Matthews Lambastes Lieberman: 'Terrible, Terrible' VP Candidate

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Here's the problem with Chris Matthews playing footsie with the idea of running for US senator from Pennsylvania. When I hear him say something nowadays, I often can't help but wonder whether he means it, or is just trying to position himself for a possible run.

Take this evening's Hardball, during which Matthews went off on Joe Lieberman, castigating him as a "terrible" running-mate for Al Gore in 2000. Kiki McLean, a senior Clinton advisor, was Chris's guest. She mentioned that she had served as an aide to Lieberman in 2000, and to Gore when he was the Veep candidate [presumably in 1992]. That set Matthews off.

View video.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Matthews no Joe fan ping to Today show list.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Matthews mauls Lieberman ping to Today show list.

[gundog]

Matthews may wanna tone down the anti-gun rhetoric if he’s seriosly considering a run.

[Enchante]

I expected to see a lot more of this a long time ago — once it became obvious that the Demagogues were lurching left the Lieberman became a very convenient scapegoat for 2000. Now that he is out of step with so much of his party (because they are weasels and surrender-monkeys) they will re-write history to blame him for everything that’s gone wrong since 2000.

[Hamilcar_Barca]

In reality he actually helped Gore especially in Florida although fortunately not enough.

[chiefqc]

You mean that there are other things that he does besides enjoying the sound of his own voice?

[learner]

Yes spitting and slobbering on his guests.

[Alberta's Child]

Lieberman is one of the most reliably leftist members of the U.S. Senate -- and has been for years.

His selection as Gore's running mate was an enormous blunder. He didn't attract any voters that weren't already voting for Gore, and he represents a state that would vote for Osama bin Laden before it ever voted for a GOP presidential candidate.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Update 7:50 PM: Chris Jumps the Gun

Matthews is co-anchoring this evening's PA primary coverage with Keith Olbermann. At one point, Matthews declared that it was 8 o'clock and that the Pennsylvania polls had closed. There was only one problem: it was only 7:30 and the polls were open for another 30 minutes, as you'll note in the screencap. After throwing it to David Gregory's panel for some more schmoozing, Matthews returned and informed viewers that the polls were in fact still open, but didn't mention his earlier gaffe.

View video here.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Here’s a working link to Matthews jumping the gun and proclaiming the PA polls close 1/2 too early:
http://newsbusters.org/static/2008/04/2008-04-22MSNBC.wmv

[capydick]

Here’s a working link to Matthews jumping the gun and proclaiming the PA polls close 1/2 too early:

How sweet would it be if one of his colleagues made the same mistake the night he is on the ballot?

[Ouderkirk]

I’ve taken to caling Mathews show DirtBall instaed of Softball.

[FORTRUTHONLY]

Take this evening's Hardball, during which Matthews went off on Joe Lieberman, castigating him as a "terrible" running-mate for Al Gore in 2000.

The problem with the 2000 running Democratic team was Al Gore, not Lieberman. Lieberman was the one who brought some sort of relief to the possibility of Gore ending up as a president.