Posted on 10/03/2007 8:37:56 PM PDT by xjcsa
See the video here.
Also, see the transcript here.
Now for the main story:
Jon Stewart Dismantles Chris Mathews
If you have ever bemoaned the turn Matthews -- a former newspaperman -- has taken in recent years, you have to check out what happened on "The Daily Show" on Tuesday night. Matthews called it "the worst interview ever."
By Greg Mitchell
(October 03, 2007) -- You may find this hard to believe, but there was a time when TV gasbag Chris Matthews was a respectable hard news reporter. He worked in Washington, D.C. for the San Francisco Examiner from 1987 to around 2000, and also wrote columns for the San Francisco Chronicle and others. But if you have ever bemoaned the turn his career took as an interviewer/talk show host – or if you just hate the inside-the-beltway mentality of many of our leading press and TV pundits – then you would have loved Jon Stewart’s dismantling of Matthews on “The Daily Show” last night.
I have no idea if there is a back story to this epic confrontation beyond Stewart’s known hatred of loudmouth TV bullying (remember his famous attack on “Crossfire” a few years back?). But what was on the screen right in front of our noses was shocking enough, not to mention long overdue. Matthews, growing angry, called it “the book interview from hell” and his "worst interview ever," adding, "You are the worst."
Matthews accused him of "trashing my book." Stewart said he was actually "trashing your philosophy."
The "Hardball" host was there, like so many others before him, simply to hype his new book, “Life’s a Campaign.” Stewart was after him right from the start. He described the book as claiming that “people can use what politicians do in political campaigns to help their lives. ... That strikes me as fundamentally wrong.” Rather than a self-help book it is really a “self-hurt book, if you will," he added. "Aren't campaigns fundamentally contrivances?"
Matthews agreed, but said you could still learn from successful politicians – like them, you sometimes have to “sell yourself” to get a job or manipulate people to get ahead.
"But there has to be some core of soul in there," Stewart replied. "There's nothing in this book about, 'Be good, be competent.'"
Matthews said THAT book had been written before – and it was the Bible. But Stewart, when he is on his game, can be quick and erudite, and now he pointed out that Matthews’ new book had also been written before – and it was Machiavelli’s “The Prince.” Matthews claimed his book was better than "The Prince."
Stewart then twice called Matthews’ book "a recipe for sadness. ... If you live this book, your life will be strategy, and ... you'll be unhappy."
Matthews, finding himself on the receiving end for a change, invited Stewart to “Hardball,” and "we can play this both ways." Stewart replied, “I don't troll," drawing gasps from the audience.
"You are unbelievable," Matthews said. "This is a book interview from hell. This is the worst interview I've ever had in my life. This is the worst. You are the worst." Matthews accused him of being another Zell Miller but Stewart said that, unlike the former senator, he would not challenge Matthew to a duel.
Sputtering for an explanation, Matthews charged that "you are afraid of me" and there must be something in his book “that you fear."
"Like fascism, I fear fascism," Stewart responded.
This was worth waiting a decade for. You can watch the interview here.
Perhaps we should close with a quote from Machiavelli: "Because how one ought to live is so far removed from how one lives....it is necessary for a prince, wanting to maintain himself, to learn how to be able to be not good and to use this and not use it according to necessity." Now, that's playing hardball.
Use their search tool:
Try - ‘jon stewart matthews’
and it will bring up
‘Interview from Hell’
It’ll be the top of the list
Bookmarking video
Stewart is a lib. Why does he have a problem with Matthews?
Did you read Mathew’s book already?
Whoa - I have not seen Stewart before although I have seen Matthews - anyway, I listened to, rather than watched, the exchange and it was awesome - Stewart devastated Matthews - think of the Nixon-Kennedy debate - those who watched said Kennedy won and those who heard it on radio said Nixon won -my kids told me they watch Stewart and I might now do so.
self ping.........
No amount of insecurity there, huh?
At you tube, type in John Stewart chris matthews and the tape will come right up.
You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t see any REAL trashing of Matthews, he came to this interview to promote his book. What was the total content of the interview..the book.
If you want to sell a lot of books...get it trashed or banned, this interview will go a long way to make sure it will hit the top of best seller list.
They were both laughing and joking, it was Stewards way to say “Don’t take me too seriously, folks” and I, for one, don’t.
.
LOL, I wish I had seen it. Thanks for posting, I can just picture how flustered Chrissy was!
"When Dirt Bags Collide"
Sputtering for an explanation, Matthews charged that “you are afraid of me” and there must be something in his book “that you fear.”
“Like fascism, I fear fascism,” Stewart responded.
I JUST watched it...the video is still there.....it’s not all that bad...I wanted to see a MELTDOWN and it wasn’t.
Jon Stewart also did it in a light hearted manner—Matthews with Malkin was just nasty and rude.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.