Posted on 09/07/2004 4:43:04 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
How's this for a 'fair & balanced' panel on this morning's Today Show?: virulent anti-Bush partisan Chris Matthews and, uh, no one.
In fairness, Matt Lauer opened the segment with a clip of W addressing a crowd and getting in this devastating shot at Kerry's latest flip-flop:
"My opponent woke up this morning with new campaign advisors and yet another position. He's against the war again." Can I get an 'ouch!'?
Then a Kerry clip popped up, with Lurch bellowing that in Iraq: "I wouldn't have done just *one* thing differently, he would have done *everything* differently. Guess he would have scrapped the smart bombs and fought the war with BB's and punji sticks.
In a sign of just how frazzled and desperate the Dem ticket has become, another clip showed John Edwards snapping at a supporter who fretted that the campaign wasn't responding to W's attacks.
Edwards angrily admonished her to understand that "we're fighting for y-e-w-w-w-w-w." You know that a campaign is in deep trouble when the candidates start taking shots at . . . their own supporters!
Then there was a clip of VP Cheney wryly observing that "when it comes to foreign policy, Sen. Kerry should stick to windsurfing." To quote Shakespeare: "bwah-hah-hah!"
Matthews agreed that if Kerry is smart, he won't be spending any more time windsurfing through the campaign.
"That's a rich guy having fun. Where are his friends? He needs to play stickball in South Philly."
Matthews fantasized that in October, Clinton will make a dramatic comeback that will create "overwhelming sentiment" in places such as the inner city and south Florida. "He could be a Lazarus."
Mocking the situation within the chaotic Kerry campaign, Matthews mentioned that there is a joke going around. "The campaign is like Noah's ark: two of everthing, two pollsters, campaign managers, etc."
Then Matthews offered some free advice of his own. "Kerry needs to open [Pres. Bush] up like a can of tuna fish on his credibility, his soft spots."
Isn't that nice, in this age of terrorism? A reporter and "analyst" recommending that a candidate eviscerate his opponent?
Matthews opined further: "I think the real lead is about 7%."
To his credit, Lauer said that after the Dem convention people explained Kerry's non-bounce by claiming that there were few undecideds to be captured. He observed that in some polls W has opened as much as an 11% bounce. Lauer then, surprisingly and somewhat snidely asked:
"What happened? Did [W] get ALL the undecideds or did he convince some of Kerry's supporters to come over?"
Matthews: "The Bush campaign destroyed Kerry's credibility and it's been working really, really well. Kerry needs to play the same kind of hardball and discredit Bush, but must do it carefully."
Although there's no doubt where Matthews' heart lies, he seemed to manifest a certain resigned sense of humor about the situation, almost revelling in the blunders and hopelessness of the feckless Kerry campaign.
If the Kerry people were watching it must have been disheartening. Your staunchest media allies mocking you and your candidate, while portraying your opponent and his campaign as a juggernaut.
Ouch. That'll leave a mark.
Cheney can be sooooo devastating with his turn of phrase.
Now it is time to close the deal.
I went to a local 7-Eleven store here on the Left Coast (Los Angeles). They are doing some kind of "Rock the Vote" contest, and right below the entry forms is a stack of Voter Registration Forms.
It will be on the way to the CA Secretary of State today.
If Kerry's campaign is indeed on the scaffold, on Election Day we must pull the lever, and finish the job. We know the media will lie. We know they'll try to call states for Kerry that he's not won. We know that they'll cry about a faux disenfranchisement of black people...and so it goes.
For Republicans, the party symbol is an elephant. We need to have memories like an elephant, remembering what Gore and his peeps tried to do four years ago. For Democrats, their symbol is...uh...a jackass...which is what we'll be, if we don't register to vote, actually go and vote, and continue to do so until 8pm Standard Time at the place of our polling.
Let's close the deal in EXACTLY 8 WEEKS FROM TODAY. (not that I'm counting...)
Hey Kerry, here's some free advice...When digging a hole,be sure to climb out before it caves in on you.
OOOPS!...Too late!....My bad..
As if Matthews knows anything about credibility.
Chris Matthews forgot himself and went on talking about "what we've got to do" against Bush. "What our strategy should be", to destroy Bush's credibility.
Only later did he he note that Bush had, over the last month, very effectively hammered away at Kerry's credibility.
Ummm Chris .. the last time Kerry was in South Philly he ordered a Cheesesteak with Swiss Cheese
After that .. Kerry could never show his face in South Philly again
Chris Matthews' attempts last night to browbeat the cardiologist he interviewed into agreeing that Bill Clinton would be able to campaign for Kerry in October was absolutely pitiful!
He must believe that Clinton is the only thing to save this election. But to liken him to Lazarus is going a little overboard, even for Matthews!
The difference is that Free Republic openly describes itself as a gathering place for conservatives. NBC and The Today Show would have people believe they are 'objective' news outlets.
As for the 'tuna' comment, as I've responded to others, I have no problem with the notion, but point out that if a GOP strategist employed similarly violent imagery the liberal press would get all over him.
He can't show his face on Meet the Press because he knows that the first question out of Russert's mouth would be: "Senator Kerry, were you ever, EVER, in Cambodia?"
Don't count on it.
Russert isn't much better than Matthews.
Let's just say I'm not holding my breath to see Kerry on Special Report with Brit Hume any time soon!
You're right.
He'll avoid FOX, just like Gore.
bump to read all later
I say, who among us does not love stickball?
I say, who among us does not love stickball?
Ewww.
And of course, there was al Quaerry's delightful comment that he couldn't bring that shotgun to the debates.
By the way, did anyone on this thread see Tom Brokaw on Election Night 2000 say, "Oh good, we're ahead." when one state pulled ahead for Gore?
bttt
bump
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