Matthews: "Hoover Was Wiretapping Dr. King," Compares to Bush Wiretapping

NewBusters.org ^ | 2/8/2006 | NewsBusters

[Mike Bates]

On Tuesday's Hardball, the discussion turned to Jimmy Carter's remarks at the funeral of Coretta Scott King. The former president had brought up wiretapping. Host Chris Matthews observed: "Of course that‘s hot because J. Edgar Hoover was wiretapping Dr. King and feeding all the dirty to LBJ, you know?"

The former FBI chief had indeed wiretapped the late civil rights leader, but not on his own authority and initially not for President Lyndon Johnson. King biographer David Garrow wrote in a 2002 Atlantic Monthly article:

"On October 10, 1963, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy committed what is widely viewed as one of the most ignominious acts in modern American history: he authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation to begin wiretapping the telephones of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Kennedy believed that one of King's closest advisers was a top-level member of the American Communist Party, and that King had repeatedly misled Administration officials about his ongoing close ties with the man."

Earlier in the program, Matthews had said that at Mrs. King's funeral, "Senator Ted Kennedy reminded us of the role his brothers had played with Dr. King, getting him out of jail back in 1960." This role included Bobby Kennedy inappropriately calling the sentencing judge in the case. There's strong reason to believe the Kennedys' sudden interest was politically motivated. Kennedy's call took place only days before the 1960 presidential election. So grateful was Dr. King's father that he announced, "Because this man was willing to wipe the tears from my daughter (in-law's) eyes, I've got a suitcase of votes, and I'm going to take them to Mr. Kennedy and dump them in his lap."

It's understandable that Teddy Kennedy wouldn't bring up his brothers' role in wiretapping Martin Luther King. But why wouldn't Chris Matthews mention their widely known involvement?

[satchmodog9]

What a prick Chrissy is and always will be.

[new yorker 77]

He is a mentally unstable, disgruntled, lying, leftist, propagandist with no desire for ratings or truth.

[Reactionary]

Where do they get these morons, anyway?

THe comparison is supposed to be between an American civil rights leader and Islamic terrorists who want to murder everyone? Is that right?

The entire news media is so stupid it's embarassing.

[Swanks]

He has to pander to the MoveOn base. All 20,000 of them that make up the audience of his show.

[Bahbah]

Hissy has lost what credibility he had left. He went on to berate Torie Clarke in an episode reminiscent of Michelle Malkin's appearance. It was awful.

[NormsRevenge]

re "a mentally unstable, disgruntled, lying, leftist, propagandist "

O'Reilly just had Al Sharpton on, I guess Chris was slow in getting Al to come on his show. I clicked away after a minute of Al's "meanderings" in and out of reality.

[new yorker 77]

Watching Chris Matthews or Keith Olberman is like sucking your thumb in the fetal position as you clench a Kerry-Edwards poster .

[BenLurkin]

He's an idiot (in my opinion).

[keithtoo]

Hoover was the agent, but RFK (peace be upon him) was the inquisitor.

[new yorker 77]

I will watch History Channel or Discovery Channel when Bill has leftists who rant.

[Lobbyist]

LOL

[MNJohnnie]

No Chrissy, your Hysteric Leftist Icons, Jack and Bobby Kennedy ordered this wiretapping of DOMESTIC political foes. Seems the Hysteric Left is unable to recognize the difference between domestic political opposition and operations against foreign foes.

[new yorker 77]

Matthews brain is made of llama afterbirth.

[thoughtomator]

And who, pray tell, is the Dr. Martin Luther King of Islamic fanaticism?

[Gordongekko909]

Lest we forget: the guy who ordered the wiretapping was this guy,

brother of this guy.

[Mike Bates]

And those are his good points.

[Ann Archy]

Spittin' Chrissy is a PUNK! How did he beat up on TorieA? How did she take it? I haven't watched since he did that to Michele Malkin!!

[jazusamo]

Read the post and was ready to slam him but everything had already been said, won't watch him though.

[new yorker 77]

[tbone56]

I rarely watch Crissy but I caught the segment with Ms Clarke. His rant was beyond rude. The guy's a nutcase.

[Wiseghy]

Why did Nazism and Stalinism spring from the Left side of the spectrum? Yeah, its an extreme example, maybe unfair, but I feel it was no coincidence historically

[Bahbah]

How did he beat up on TorieA? How did she take it?

Well, he went on at great length at how every single reason for going to war in Iraq had been debunked and basically called her a liar and never gave her any real opportunity to respond. It was not an interview, it was an ambush. It was awful. She was trying to respond and he cut her off and went to his next segment.

[carlr]

I believe Matthews held some position in Carters administration,so that should give some insight into his wisdom.

[rdcorso]

Just about every American knows about the dirty dealings of the lowlife Kennedy klan but sloppy liberals like Chris Mathews like to pretend that it's a secret.One look at a red faced tub of shit like Ted Kennedy or Chris Mathews and you'll realize how pathetic they are.

[Mike Bates]

From his MSNBC bio:
Matthews spent 15 years in politics and government: he worked in the White House for four years under President Jimmy Carter as a Presidential speechwriter and on the Government Reorganization Project, in the U.S. Senate for five years on the staffs of Senator Frank Moss (Utah) and Senator Edmund Muskie (Maine), and was the top aide for Speaker of the House Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Jr. for six years.

No wonder he's messed up.

[0siris]

I said this yesterday and I'll say it again:

When you make Bush's wiretapping of Al Quaeda with RFK's wiretapping of Civil Rights leaders morally equivalent, you are also making Al Quaeda and Civil Rights leaders morally equivalent. You are either lowering Martin Luther King to the status of Richard Reid, or you are elevating Richard Reid to the status of Martin Luther King. How irrational and immoral do you have to be, to make such a comparison? The left is dangerous, and should never, ever recieve political power, ever. Because that's how stupid and corrupt they are (amongst other evidence).

[Brilliant]

Is he implying that Martin Luther King was a terrorist?

[Sonny M]

There is something sad about comparing the wiretapping of Martin Luther Jr to wiretapping Al Queda.

Chris Mathews may not mean it, but he is essentially equating Martin Luther King with Osama Bin Laden.

[Mike Bates]

Just about every American knows about the dirty dealings of the lowlife Kennedy klan

I wish that were true, but I'm not so certain. My personal experience is the more years a person spends in college, the less likely they are to be aware of the Family Kennedy's mischief.

[Ann Archy]

Thanks...he's so boorish.

[oldtimer]

I distinctly recall that Martin L. King belonged to twenty-four communist organizations.

In those days, yes it was OK to indentify communist organizations that way.

[jwalsh07]

Mathews gives cognitive dissonants a bad name.

[Mike Bates]

Don't think so. On the same show he said, ". . .Martin Luther King, the great man of all times. . ."

Most worshipful.

[muawiyah]

Why am I not surprised to find Russert as senile as Jimmuh' Kkkartuh'?

[muawiyah]

The FBI, et al, weren't terribly interested in King, per se, but he had a major advisor who was almost always with him who was a top ranking Commie.

The general trend of analysis the last 20 years has been toward exonerating Kennedy and Hoover since materials obtained from the Russians (about this guy and many others) demonstrate that this fellow was very dangerous.

[CIDKauf]

I disagree...Hoover was a demi-god in this country by then. He had files on John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Richard Nixon, and any one of a number of citizens that HE deemed a risk, and carried them through all administrations, orchestrating whatever was necessary in HIS mind to supply crucial information on domestic matters to any political group in power at the time.

[BenLurkin]

Matthews comes across as being very 'oral'.

The guy slobbers over Slick Willy.

[AmishDude]

Did you know that Chris' brother is running for Lt. Gov. in PA?

As a Republican.

On the ticket with Swann.

[new yorker 77]

I had no idea.

He may be the opposite of Non-Reagan on MSNBC as well.

[new yorker 77]

There is still hope that Pennsylvania does not regress into New York.

[AmishDude]

For the record, do you happen to remember this advisor's name? I'd like to know in case I run across it again.

A lot of commentators have been saying that the FBI actually wanted extramarital dirt on MLK and, to my recollection, that ended up being an afterthought, but I don't know.

[new yorker 77]

James R. Matthews--Thomas Jay Ellis, Esq.--Ruth S. Damsker

[new yorker 77]

[AmishDude]

Pennsylvania will be the state to watch this year. The Gov. race plus the Senate race (the only one that the GOP could lose) make it worth watching.

[new yorker 77]

I think Santorum will pull out a win.

[Panzerlied]

"Why did Nazism and Stalinism spring from the Left side of the spectrum? Yeah, its an extreme example, maybe unfair, but I feel it was no coincidence historically"

It is because Communists and Socialists exalt the collective and deny the rights of individuals. The right believes in individual rights and that governments exist to defend these rights.

[Zack Nguyen]

he authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation to begin wiretapping the telephones of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Kennedy believed that one of King's closest advisers was a top-level member of the American Communist Party

As I understand it, one of King's top people in fact had been a Communist. Whether he still was one I don't know, but I doubt it.

[Brilliant]

Don't think so. On the same show he said, ". . .Martin Luther King, the great man of all times. . ."

Most worshipful.

Yeah, but some people feel the same way about Osama bin Laden, and he's a terrorist. Since Chrissy says that intercepting King's phone calls is like Bush intercepting calls between terrorists, I think he's saying that King was a terrorist.

[AmishDude]

I do too. When Pennsylvanians see the name "Casey" they think they're getting a MiniMe of his father. I saw him in the primaries against Rendell and he as all the charisma of a wet sponge. And for a pro-life candidate, he doesn't mention it on his website. He's only pro-life to the extent that people will use it to associate him with his father.

The best thing he can do is not campaign. At all. Santorum will have to work, but based on voting patterns, the Nelsons look a lot more nervous than Rick.