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Matthews: "Hoover Was Wiretapping Dr. King," Compares to Bush Wiretapping
NewBusters.org ^ | 2/8/2006 | NewsBusters

Posted on 02/08/2006 5:09:35 PM PST by 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?


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: chrissyhissyfit; fbi; kneepads; kneepadsmatthews; spying
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To: p23185
I have seen some posts on FR referring to Loony Left Libs, or Left Loony Libs.

Is that kind of like a "right wing conservative"? I've never run into any left wing conservatives. Then again, I've led a sheltered life.

81 posted on 02/09/2006 8:49:54 AM PST by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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To: p23185
I have also noticed as of late people are starting to replace MSM (Main Stream Media) with Antique Media.

But we can't switch their acronym from "MSM" to "AM" because "AM" stands for "Ancient Modulation," which is the home of talk radio.

< ]B^)

82 posted on 02/09/2006 10:30:08 AM PST by Erasmus (One fine day, sad to say, we shall all become Democrat voters.)
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To: Erasmus
But we can't switch their acronym from "MSM" to "AM" because "AM" stands for "Ancient Modulation," which is the home of talk radio. < ]B^)

Thanks for that update! When I was growing up it was known as amplitude.

83 posted on 02/09/2006 1:44:20 PM PST by p23185
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To: Erasmus

How about we call it Junk Journalism?


84 posted on 02/10/2006 9:28:40 AM PST by MNJohnnie ("Vote Democrat-We are the party of reactionary inertia".)
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To: MNJohnnie

That's good. It's also the initials of a darling of said Junk Journalism.


85 posted on 02/10/2006 11:26:19 AM PST by Erasmus (One fine day, sad to say, we'll all be Democrat voters.)
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To: Mike Bates

"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..."

Hahaha! You mean Matthews didn't bring up the role old Bobby played in wire tapping him? That's what Ted reminded me of!


86 posted on 02/10/2006 11:29:29 AM PST by WKUHilltopper
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