A selection of deep thoughts from Chris Matthews, on MSNBC, on Inauguration Day (so far):
Upon the appearance of Vice President Cheney in a wheelchair:
MATTHEWS: What a metaphor. What a metaphor. What a metaphor.
Upon the appearance of Malia and Sasha Obama:
MATTHEWS: My daddy is president!
On the crowds on the mall:
MATTHEWS: What are those things you buy, you send away for and they grow, they fill in?
KEITH OLBERMANN: The Chia Pets? Where are you going with this?MATTHEWS: The Chia Pets, that’s what the mall looks like, it’s grown overnight….
As President Bush departed in a helicopter:
MATTHEWS: I was thinking besides seeing so many teeth of happy people smiling today, I allowed myself to float in the mystery of our nationhood…
Float on!
Let's not forget Olberman's on-air cutting off of Matthews' extended promotion of MSNBC as a network that changes w/the times...
#1 Posted by Pete, CJR on Tue 20 Jan 2009 at 03:17 PM
Also, Matthews said, upon the arrival of George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara, something to the effect of former President Bush appeared to be “walking old." Walking old?
More relevance would have been found in a comment on the tradition of having former presidents at the inauguration or, say, the years of influence exemplified by the Bush family that is unlike (or like) other families in history.
I would trade the constant, knee-jerk Twitter-like barrage of banter for smaller moments of clarity and meaningful commentary.
We’ll look back on the speech and tone of the “news commentary” that defines this era as we do the intonations and phraseology of the 1930s. “Why I outta…!” “Hustle up, kid, we ain’t got all day, see.” “Here’s your hat. What’s your hurry?!” It will be a funny comparison, and I myself am looking forward to it!
#2 Posted by Research, CJR on Wed 21 Jan 2009 at 12:00 PM
Chris Matthews insulted every wheelchair user in the nation (including me). Wheelchair use is not metaphoric for being evil or unpopular. What is wrong with people? We don't insult people by race or gender; why disability?
#3 Posted by fridawrites, CJR on Thu 22 Jan 2009 at 01:26 AM