Matthews on Obama…
Tonight on Hardball, Chris Matthews offered his opinion on what Sen. Barack Obama needs to do tomorrow night at the Democratic candidates debate in Philadelphia. Matthews gives his version of exactly what Sen. Obama should say tomorrow night to take on Sen. Hillary Clinton in the polls. Transcript follows…
Update: Ian Schwartz has the video…
MATTHEWS: Here’s what I think Obama should say, starting tomorrow night in the big MSNBC debate in my hometown of Philly.
“This country’s in a rut - a rut that leads to endless war in Iraq, that leads to inevitable war with Iran.
The American people, and not just the Democrats, want to get our country out of this rut. The great majority of them want this election to take us to a new place, not just led by someone smarter along the same rut.
I promise to take us to that new place. Senator Clinton is smart. She’s hard-working. She’s serious. But every vote she has cast, every word she has spoken says ‘yes’ to the status quo. She voted to approve the war with Iraq. She just voted with the hawks to target Iran. She always seems to choose the safe vote that leaves this country in the same rut, the rut of fearful politics and endless war.
I promise change. I promise a new approach. I promise deliverance from the rut of endless war in Iraq, inevitable war in Iran.So there you have it. It’s for you, my fellow Democrats to decide. If you think Bush would have succeeded with his policies if they were better executed, then go with Senator Clinton. If you think the Bush policies were wrong, dead wrong, I’m with you.”
That’s what Senator Obama should say if he wants to really challenge Hillary Clinton for the leadership of the Democratic party.
RUT..”The periodic sexual excitement of certain male mamammals” .Matthews is Rutting season again, LOOK OUT GIRLS!
Comment by mike — October 29, 2007 @ 9:59 pm
He’s not wrong, although I don’t think Obama is going to do that. He’s too focused on being the candidate you’d most like to give a hug, than elect president.
As for Matthews, I’d like to see him do this type of speech for all the candidates. I’d be interested to know if he did (will do) it for anyone else.
Comment by ImNotBlue — October 29, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
And people still try to deny that Matthews is a Liberal/Dem.
Comment by mlong — October 29, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Yes, “PEOPLE” will deny it, because Chris is as every bit as pro-Rudy and anti-Hillary as Sean Hannity. Maybe if you actually WATCHED “Hardball”, and saw Matthews’ unrelenting venom-filled attacks on the Senator along with his interrupting any negative statements about the ex-Mayor (Perry Bacon of the Washington Post couldn’t even get one word in today, and just shook his head, laughing), you would enjoy the show.
Comment by Dmuse — October 30, 2007 @ 12:33 am
But Obama doesn’t say how he will combat Islamo-fascist terrorism long-term, as if it doesn’t exist. He doesn’t show leadership and hasn’t done much in IL except vote to raise taxes. Maybe he should come back when he’s older and more experienced…
Comment by xtina — October 30, 2007 @ 12:36 am
#5 - The assertion that Obama doesn’t say how he will “combat Islamo-fascist terrorism” long-term, as if it doesn’t exist” is incorrect. Don’t you remember all the flak he took from the Republicans when he declared that if the government of Pakistan was unwilling to go after Al Qaeda in the areas they are believed to be hiding then, as President, he would (order our military to, that is).
As for Matthews, he’s been plugging a Hillary v. Giuliani match-up for a long time now, referring to it often as a “subway series” between two New Yorkers.
I think Matthews hit the nail on the head in regards to how Obama should go after Hillary Clinton’s campaign, but the guy is getting annoying with his romanticizing of a “subway series” general election. Matthews knows politics inside and out, but he is getting ridiculous about this. This isn’t the World Series, Chris.
Comment by FishOil — October 30, 2007 @ 1:02 am
Obama is a Strawman, someone tell Matthews, he needs to step back and take another look at the political landscape. Obama is keeping any other canidate on the Dem side from seriously challenging Senator Hillary Clinton.
Comment by Ree — October 30, 2007 @ 9:29 am
Obama needs to do real interviews and not go on Ellen and dance. What is he afraid of?
Comment by moonbeam — October 30, 2007 @ 11:53 am
#8 - I would think that shows like “Ellen” and Tyra Banks’ show have much larger audiences and therefore are better uses of time. Also, I would think this is a strategy to reach out to female voters.
That being said, I agree that he should go on some political shows and do some interviews with substance. Personally I’d like to see him on Meet the Press.
Comment by FishOil — October 30, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
Thanks Chris. Someone at MS-NBC has to counter Olbermann’s constant shilling of Hillary. Too bad nobody really watches your show, including Obama.
Comment by Obama in 08! — October 30, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
he’s just become so unhinged. get help matthews.
Comment by Kate — October 30, 2007 @ 6:44 pm