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MSNBC v. MSNBC: O'Donnell, Buchanan dismiss "apology tour" rhetoric while Matthews set to discuss

June 04, 2009 12:26 pm ET

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SUMMARY: A Hardball promotion teased a discussion to air later that day of whether President Obama's speech in Cairo contained "too many apologies." But in the broadcast of MSNBC Live during which the promo appeared, Norah O'Donnell and Pat Buchanan rejected the "apology tour" characterization.

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A promotion for the June 4 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews teased a discussion to air later that day on the show about President Obama's speech in Cairo, saying: "Chris sifts through Obama's Mideast speech: new ties or too many apologies?" But in the broadcast of MSNBC Live during which the promotion appeared, host Norah O'Donnell and MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan rejected the characterization of Obama's speech as "an apology tour" or "an apology speech." O'Donnell said: "Some people are calling this an apology tour by the president. But isn't it about time that a president acknowledge that there -- that these countries meet at a time of tension, or these two ideals meet at a time of tension?" Buchanan responded: "I don't think this speech was an apology speech. I think what it is, Norah, is an affirmation that a sea change has taken place in American foreign policy in the Middle East."

As Media Matters for America documented, many Fox News hosts, contributors, analysts, and regular guests have characterized Obama's April trip to Europe as "an apology tour," often taking out of context remarks Obama made during his trip to support their claim. Moreover, Fox News has trotted out its smear for Obama's current trip to Europe and the Middle East, baselessly promoting "another apology tour."

From the 9 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on June 4:

O'DONNELL: Some people are calling this an apology tour by the president. But isn't it about time that a president acknowledge that there -- that these countries meet at a time of tension, or these two ideals meet at a time of tension?

BUCHANAN: I don't think this speech was an apology speech. I think what it is, Norah, is an affirmation that a sea change has taken place in American foreign policy in the Middle East.

[...]

NARRATOR: Chris sifts through Obama's Mideast speech: new ties or too many apologies? Hardball with Chris Matthews, tonight at 7 on MSNBC.

— J.H.
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    • Author by tjmccool2284 (June 04, 2009 1:13 pm ET)
      1  
      Why, oh why does Pat Buchanan have a voice in our discourse? A mysogynistic, race-baiter without an ounce of sense, gets a microphone to make his opinions known. Naturally, in this case, I agree with him.
      MSNBC is so far gone, I hate to even read about them here.
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      • Author by seeryer (June 04, 2009 2:20 pm ET)
           
        Why does Bob Shrum? The guy is the ultimate loser. I would rather see a crazy right winger on TV than a "liberal" who can't win an argument. At least our side wins when Pat opens his mouth. Either way. If he dogs our side we can just say, "Yeah, Pat, good thing it is 2009 and not 1969." If Pat agrees with our side we can say, "Hell, even Pat agrees". So I think he is valuable to the left on MSNBC.
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    • Author by seahawks123 (June 04, 2009 8:30 pm ET)
         
      Oh lovely Norah, why must you do these things that displease me? You have the prettiest eyes in television. Please don't continue to disappoint me or I'll have to tear your poster from my wall.
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    • Author by NiceguyEddie (June 05, 2009 10:20 am ET)
         
      The speech in Cairo was one possibly the best by any pesident in my lifetime. And it's highlights the different between Obama and Clinton: Foreign Policy. Obama philosphy is one of wisdom, while Clinton was little more than Bush-Lite. Also, it shows what he meant by 'putting the old politics behidn us' as he said on the campaign trail: Racheal Maddow drove this home last night by indicating how many lines in speech were things that presidents 'weren't supposed to say' because they were basically political live-wires that no one wanted to touch. But he adressed all of these heead-on and unequivocably, with the grace and eloquence that justifies his reputation as a great speaker, and our expectations of him as a great leader. I have not been this proud to call someone 'my president' in sixteen years.

      (Yes, I DID really like the first Bush, possibly more than Reagan, who I also like. Unfortunately the 'reagan' that the con's talk about these days does not sound much like the one I remembered. More like a cariciture of him.)
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