Matthews: Is Obama "too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago" for working-class voters?
SUMMARY: On Hardball, Tucker Carlson asserted that "the working-class voters of West Virginia and Kentucky, and their counterparts in a bunch of states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania" are "the voters you need to watch and he [Sen. Barack Obama] needs to win." In response, Chris Matthews asked, "Is there anything he can do in terms of, is he too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago for those people? Which way is he going too far?"
Having previously questioned whether Sen. Barack Obama can "connect with regular people" or if he appeals "only" to African-Americans and the well-educated, MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked if Obama is "too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago" for working-class voters. Matthews made his comments after MSNBC senior campaign correspondent Tucker Carlson asserted that "the working-class voters of West Virginia and Kentucky, and their counterparts in a bunch of states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania" are "the voters you need to watch and he [Obama] needs to win."
During the June 10 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, Carlson said that "a number of [Sen.] Hillary [Clinton] supporters" will "go to Obama as a group. Because in the end, they have nothing in common with John McCain. Those aren't the voters the Obama people have to be worried about. It's the working-class voters of West Virginia and Kentucky, and their counterparts in a bunch of states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, who didn't vote for Obama for other reasons. That's the problem. Because they're not ideologues, and they're not going to vote for the Democrat axiomatically. And, in fact, a lot of them said they're not voting for Obama, period. So those are the voters you need to watch and he needs to win." Matthews then asked, "Is there anything he can do in terms of, is he too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago for those people? Which way is he going too far?"
Discussing Obama on the April 1 edition of Hardball, Matthews asked Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO): "Let me ask you about how he -- how's he connect with regular people? Does he? Or does he only appeal to people who come from the African-American community and from the people who have college or advanced degrees?"
From the June 10 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
MATTHEWS: Well, Ellen Malcolm is out there already.
MICHAEL CROWLEY (senior editor of The New Republic): She's coming out --
MATTHEWS: Good for her -- well, good to see her engaged again.
CROWLEY: It's not an Obama campaign event, Center for American Progress. But the issue is John McCain's record on women. They're not going to be saying positive things.
MATTHEWS: That's faster than I thought. You know? Tucker? That's a --
CARLSON: Well, that's -- I mean, that's not surprising.
MATTHEWS: -- fast retrieval of the opposition forces there.
CARLSON: Well, it is, but Ellen Malcolm is an ideologue who's focused on the issue of abortion. And there are a number of Hillary supporters like that: well-educated, urban, Hillary's feminists. And they will, I think, go to Obama as a group. Because in the end, they have nothing in common with John McCain.
Those aren't the voters the Obama people have to be worried about. It's the working-class voters of West Virginia and Kentucky, and their counterparts in a bunch of states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, who didn't vote for Obama for other reasons. That's the problem. Because they're not ideologues, and they're not going to vote for the Democrat axiomatically. And, in fact, a lot of them said they're not voting for Obama, period. So those are the voters you need to watch and he needs to win.
MATTHEWS: Is there anything he can do in terms of, is he too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago for those people? Which way is he going too far?
Believe it or not, Chris, I have a Niece and Nephew from that area and guess what, they have graduate degrees and have their own very successful busines. What a prude you sound like. You seem to try any old way to TRY to undermine Obama, but guess what, you have lost your mojo.
You seem to try any old way to TRY to undermine Obama, but guess what, you have lost your mojo.
It makes you wonder if Tweety had any mojo to begin with...
"You seem to try any old way to TRY to undermine Obama, but guess what, you have lost your mojo."
"It makes you wonder if Tweety had any mojo to begin with..."
The answer to that question is NO.
Me thinks Matthews has too much airtime to fill, which means we are subject to the ruminations floating around between the space between his ears.
Actually, I think Chris believes he's being insightful...he isn't of course, but it's hard to get that across to an ego as large as his. Olbermann & Brokaw have on occasion even tried to silence the man by embarrassing him...Chris never noticed :-O
J,
I agree, all these pundit-opinionators have way too much airtime, they attempt to fill their hour with all this insightful analysis, yet it ends up like chewing on rice cakes for an hour, not much substance.
In any event, I don't find this kind of stuff so insulting, at least not near as much as MMFA does. This is no way like what Dick Morris says when he accuses Obama of being unpatriotic, that is ridiculous........but this goes to electoral appeal and strategy, perfectly fair game for pundits to discuss without irritating anyone, MMFA included.
Matthews has his opinion, as I have said before, he is not lobbing pernicious personal insults at Obama here, he is tossing around how political strategy and demographics where the candidates are concerned.
It took awhile for me to get there, but this is WITH, in my opinion.
:)
It's true, that's a McCain strategy to defeat Sen. Obama in certain States: portray him in a cartoon-like manner to the People in those States, and play upon whatever vague (and even prejudicial) opinions some of the People in those States might have, about Sen. Obama...
And so that's what the political media hack chris matthews did... he drew two cartoon characters: an intellectual Professor at a prestigious University, and Bad Bad Leroy Brown.
All that does though is make more of a cartoon character out of chris matthews than he already is: a $5 million dollar a year political media hack, drawn so much to look like Tweety Bird, that Warner Bros. is considering suing for royalties.
As far as what has been said in the transcript, and particularly the part spoken by tucker carlson (himself some kind of cartoon character, of some kind of boy who ages and ages, and never escapes looking still like a boy, or sounding like one)... as far as what was said, it's dead on true.
But all that does is define Sen. Obama's work... that's all. All he has to do is talk to the People in those States, go visit them, hold and attend rallies, speak often, speak at length... it's the salve to all prejudices: communication.
Mr. Obama has this ability... perhaps you've noticed it. It should be easy for him... it will deliver him in a SNAP from the cartoon-like impressions that People in certain States might already have of him, and that political media hacks like chris matthews play upon...
It's easy work for Sen. Obama.
On the other hand, how to sell John McCain to certain People in certain States?
That may be a little more difficult, and a different cartoon image to overcome: selling John McCain should be about as easy as selling rat poison to Mickey Mouse.
Matthews has too much airtime to fill
I don't understand this excuse. It almost seems un-American to me. He just sucks at his job. That's all.
Gov, I am sorry, but you are seriously off the wall lately, what is with all this hate America, anti-American babbling you are doing?
Tommy, don't get too close to Gov...I think he has rabies.
Why even try to understand him? He obviously seriously deranged
;-)
I don't understand this excuse. It almost seems un-American to me. He just sucks at his job. That's all
Gov , now you sound like Dick Morris, what does being un-American have to do with this?
J,
Don't encourage him by asking him questions. Gov spends most of his time here posting nutty stuff....I think he's just a kid & he's bored.
Jeter being my puppet
Is that what a closed hand five up Jeter's backside means?
Tommy,
Gov's mind is usually in the gutter so I'm pretty sure I know what he meant. Then again he's got serious mental health issues, so it could mean just about anything. Hard to tell. The guy is looney tunes.
Oh and he hates America. Sad eh? Hey Gov, we'll help ya pack for Canada.
Oh and he hates America. Sad eh? Hey Gov, we'll help ya pack for Canada.
I don't plan to cut and run. I speak out and do things to improve my community and country. I am America, and I sometimes hate what's done in my name.
Cut the bull. Below is the post explaining why you claim you start to hate America. Sorry Gov, but it's a lame reason:
When I hear Americans like Dick Morris asking stupid questions on the TV, I start to hate America.- Governor / Wednesday June 11, 2008 1:00:03 PM EDT
If that's all it takes, I question if you love your country at all.
Good for you.
What's so difficult about governor's post? Somebody excuses a national newscasters babbling obsession with trivia and Gov. (as I understood it) thought that was somewhat un-American.
Working hard and taking responsibility aren't good American values? Defending the dereliction of duty by our media as just having too much time and not enough issues? Not something I would be proud of as a national ideal.
What's so difficult about governor's post? Somebody excuses a national newscasters babbling obsession with trivia and Gov. (as I understood it) thought that was somewhat un-American.
Of course Colonel that makes perfect sense in Gov's world. Apparently you've crossed over...
Funny I can recall many a Liberal expressing that the talking heads have too much air-time to fill & saying they often fill it with fluff or inane ramblings, and there is agreement all around...but I also understand your agenda. Always come to the aid of a Lib when they've been bested. Makes you look a tad silly, but hanging around here sometimes makes me feel like I'm flying over the cuckoo's nest ;-)
But please, do carry on.
Funny I can recall many a Liberal expressing that the talking heads have too much air-time to fill & saying they often fill it with fluff or inane ramblings, and there is agreement all around...but I also understand your agenda. Always come to the aid of a Lib when they've been bested.
I have never made the "they have too much airtime" excuse for talking head's ramblings, so how, exactly, does the fact that others having that opinion dismiss my point?
Gov,
You don't have a point, which is the point...get it?
Probably not, but I have work to do so go play with your toys & I'll be back later this afternoon. Try to play nice, ya hear?
That's better, Gov! Now you love America!Now if you could just be happy with those Ds and Fs your kids bring home from school (they've got too much time to kill there, what do you expect?), maybe I'll believe you love them too.
The relentless pursuit of lower standards.It should be in the mission statement of the Grand Ol' Party..
"Actually, I think Chris believes he's being insightful...he isn't of course, but it's hard to get that across to an ego as large as his."
The only thing that Chris is providing insight in is that not only is he foolish, not only is he a partisan Republican, he is also a FOOL!
One thing is that Matthews has ZERO clue of is that the University of Chicago is located on the South Side of Chicago!
I agree with Matthews - Barack Obama is way too intelligent to connect with regular, uneducated Americans.
Also, he is way too black to connect with regular white Americans.
Good call, Matthews.
We already tried a President who had no intelligence and look what it got us: a war based on lies, a ruined military, a drowned city, and a wrecked economy. I am ready for a President who knows what the Constitution says.
I am White and I am ready to give someone else a chance after the disaster of the last eight years of misrule by a White, frat-boy president.
Just remember if you are human your ancestors came from Africa originally. My forefathers may have left Africa thousand of years ago. Obama's father left (and returned to) Africa a few decades ago. Anyone who says he or she is not originally from Africa is saying he or she is not Homo sapiens.
I like the Goldilocks approach to sizing up a candidate. Wasn't somebody the other day arguing that Obama started out too poor, but is now too "elite" to connect with voters?
It's actually sort of an "insane Goldilocks" approach, as they're finding one bowl of porridge simultaneously too cold and too hot. But Grampy McCain is "just right".meaning lukewarm.
Is Gramps McCain too "Panama Canal Zone" to connect with regular Americans???? :-)
Speaking of McCain....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/11/mccain-iraq-comments-brin_n_106468.html
RabbitLuvr - don't you know that senile is not the PC (Patriotically Correct) way to describe an old person with a rapidly deteriorating mental capacity.
I believe the proper, PC terms are:
Memorically Challenged
Cognitively Impaired
Empirically Confused
...or you could just say that he's batsh*t nuts!
How about 'a**hole' without a soul'?
Not specific enough. You just described most of the Republican Party. :-)
I go with the "bats*t nuts" term. Did you see the Kenner, La. speech?
I think the man is senile.
I'm old, senile works for me. ;-)
I'm old, senile works for me. ;-)
You're not old, Miss Pearlene - you're aged to perfection. :-)
Also - what's up with this half-white, half-black thing Obama's got going on?
Don't you think he's being a little too black to connect with white Americans? Also, isn't he just a little too white to connect with black Americans?
I'm just sayin...
Code-breaking skill not required...
Tweety, I'm quite sure you'd never make it in the field of cryptology. What I heard from you was "Is this guy too 'uppity' or is he too much 'Sho-no-mo-fo' "
To some, especially those who judge with their eyes, I'm sure he's both; to those who listen to what he says, he's neither.
Thanks, Tweety - now we know where you're coming from.
The "too University of Chicago" reference I get. As someone who attended graduate school for four years at the University of Chicago, I don't like it, but I know what Tweety is trying to say. What I don't get is the "too South Side Chicago" crack. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Is he saying Obama is too Black? The area around the University of Chicago, where Obama lives, is one of the most racially diverse areas in Chicago. The income range is from the lowest of the low to well above the national average.
Which way is Matthews going too far?
wow, it really is true that "what goes around comes around!" Chris Matthews has spent 18 months tearing Senator Clinton apart and promoting Senator Obama in evey way. MMFA did on occasion call him on it but only for the most egregious, most outrageous and sexist things he said. Obama's supporters said nothing but quietly enjoyed Matthews' demeaning of Hillary.
Now, he's being pilloried for a mildly negative and really dumbass comment about Mr. Obama, and we're all supposed to be outraged--NOW. In fact, Matthews will continue to favor Obama over McCain and already has moved to saying many more critical things about the old guy he used to idolize, in favor of the new guy he finds--as he said today--"so fresh...so exciting." He'll continue to feel that thrill run down his leg when Obama speaks.
I'm used to Chris Matthews saying abominable things about my candidate Hillary Clinton. I don't think I have to worry about him attacking my current candidate, Baarack Obama. I just hate to be on the same side as a cretin like Matthews.
Matthews asked "too University of Chicago or too South Side Chicago?". Well, Chris, I just wanted to give you a geography lesson. The University of Chicago is on the South Side of Chicago!
Tweety isn't the only one who needs a geography lesson.
The other day, I was listening to Jeff Christie (aka "Rush Limbaugh"). He was trying to say that all of Barack Obama's efforts as a community activist in Chicago have had no effect. He said, "After 20 years of his activism, the South Side of Chicago is still there, Lake Erie is still there..."
In fact, Chicago is on the shores of Lake Michigan. Lake Erie is 250 miles to the east; Toledo, OH is on its shores.
Tweety isn't the only one who needs a geography lesson.
The other day, I was listening to Jeff Christie (aka "Rush Limbaugh"). He was trying to say that all of Barack Obama's efforts as a community activist in Chicago have had no effect. He said, "After 20 years of his activism, the South Side of Chicago is still there, Lake Erie is still there..."
In fact, Chicago is on the shores of Lake Michigan. Lake Erie is 250 miles to the east; Toledo, OH is on its shores."
The reason that Drugbaugh made that error is simple.
Quoting the words of black talk radio host Clifford Kelley of Chicago's black talk radio station WVON-AM 1690 http://www.wvon.com "Rush Limbaugh is a dope fiend!"
Most of Drugbaugh's listeners are even BIGGER dope fiends than he is.
MSM and especially these two guys are determined to make this about race. Their analysis doesn't stand up to the smell test. They use 'cultural slurs' instead of facts to back up their political analysis. When Oregon (98% hardworking white) voted for Obama and New Hampshire (98% hard working white) went for Clinton then it became Obama's Appalachian problem. KY, WV, PA, OH are not the whitest states in the country but according to Matthews and Carlson they have the most racists. Matthews says it's 400 years of history. I guess he forgot the part of history where WV became a state because it opposed slavery and that in 1864 they voted for Lincoln. He doesn't know that in the last 19 elections WV has only voted Republican 5 times. This region has an elderly population full of Roosevelt Democrats that saw Hillary the experienced established democratic candidate.
Chris needs to get off his butt and come visit the South-side of Chicago, especially the far Southside and discover that in neighborhood after neighborhood he will encounter middle-class working class people. His comment goes to show how out of touch with reality the Beltway types are.