'Non-Partisan' Matthews Condemns 'Melhman Cesspool' Over RNC Harold Ford Ad

MSNBC-Hardball/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Referring to an RNC ad as the "Mehlman cesspool," Chris Matthews was being non-partisan. Really - he told us so!

On this afternoon's Hardball, Matthews interviewed Rep. Harold Ford, Jr., Dem candidate for senator from Tennessee. The first topic up was an ad the RNC is currently running using actors to tweak Ford on his positions on a variety of issues, from taxes to gun control to North Korea. The ad also alludes to the fact that Ford attended a Playboy party at the Super Bowl in Jacksonville in 2005.

At the ad's end, an alluring woman saying she met Harold at a Playboy party whispers "Harold, call me!"

Democrats have been quick to cry that the use of a white woman is an insidious appeal to racism. Matthews wasted no time sounding the Dems' battle cry:

"Congressman, let's get out of the Ken Mehlman cesspool here for a minute. I really do, I think this is a nonpartisan assessment. The ad, I have seen it 10 times today, it has ethnic overtones, sexual overtones. I don't think Ken Mehlman was healthy accepting this kind of environment."

Three asides:

• Before being turned over to Matthews, Ford was interviewed by Norah O'Donnell. She posed several questions about the ad, and at first Ford opted for the high road, even saying "bless his heart" about his Republican opponent Bob Corker and claiming "I have too much joy in my heart to be mad.". But Ford eventually got into high gear - revved up, you might say - and made repeated references to the ad as "disgusting," "despicable" and "offensive."
• Asked by George Stephanopoulos this past Sunday whether he had attended the Playboy party, Ford gave an answer of breathtakingly Clintonian evasiveness, saying he had never attended a party "at the Playboy mansion." Maybe not. But the question is whether he attended a Playboy party at the Super Bowl in Jacksonville in 2005. Apparently he did. I guess it's a question of what the meaning of "Playboy party" is.
• Have you ever seen Norah O'Donnell make eyes like that at a Republican?

You can view the ad here and come to your own - non-partisan, of course - conclusions.

[Nav_Mom]

Does Harold date women...period?


hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[ClarenceThomasfan]

Here is the link at youtube. I've watched it 5 times already. It's hilarious! I like the part where the guy says, "Harold Ford is gonna let me pay taxes - after I die!"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kkiz1_d1GsA

[mrsmith]

"it has ethnic overtones, sexual overtones- I say sexual overtones boy!"

Chrissy channelling Robert Byrd- while Byrd is still alive!

Democrats built their Party on people who are offended by seeing members of different sexes and races together. They can't understand why any one wouldn't feel that same way.

[Bullish]

The last line of the article has a link to the video.

Click on the word "here".

[ClarenceThomasfan]

I just sent a donation to the RNC a couple of weeks ago. I am glad to see my money well spent on this ad. I may send another donation.

[Nav_Mom]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT WAS THE BEST ADD I'VE SEEN FOR ANY REPUBLICAN IN 6 YEARS!!!!
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME & FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY

[Question_Assumptions]

..Chrissie went nuts..

Little Chrissy is nuts, among other things.

[bray]

Doesn't watching MSDNC fall under the McCain Torture Act??

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Txsleuth]

The MEDIA is SO very wrong about women.

They keep saying that "security moms" are going to switch to the dems ...NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

And, like you said, they have ALL of we women flocking to Hillary...HA!! NOT GONNA HAPPEN..

I am totally insulted by those remarks...but not surprised.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He thought it was interesting that the company that cast the ad cast a white woman as the love interest for the black candidate, in a Southern state where interracial relationships aren't fully accepted. There are black Playboy playmates. There are beautiful black actresses in Tennessee. Frankly, it's not that crazy to view that as interesting.

Where the white women at?

[Salvation]

I guess the truth hurts.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Ford crashing Corker's press conference offered an inside view into his true real personality. I'm sure after that little stunt, most people who saw the video formed a view of Ford that would probably be to his dissatisfaction. He is now revealed as an immature, conceited, petulant, and clearly not up to the senatorial job.

I wish more Democrats would crash Republican candidates' press conferences much in the style of Harold Ford. The polls would quickly move in the Republican's favor, LOL!

[Arizona Carolyn]

MJF brought this on himself when he admitted in his book he doesn't take his meds when trying to influence politicians (and evidentally the public) and Rush mentioned that today...

Ann Coulter freed at least some Reps to actually go after dems on their own terms and they are squealing like stuck pigs because they don't like turnaround.

I really, really hope this gets the people here who think they should vote D to teach the GOP a lesson to think twice and GOTV for the GOP.

[Arizona Carolyn]

What about David Brooks saying Obama should run for President -- and Brooks is supposed to be a conservative.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Is that why she has said she'll give Jane Harmon's job to Alcee Hastings? (causing Jane Harmon to become very careless with National Security to make the far left happy).

[Txsleuth]

I heard J C Watts (R) ex-Congressman from Oklahoma...and ex-FOX guy...and friend of Hannity...

On CNN yesterday, and he said "I like the sound of President Obama!"...

Re: Jane Harman....I know she was taking heat for being TOO reasonable (my word)..and not LEFT enough...and I also think that Nancy Pelosi probably does NOT want a lot of powerful women in the House...to take the spotlight from her.

Re: Hastings, I don't doubt that Pelosi would put Alcee Hastings as head of the Intelligence Committee...she hasn't got a clue about what this war is about...

She said the other night on 60 Minutes that the war on terror is ONLY in Afghanistan!!

[Arizona Carolyn]

I have to give you kudo's for being able to sit through that interview Sunday night.

If the dems get control over anything we can kiss this country goodby.

BTW, did you see Weasley Clark on O'Reilly? He shamelessly admitted taking $75K from Soros and called him a great democrat who loves this country!

[Joan Kerrey]

Democrats have been quick to cry that the use of a white woman is an insidious appeal to racism. Matthews wasted no time sounding the Dems' battle cry:

Only a racist would see racism in that ad. The dems don't see a woman who finds a man cute. They see a white finding a black cute and to them that's derogatory. Just who is racist here?

[GoLightly]

Guess you have to think in terms of stereotypes to see how anyone would think it was a racist ad. Dumb hick racist white guys are supposed to want to protect their wimmenfolk from black guys who go after white wimmens. It was "code" meant to appeal to the KKK types that run rampant in fly over lands.

In stereotyping white guys, Matthews is showing off his own bigotry.

[StarFan]

it has ethnic overtones

Only if you watch with a jaundiced view. I didn't see a black woman or white woman, merely a playful woman imitating, what I assumed, was a playboy bunny. Where was the outraged from Crissy & Co. with the ad the NAACP ran during the 2000 election? Don't recall Gore denouncing it as has Corker with this ad.

I no longer watch Hardball but doubt Crissy mentioned Ford's juvenile tactics crashing Corker's press conference. I'll bet the house, however, that he will show clips of Ford, Sr. calling to complain of protesters outside of their campaign headquarters today.