Matthews on Bush's speech: "[T]his is the second-to-the-last chance for the president"

Written by Josh Kalven

Published

Prior to the January 10 prime-time address in which President Bush announced his decision to send 20,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq, MSNBC host Chris Matthews declared, “I think this is the second-to-the-last chance for the president,” referring to Bush's efforts to rally the American people behind the war. “He has one more chance,” Matthews said. Later in MSNBC's pre-speech coverage, Matthews repeated this prediction, clarifying that this purported “next go-round” will come “six months from now or a year from now.” He said, “You'll see the president come back to the American people and say, 'Give me one last shot at this.' ”

From the January 10, 7 p.m. ET, edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

DAVID GREGORY (NBC News chief White House correspondent): You know, the American people are gone. And he knows -- the president knows his neck is out on this one. And the American people have basically left him already in terms of supporting him generally and are not supportive of this kind of increase in troops. You know, Iraqis themselves have to demonstrate some progress.

MATTHEWS: Yeah, I think this might be the second-to-the-last chance for the president. He has one more chance -- and that can't be to ask for more troops six months from now. It's gonna be, “Hang in there with me. I think it still might work.” But I think this is the second-to-the-last chance for the president.

From the January 10 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

KEITH OLBERMANN (host): The polls showing at least 61 percent of the American public opposing more troops. What on Earth would be a win for the president tonight? What could he possibly, realistically hope for -- be hoping for tonight?

MATTHEWS: Well, I don't think it's his last stand. I think it's his second-to-the-last stand. I think asking for more troops suggests hope that if we try a little harder it will work. I think the next go-round -- six months from now or a year from now, perhaps -- you'll see the president come back to the American people and say, “Give me one last shot at this.” I think he has one more chance after this. It's not the end of the game. This is the second-to-the-last battle, I believe, of this war, politically.

But I do believe his numbers will continue to go down. I think we'll see casualties in the streets of Iraq -- Baghdad -- it's going to be a bloody campaign. And I don't think it's going to yield stability.