Matthews: Hillary Wanted Questions in Advance

Newsmax.com ^ | December 5, 2002 | Carl Limbacher

[Paul Atreides]

While preparing for her interview with "Hardball" host Chris Matthews last week, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton tried to pressure MSNBC producers to give her a list of his questions ahead of time.

"Right up until five minutes before the show her staff people were begging for the questions," Matthews told radio host Don Imus Thursday morning.

"I don't know whether that was her deal with (David) Letterman or what," the TV talker complained, referring to Mrs. Clinton's appearance two years ago on CBS's "Late Show," where producers actually did give her a list of questions beforehand.

For his show, Matthews insisted, "There were no deals." He sounded somewhat stunned that Sen. Clinton's would presume he would rig the interview and help her cheat.

"The idea that you can wait till the last minute and then come in and say, 'Well, what are all the questions?' - we weren't gonna do it," he told Imus.

The "Hardball" host said he didn't understand why Clinton's staffers persisted in demanding a heads-up right up until airtime, telling Imus, "I don't know what she was gonna do with five or ten minutes. Maybe (she'd) get on the phone if she didn't know something, or (she thought) I was gonna jump her or something or do an Inchon landing on her secret plans or something."

[Paul Atreides]

Chris is such a dimbulb.

[Dahoser]

So instead of giving her the questions in advance, he served up softballs. Same difference.

[Kathleen]

He sounded somewhat stunned that Sen. Clinton's would presume he would rig the interview and help her cheat.

It all depends on what the meaning of the word "rig" is.

[conservativemusician]

Chris and Hillary make some pair, eh Muad Dib?

A pair of loser liberals.

[Paul Atreides]

He sounds as if he is actually surprised by this, when he has reported on his own show in the past that she will only go on a show if she is assured that she isn't asked any tough questions or if she has the questions in advance.

[freedomson]

"What do I pay you f@#cking j#w bastards for?!! Get me those damn questions!!!"

[Paul Atreides]

I marvel at the lefty media who are in complete shock at Clinton dishonesty. It's no wonder his ratings are in the crapper.

[princess leah]

"he didn't understand why Clinton's staffers persisted in demanding a heads-up right up to the last minute" WELL, HELLO!!! This is the same woman who wouldn't let staffers in the white house even LOOK her in the eye, or hesitate to fire the travel staff or hmm, DEMAND on the senate floor that Bush tell us what he knew and when he knew it! DEMAND is the OPERATIVE word for her and her minions!

[ctonious]

Another lib stunned by the blatantly obvious.

[DainBramage]

He should have had a bunch of cups and plates on the table, then pick her a target,

saying "I want to see that throwing arm we hear so much about."

[BuddhaBoy]

Matthews will soon be out of a job. I only hope that Ailes at Fox doesnt hire him, like he did at CNBC. We dont need that liberal shill interrupting people at Fox.

[leadpenny]

The best news, well maybe not the best, but the good news is that Limbacher is an Imus fan. At least a listener.

[aristeides]

Wasn't there speculation that Hillary must have gotten the questions in advance before an appearance on Russert's show in 2000? Was it a debate with Lazio?

[Paul Atreides]

Oh man! Don't even think it.

[aristeides]

I thought, when Matthews gave Hillary those softball questions, that he must have been angling for a new gig. To judge by what he told Imus this morning, he must have decided Hillary wouldn't help him get one.

[Burlem]

So what else is new? She has always DEMANDED the questions in advance, and for th emost part chose her audience. she does not dare go into Q&A cold

[Paul Atreides]

In all honesty, I think that is the case with anything on which she appears. She was on Hannity and Colmes a while back, but would only do a taped interview with Colmes. It would be worth it to me, if I was a journalist, to back her up against the wall with the tough questions, even if it meant that she never appeared on my show again. Then again, I would have go in the witness protection program afterwards.

[J. Semper Paratus]

"What do I pay you f@#cking j#w bastards for?!! Get me those damn questions!!!"

You negligently forgot to insert the term 'mother' between, 'you', and 'f@#cking'.

You know Hillarrhea is fond of her 'mother'.

[aristeides]

If she ever did become president, I wonder how she would handle press conferences.

[Paul Atreides]

I think she would do away with a free press, in favor of a propoganda machine.