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| Matthews Calls West Point, Site of Obama Speech 'The Enemy Camp,' 'Strange Venue' |
| 2009-12-02 |
| Either MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews let one slip tonight, or it was an extremely poor choice of words. Following President Barack Obama's Dec. 1 speech, which he announced his intentions for increasing troop levels in Afghanistan, MSNBC followed with wrap-up coverage of his speech with arguably three of their most prominent on-air personalities - "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann, "The Rachel Maddow Show" host Rachel Maddow and Matthews. Matthews referred to a scene from "Gone with the Wind" about the American Civil War as an example of "excitement" going into a war. He said that was lacking in the room during Obama's speech. "I think it's true of most wars," Matthews said. "They start with a lot of excitement. I remember the scene in ‘Gone with the Wind' where the rebels are so excited about going to war with the North, a country they can't beat because of its industrial advantage and population advantage. They are going to lose that war eventually." However, Matthews also said he saw a lot of skepticism among some of the older audience members at West Point, which he called "the enemy camp" and "a strange venue." (emphasis added) "It seems like in this case, there isn't a lot of excitement," Matthews said. "I watched the cadets, they were young kids - men and women who were committed to serving their country professionally it must be said, as officers. And, I didn't see much excitement. But among the older people there, I saw, if not resentment, skepticism. I didn't see a lot of warmth in that crowd out there. The president chose to address tonight and I thought it was interesting. He went to maybe the enemy camp tonight to make his case. I mean, that's where Paul Wolfowitz used to write speeches for, back in the old Bush days. That's where he went to rabble rouse the "we're going to democratize the world" campaign back in '02. So, I thought it was a strange venue." |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #15 "So, I thought it was a strange venue." It was a photo-op. In essence, Matthews was right: it was 'enemy camp'. You take a President who has no rapport with or respect for the military, who deliberately and publicly took his time to make a decision, then made a tepid speech that essentially went over the heads of his audience, and aimed his political base. A speech that essentially said "I'd rather fight a domestic war on behalf of the progressive agenda. But I'm bring forced to do this, so let's just get it over with. And by the way, Bush sucks." I'd say Matthews was right, tho not for the reason he thought. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2009-12-02 22:18 |
| #14 He issued an apology. Not accepted. F*ck you, Tingles. Your insincere mea culpa makes you even more of a pig |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-12-02 19:47 |
| #13 You have to forgive Chrissy. He's a liberal and even the concept of someone willing making a sacrifice for the sake of others (their nation, country, et...) is a truely alien concept. To Librals its all about sacrificing others for one's own benefit. he just can't wrap his mind around it. It turns his whole worldview upside down. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-12-02 18:56 |
| #12 I guess in Mathews bizarro world people who willingly risk their lives to protect you and I and even jerks like Mathews are "the enemy". |
| Posted by: DMFD 2009-12-02 18:12 |
| #11 I doubt Mr Matthews has the nads to have ever been in the military. Peace Corps: southern Africa. |
| Posted by: Free Radical 2009-12-02 15:52 |
| #10 I've got a few years on'em, but with the appropriate legal wavors signed, three to five minutes of gloves-off in a darkened CONEX box would be most delightful. I'll tap on the door three times when finished. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-02 14:57 |
| #9 What a coincidence--he feels the same way about West Point that I feel about MSNBC. Whoda thunk? |
| Posted by: Dar 2009-12-02 14:22 |
| #8 I doubt Mr Matthews has the nads to have ever been in the military |
| Posted by: 746 2009-12-02 11:40 |
| #7 Maybe he's a Navy man - who knew? |
| Posted by: halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2009-12-02 10:42 |
| #6 Well to terrorists and their enablers - West Point would be the 'enemy camp'. So for once Tingles isn't wrong. To him and the rest of msnbc - it is the enemy camp. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-12-02 10:22 |
| #5 Considering that Matthews is a really bad modern version of Tokyo Rose.... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-12-02 10:08 |
| #4 "I think it's true of most wars," Matthews said. "They start with a lot of excitement. But seldom any..."thrill running your ones leg." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-02 10:00 |
| #3 "I think it's true of most wars," Matthews said. "They start with a lot of excitement. And Mr. Matthews personal frame of reference is? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-02 09:56 |
| #2 Bah, link went bad - try this. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-12-02 09:27 |
| #1 Well, Chris, a look at this would tell most people who they can afford to call their 'enemy' and who they shouldn't. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-12-02 09:25 |