Posted on 09/07/2004 4:43:04 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
How's this for a 'fair & balanced' panel on this morning's Today Show?: virulent anti-Bush partisan Chris Matthews and, uh, no one.
In fairness, Matt Lauer opened the segment with a clip of W addressing a crowd and getting in this devastating shot at Kerry's latest flip-flop:
"My opponent woke up this morning with new campaign advisors and yet another position. He's against the war again." Can I get an 'ouch!'?
Then a Kerry clip popped up, with Lurch bellowing that in Iraq: "I wouldn't have done just *one* thing differently, he would have done *everything* differently. Guess he would have scrapped the smart bombs and fought the war with BB's and punji sticks.
In a sign of just how frazzled and desperate the Dem ticket has become, another clip showed John Edwards snapping at a supporter who fretted that the campaign wasn't responding to W's attacks.
Edwards angrily admonished her to understand that "we're fighting for y-e-w-w-w-w-w." You know that a campaign is in deep trouble when the candidates start taking shots at . . . their own supporters!
Then there was a clip of VP Cheney wryly observing that "when it comes to foreign policy, Sen. Kerry should stick to windsurfing." To quote Shakespeare: "bwah-hah-hah!"
Matthews agreed that if Kerry is smart, he won't be spending any more time windsurfing through the campaign.
"That's a rich guy having fun. Where are his friends? He needs to play stickball in South Philly."
Matthews fantasized that in October, Clinton will make a dramatic comeback that will create "overwhelming sentiment" in places such as the inner city and south Florida. "He could be a Lazarus."
Mocking the situation within the chaotic Kerry campaign, Matthews mentioned that there is a joke going around. "The campaign is like Noah's ark: two of everthing, two pollsters, campaign managers, etc."
Then Matthews offered some free advice of his own. "Kerry needs to open [Pres. Bush] up like a can of tuna fish on his credibility, his soft spots."
Isn't that nice, in this age of terrorism? A reporter and "analyst" recommending that a candidate eviscerate his opponent?
Matthews opined further: "I think the real lead is about 7%."
To his credit, Lauer said that after the Dem convention people explained Kerry's non-bounce by claiming that there were few undecideds to be captured. He observed that in some polls W has opened as much as an 11% bounce. Lauer then, surprisingly and somewhat snidely asked:
"What happened? Did [W] get ALL the undecideds or did he convince some of Kerry's supporters to come over?"
Matthews: "The Bush campaign destroyed Kerry's credibility and it's been working really, really well. Kerry needs to play the same kind of hardball and discredit Bush, but must do it carefully."
Although there's no doubt where Matthews' heart lies, he seemed to manifest a certain resigned sense of humor about the situation, almost revelling in the blunders and hopelessness of the feckless Kerry campaign.
If the Kerry people were watching it must have been disheartening. Your staunchest media allies mocking you and your candidate, while portraying your opponent and his campaign as a juggernaut.
LOL. Of course! How could I have so quickly forgotten?
Aw, Chrissy, you're not giving Kerry anywhere near the credit he deserves for that. (Like it's Team Bush's fault Kerry is a pathological liar?)
Kerry remains vulnerable as well on his association with or meeting with the North Vietnamese Communist. Also, his pro-Hanoi voting record that put human rights behind his fondness for the communist will be more than a little hard to explain to a public that will see he's almost a lone wolf in his support for Hanoi.
LOL!
BUSH WINS BIG
So far, this story hasn't gotten real traction in the press. It will be interesting to see whether, as in the case of the Swift Vets, there comes a point where the MSM can no longer ignore the story. Someone will have to take the lead. The Swift Vets don't have first hand knowledge of this. Someone else would have to step forward.
I agree that it either has to come out in a news story or in an TV ad. I don't think it's ever been disputed. But I agree with you on one thing. Don't expect 60 MINUTES to check this story out about Kerry's contacts with North Vietnamese Communists out when it can be busy figuring out if George Bush forgot to brush his teeth one night while in the National Guard.
Mathews never stops talking and his quests rarely finish a statement, thus he does not stop to realize that Kerry fired all of his amumunition two months ago. there is nothing NEW to say.
Did Fineman really say that on the Today Show? LOL That is hilarious!
No, he was a guest of Imus (by phone).
Thanks for the briefing. You should be an honorary psychiatrist. You've analyzed enough nutcases.
Matthews is just saying that Kerry's campaign should hit back like Zell hit him. That's reasonable political advice. Kerry was shredded in NYC. If he wants to stay afloat, he has to do likewise. How's that controversial?
Chris may have inadvertently exposed a real problem area for Kerry...his lack of friends. Like, other democrat senators making the talk show rounds for their guy. I haven't seen them, have you?
Leni
The media is interview themselves because nobody at kamp kerry has "gravitas".
The media is just plain stunned. They are harder hit than the kerry compound. The whole worldview has be rejected en mass. Their credibility as a news source is nil.
There only hope is ........ kerry.
(hahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha)
To be served with a refreshing appetizer of "Lettuce Roll."
Sure, you can find ways to criticise Bush, since he's not perfect, and since, even if he is, things don't always go perfectly.
But if Kerry succeeds in "opening him up," what he'll find is an honest straight shooter with vision who cares about doing what's right.
OTOH, if you open up Kerry, you'll find blind ambition mixed with socialism.
Hey! Maybe the Dems can have a "do over" on their convention! You know, so they can find someone to slam Bush like Zell slammed Kerry. Oh, and M. le Querry definitely has got to get a mulligan for that acceptance speech, ya know? :0)
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