AN IMMODERATE MODERATOR (MSNBC'S CHRIS MATTHEWS)

The New York Post ^ | October 6, 2007

[2ndDivisionVet]

So, should viewers of Tuesday's Republican presidential debate expect an exchange of views between the candidates - or between the candidates and one of the event's moderators?

It's a fair question, given the jaw-dropping comments Thursday evening from MSNBC blowhard - and scheduled debate moderator - Chris Matthews.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Who in the world ever thought that Chris Matthews (a former Tip O'Neill aide) was "fair and balanced" or unbiased? Any 3 year old that watches a smattering of television would know better.

[Tully Pettigrew 1]

I think Republicans should get together and say they are not going to do this because of the obvious bias of the moderator. Democrats refuse Fox News, so why shouldn’t Republicans do the same?

[Darkwolf377]

Why worry about fairness? That pontificating blowhard will be completely fair and not let ANY of the candidates cut into his yap time.

Keep pushing your Camelot wet dreams, Chris, if that's all that keeps you going. You're starting to LOOK like a Kennedy--Teddy.

[SCHROLL]

the candidates should make a group statement at the beginning of the debate condemning Matthews as a hack and a change in format. Let them ask question of each other rather than have Matthews spew his nonsense.

[jmyrlefuller]

And to think this guy used to sub-host on The Rush Limbaugh Show many years ago...

[cookcounty]

I wish a few of the GOP candidates would let fly with Mathews and clean his clock. Unfortunately they all want to avoid offending the press, so they’ll just simper and whimper.

[Popman]

I watched Chrissy on John Stewart show.

Matthews was a blathering moron. How the RNC allows Matthews to moderate the debate show have craven and spineless they are.

I can only hope one of the candidates has the intestinal fortitude to bring Matthews comments into the debate while answering a question

[donna]

Could the GOP candidates even do it? They are not as well informed as we are here!

[HerrBlucher]

Matthews said, "God help us if we had Cheney during the Cuban missile crisis. We'd all be under a parking lot."

And if John Kerry had been President, or just about any modern day dem, we would all be speaking Russian and goostepping for the latest Stalinist dictator.

Little sissy chrissy.....the moonbats doormat.

[RichInOC]

Chris is not so much an immoderate moderator as he is a master baiter.

[Dante3]

Good point. Chris went too far and is too biased in favor of Rudy.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"Democrats refuse Fox News, so why shouldn’t Republicans do the same?"

Because we should not desire that republicans behave like democrats. Democrats shunned FoxNews because they are afraid of meaty questions. I don't want republicans to appear to be afraid or just plain petty.

It would be nice, however, if all of the republicans made a statement as to how they were going to participate in spite of the fact that the moderator is a liberal partisan.

[sweet_diane]

"Given Matthews' outrageous rhetoric - and if MSNBC doesn't haul him off the debate forthwith - the GOP candidates would be well within their rights to stay home, too.

Otherwise, viewers should just change the channel.

Well, my choices are clear.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

Actually, after his complete and utter humiliation at the hands of Jon “The Prince” Stewart the other day, I would imagine some of the Repub candidates are anxious to see him try to get past that; perhaps make a few oblique references to it and watch him foam at the mouth. Heh heh heh.

[Oldhunk]

The first Republican candidate up in the debate should announce something like the following:

“We should note that all the Republican candidates have shown for this debate moderated by MSNBC, unlike the Democrat candidates who were afraid of a debate moderated by Fox News.”

[sweet_diane]

" Democrats refuse Fox News, so why shouldn’t Republicans do the same?"

Cause it will be fun for them to watch Matthews' head explode when faced with that much truth and testosterone. :)

[advertising guy]

just imagine Reagan with this opportunity.He would be prepared and would let off soundbites that would live in infamy.........

[Signalman]

I just sent an e-mail to the RNC telling them to remove Matthews as the moderator and to postpone the debate until an impartial moderator can be selected.

Their e-mail address is info@gop.com

[Syncro]

From the article:

More to the point, why should potential voters expect Matthews to treat the candidates' views fairly?

By engaging in this sort of intemperate rhetoric, Matthews has effectively disqualified himself as an "honest broker" for this coming debate.

NBC needs to replace him as a debate moderator immediately. The job - by definition - requires an attempt to display objectivity going into an event.

Yes, the distinction between "objective journalist" and "opinion-maker" in recent years has been blurred to the point where they're nearly indistinguishable. But Matthews' comments obliterated any possible distinction.

Earlier this year, the Democratic presidential candidates refused to participate in a debate on Fox News on the grounds that the channel was "biased." That's baloney, of course - certainly the debate wasn't going to be moderated by Fox's prime-time opinion hosts.

[Paperdoll]

I expect that Matthews will shoot 75% of the questions at the top tier and totally ignore the other candidates as usual. I wish that all the candidates would refuse to appear with Chris Matthews.