to interpret what Matthews means, here’s what he SAID: "You don't have to think they should be president, although if John McCain were president tomorrow morning, I'd be happy, because even though I might not vote for -- or vote for him depending on the options,
With this topic MMFA has finally deserved Bill O's title of "smear site"- I truly hope that you MMFA supporters are really ashamed of S.N.J.'s attempt to further corrode and destroy politics in the U.S.A.
The history of politics is a subject you should try to independently study and stop relying on Rush and Bill as teachers. Lee Atwater was is king of dirty politics. He used Willie Horton to place fear in white America and boy did it work. Atwater recounted how, speaking of Dukakis during the '88 campaign, he promised to “strip the bark off the little bas***d” and “make Willie Horton his running mate.” In one 1980 congressional race in South Carolina, a Democratic candidate named Tom Turnipseed later recalled, “Atwater's antics included phony polls by 'independent pollsters' to 'inform' white suburbanites that I was a member of the NAACP, because my congressman opponent was afraid to publicly say so.” Atwater said he wasn't a racist but he used white America's fear and hatred of blacks in ways that should make Republicans ashamed. Of course Atwater apologized but hopefully Rush, Bill and Karl won’t be stuck by a serious illness before they realize that as Atwater said “There is nothing more important in life than human beings.”
You Justice, should be ashamed for your ignorance and the fact that you continually subject everyone to it each time you post.
I do not have a problem with Matthews saying this, we all respect McCain for his service to his country. I also like Biden as well and Richardson. Would we be having this conversation if McCain were a Democrat? No. There are others on MSNBC who spew some vile hate toward Republicans and most on here have no issue with them. What happened to fair is fair?
it's not a matter of respect. it's a matter of whether anyone "deserves" the presidency. no one is entitled to it.
Have you noticed that is key for picking out a Republican. Republicans think they are entitled to everything just for being Republican not because of what they stand on.
Sue, who spews that vile hate? Could it be...wait for it...it's on the tip...oh, it starts with an "O," could it be your mortal nemesis Olber Mann?
Sorry I said his name.
Well no I was thinking of Dan Abrams and Imus who used to be employed by MSNBC, you said O not me.
Sue talking about Olbermann again? What a shocker. Tucker, O'Reilly, Hannity, Matthews, Russert, Hume, Beltway Boys etc. and on the other side Olbermann. Looks like liberal bias to me.
"...(largely because of the corrupt Soros funding)..."
yada yada yada yada yada. Do you guys ever cease with these lies? What is it like to inhabit your brain? Does anything ever clear up the fog?
Be careful Carlile, you'll be another Exhibit in the See This Is An Example of How Corrupt And Sad Our Politics Has Become It's All Soros and Hillary's Fault Boo Hoo Hoo file TruthAndJusticeAndBS is keeping.
There's only one person I know of who "deserved" to be President--Al Gore. After all, he won the election. He deserved to be President, and we deserved him, rather than the sh*t for brains fool we ended up with.
Instead, we got corruption, disaster, and incompetance. Most of us anticipated this from an administration willing to steal an election.
Justice and Truth in the USA - FACT CHECK RESPONSE
There have been way too many responses to reply individually, so here is a group response:
In his career, Chris Matthews worked for 4 different Democrats and ran for office as a Democrat. While Chris has complimented McCain, he has had many kind words for Democrats over the years also.
Political discourse has become poisoned - to the point where a small compliment by Matthews to a man of distinguished service to his nation is taken as a betrayal by MMFA-true believers.
I happen to think that there are some good men in BOTH parties who would make great presidents. On the Democrat side you have fine people such as Joe Leiberman and Zell Miller; on the Republican side you have fine men such as Orin Hatch and Newt Gingrich.
My main suggestion is that we have to get past the partisanship and hatred and begin to see the good in people who dedicate their lives to public service.
and that still does not explain why you said that matthews claimed he would not vote for mccain, when he very clearly spelled out that he would consider it. doesn't it go to your credibility that you make such a blanket statement when the truth was right there for you to read? it would seem to suggest that you are just interested in spouting talking points.
Justice and Truth in the USA - Fact Check:
Since Chris Matthews is a lifelong Democrat I was making an assumption that he would vote for the Democrat Party candidate.
That seems to be an entirely valid assumption on my part.
An assumption based on an assumption. The fact that Matthews worked for Tip O'Neill however many years ago does not in itself make him a "lifelong Democrat".
Don't pay any attention to what Matthews actually says, or anything, just make a series of assumptions. We don't expect anything better from your type.
Justice and Truth in the USA - Fact Check:
He worked for FOUR dems - read his bio sometime.
And then voted for Bush. So your "lifelong" description is based purely in fantasy.
He worked for four Dems THIRTY YEARS AGO, back when the Weinerdog was a lefty
Earlier you asserted as fact that Matthews is "a liberal". You were asked to back it up with a link to the specific quote.
Five hours later, still waiting.
No it seems like an entirely stupid assumption on your part since he has admitted to voting for George Bush at least once. In other words you NEVER know what you are talking about and embarass yourself regularly
"because even though i might not vote for him..or vote for him depending on the options". it was right there for you to read, justice. so you based your emphatic "assumption" that he would "not" vote for mccain on something not even supported by what he said.
Sounds to me like your reaching across party lines to welcome us to see things your way.
Leiberman, Miller, Hatch, and Gingrich--you must be batsh*t crazy. I've got an idea--why don't you join us in voting for Dennis Kuchenich (sp?) or Al Franken for President? I could get with either program.
Odd that you omitted things from your little bio, like this:
"As a young man [Matthews] supported Barry Goldwater [...] Despite having worked for Democrats, Matthews has said, "I'm more conservative than people think I am. ... I voted for George W. Bush in 2000."
[link to en.wikipedia.org]
Oh yes, and the very "fine" Zell Miller....
...Now there's a fellow who really did indeed get "past the partisanship and hatred" (your words) when he mocked Kerry's commander-in-chief qualifications while he spoke at the Republican convention.
---"On the Democrat side you have fine people such as Joe Leiberman"---
Oh, and Mr. Fact Check? It's been well over a year since Lieberman was a Democrat.
Try and keep up.
Justice and Truth in the USA - Fact Check:
[from wikipedia]
Lieberman is now officially listed in Senate records for the 110th Congress as an "Independent Democrat",[1] and sits as part of the Democratic Senate caucus in the 110th Congress.
------------------------------------------
Lieberman is not a "Democrat" as you falsely stated. Thanks for confirming.
You've failed at convincing even one person here that you have much interest in getting your facts straight.
That's very "clintonian", Dave.
Lieberman is a traitor. He is no Dem. I did hear he and Bush had a great gay kiss together though. You might want to check that out for a fact.
---"That's very "clintonian""---
My, THAT remark isn't getting beyond the "partisanship and hatred" (your words) very much. Tsk tsk.
Lieberman quit the Democratic Party. He is NOT a Democrat, as you stated earlier. It's a "fact" that YOU got wrong. Own up to it.
Which does not make him a member of the Democratic party. You NEVER know what you are talking about. Self righteous Joe can call himself a penguin if he wants to but that wont make him one.
There is no such thing as a Democrat side. Since you are so stupid you dont even know the name of the largest political party in the US it make sense you would tell us about the Democrats that Tweety worked for 30 YEARS ago back when Micheal Savage was a liberal named Weiner. Also being a member of the Democratic Party isnt the same thing as being a liberal for instance nutbags like Zell Miller. Ya got nothin. You never do.
UPDATE !!!!!
Sen. Robert Byrd is a lifelong KKK member, and the current Pope whatshisname is a lifelong member of the Hitler Youth.
If you want to go there Bush grandfather prescott Bush was a Nazi. The Bush family made their money supporting the Nazi war machine. Here is a fact for both of you.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1312540,00.html
Rumours of a link between the US first family and the Nazi war machine have circulated for decades. Now the Guardian can reveal how repercussions of events that culminated in action under the Trading with the Enemy Act are still being felt by today's president
George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany.
The Guardian has obtained confirmation from newly discovered files in the US National Archives that a firm of which Prescott Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism.
His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy.
ahiddensaint764, I hope you understood that I was mentioning those because they're as irrelevant as Matthews political status decades ago.Grandpa Bush's and the Pope's history are rarely mentioned in the media, while Byrd's history is a staple of the conservative media.
The importance of skeletons in the closet and good deeds seems to be on a different timeline for different political leanings.One poster on these very Sunday items was even bragging about the Repubes stance on civil rights- in 1964.
and that is why had to include the part about Bush grandfather. Yes I went there
10-4
On the Democrat side you have fine people such as Joe Leiberman and Zell Miller; on the Republican side you have fine men such as Orin Hatch and Newt Gingrich.
Thank you J for T, that was the funniest thing I've read in a long time. The fact that you were serious makes it even more funny.
It's nice to know that some libs have a sense of humor about stuff.
- Justice R. Truth - aka, jrtruth
Are you kidding? Many of the liberals here are hilarious. Its hard to tell what to take seriously however when most of what you post is pure propagandistic nonsense
You make it sound like the Liberals on this site aren't funny. Your misinformation knows no bounds.
HBLefty cracks me up, Salon can be funny as hell, and I'm a hoot. Snoopy, Tex, DaveChicago, and many others have their moments. I'm sure I've left out many others that have made me laugh out loud.
With the exceptions of Jeter, and sometimes Tommy, the Conservatives who frequent MMFA should grow a sense of humor. They get so touchy when we call them on their false truths.
Rick, I'll confirm that you're a hoot.I'll add Worrierking, Neondesert,JuliaJayne, Mary59,Brabantio, and many others whose names I'm not coming up with right now.Rusty Shackleford and Valentinian are sorely missed.
You've only mentioned some of the intentionally funny conservatives, but have left out the ones who throw out the "humorless liberals" lines after their 20th Juanita Broderick rape or Vince Foster murder joke.They're pretty funny.
I concur, and apologize to all whose names I left off, or have forgotten. Another one I have missed is Holly. She sometimes turned a phrase better than anyone.
So is your entire shtick just one big joke or only the incredibly stupid parts?
T-hone
Ya almost done caught me on dat one - I means, I was jus about ta say sumptom when suddenly I sees dat there's jus no gud ansa.
Betcha ketch lotsa fellers wid dat one.
Spellcheck is as easy as your lack of higher brain function is obvious
Life's a campaign by Chris Matthews......let me guess...it's a pop-up book.