Matthews Notes Clinton’s Draft Avoidance Never “Revisited”

Media Research Center ^ | 2-13-04 | Brent Baker

[FlyLow]

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews on Wednesday night wondered aloud why Bush’s National Guard service is such an issue after three years of his presidency when Bill Clinton’s avoidance of any Vietnam-era service “never got revisited again after that first campaign, despite the fact that he wrote the letter admitting he got help in dodging the draft, despite the fact that everybody knew he lied, basically, to Colonel Holmes.”

During the February 11 Hardball segment with NBC News reporter David Gregory, Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank and Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus, the MRC’s Geoff Dickens noticed how Matthews intervened in the midst of debate over what Bush did: “Okay, let’s go back. I don’t understand. Why this keeps coming back is an interesting question, because Bill Clinton’s, what he called his cleverness about avoiding the draft, back when he was up for it in his time, never got revisited again after that first campaign, despite the fact that he wrote the letter admitting he got help in dodging the draft, despite the fact that everybody knew he lied, basically, to Colonel Holmes. He never did go in the ROTC at the University of Arkansas Law School. He never did anything he promised to do. Why are his failed promises, his broken promises less interested, less interesting at that time than this guy’s are now?” Cheri Jacobus, Republican strategist: “Well, one reason was because John Kerry at that time, Chris, came out and defended Clinton and said, ‘You know, this shouldn’t be an issue and we shouldn’t divide the nation in campaigns this way. What I think is sort of horrific right now is the way people are pounding at Bush with no evidence....The Democrats are trying to find the equivalent of the stained blue dress. And it’s not out there.”

NBC’s David Gregory stood up for the media’s obsession: “I think there’s a couple of points. First of all, let me play devil’s advocate here. As some of our colleagues pointed out today at, at the briefing, there were statements from the Bush-Quayle campaign in 1992 calling on Bill Clinton and those around him to release all the records related to his draft and, and just everything related to that. So, what’s being called upon now are, are, are for all the records to be released. Secondly, I think that what’s fundamentally different about this, Chris, is that we’re now at a time of a war in the country, where, where your war record matters, where, where war and peace matters, in a much different way. Look, the White House will maintain what really matters is what this President has done as Commander-in-Chief and not what he did as a National Guard Reserve. And that’s the fight that we may, we may see more of.”

At the top of Thursday’s Hardball, Matthews interviewed retired Texas National Guard Lt. Colonel Bill Burkett, the man who claims he overheard Joe Allbaugh demanding that the Guard “cleanse” Bush’s records. But Matthews got Burkett to concede he didn’t see anything noteworthy in the files he supposedly saw in a trash can.

[The South Texan]

CABLE NEWS RACE
THURS, FEB 12, 2004

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2.2 [RATING]
FOXNEWS HANNITY/COLMES 1.7
FOXNEWS SHEP SMITH 1.2
FOXNEWS GRETA 1.0
FOXNEWS BRIT HUME 1.0
CNN LARRY KING 0.8
CNN PAULA ZAHN 0.7
MSNBC HARDBALL 0.5
MSNBC SCARBOROUGH 0.5
CNN AARON BROWN 0.5
MSNBC OLBERMANN 0.4
MSNBC NORVILLE 0.3
CNBC DENNIS MILLER 0.2

[claudiustg]

Anything for an excuse to bring up this non-issue once again, eh Chrissy?

[The South Texan]

"Chris, came out and defended Clinton and said, ‘You know, this shouldn’t be an issue and we shouldn’t divide the nation in campaigns this way. What I think is sort of horrific right now is the way people are pounding at Bush with no evidence....The Democrats are trying to find the equivalent of the stained blue dress. And it’s not out there.”

Chirs is nothing but a fricking Primadonna. His shows all week have been making this stupid national guard thing an issue.

[Conservomax]

I have a question, Does Chrissy like anybody?

[SAMWolf]

Gee Do you suppose it might be a biased Press who wouldn't push the issue in Clinton's case?

[Williams]

read what Gregory said. I heard him say it and was infuriated. First, his statement was democrat talking points, not news analysis. Second, he said the difference is it matters because now we're in a war!!! So the press was able to assume (incorrectly) that in 8 years of a Clinton Presidency the United States would not be involved in any wars??? How much more full of it can you be?

Gregory with truth serum: "Uh, one difference, Chris I think is that if you look back Bill Clinton was a democrat and we are now in a time of a big fat REPUBLICAN administration."

[luckydevi]

bias

[Plutarch]

Hey, the post is about Chris Matthews, but his ratings are not on your list. Why is that?

[mombonn]

The reason the IMPEACHED draft-dodger-in-chief didn't have it revisited is because he was embroiled in numerous current scandals.

Our Commander-in-Chief isn't.

[plain talk]

Gregory's "case" is flimsy considering there is zero evidence for this made up charge. Until there is a charge with evidence, Bush is innocent and there is no news to report or discuss. He served and was honorably discharged. End of story.

[The South Texan]

His show is called "Hardball". It should be renamed "Softball" when Rats are on though.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[kaktuskid]

More like "Noball"

[BigSkyFreeper]

Chris Matthews seemed orgasmic when he had Burkett on last night. Prodding him to say something really, really, ROTTEN about George W. Bush, to the point he was begging and pleading in that insipid loudmouthed voice of his.

"PLEASE! PLEASE!", he demanded.

I think Chrissy needs to get a grip.

[NYCVirago]

Secondly, I think that what’s fundamentally different about this, Chris, is that we’re now at a time of a war in the country, where, where your war record matters, where, where war and peace matters, in a much different way. Look, the White House will maintain what really matters is what this President has done as Commander-in-Chief and not what he did as a National Guard Reserve. And that’s the fight that we may, we may see more of.”

This is really stupid logic. Bush won two wars as Commander-in-Chief. If you don't like the way he won them, fine. But how in the world is what he did in the Guard relevant to his performance in winning those two wars? And why doesn't the media have 1/10 the zeal in investigating Kerry's anti-war activities, if what happened 30 years ago is so important?

[soozla]

Here, maybe Chris can use some "research"...........

BILL CLINTON'S MILITARY NON-SERVICE

[PROUDAMREP]

The dims and the news media do not know how to handle a decent and moral man. They want the White House Celebrity Hotel back. Chris and Timothy are just alike, the questions are fluff for dims and hardball for republicans.

[OldFriend]

Gregory has no trouble at all playing the devil!!

[F16Fighter]

"NBC’s David Gregory stood up for the media’s obsession: “I think there’s a couple of points. First of all, let me play devil’s advocate here."

David Gregory is just a jackal looking to make a name for his prissy self.

Hey David, does the phrase, "What's the frequency Kenneth" mean anything to you? Better keep the lights on all night, pal.