Chris Matthews and the Struggle for the Soul of the Media...

[kentuck]

The media apparatus is presently under the spell and control of the right-wing establishment in this country. Their reporting automatically assumes the Republican right-wing position is correct and the Democrat position is a challenge to that assumption. They minimize their reporting with a simple smile - as if to say this is all a joke. Disregard anything these other people say. It is imbedded in their body language.

Now Chris Matthews has threatened to leave the reservation. No doubt, he is talk and gossip in all the media circles today. Has he lost it? Has he finally gone insane? His challenge to his guests on last nights show was so extraordinary in its simplicity, that it shook some people from their slumber. Where are the facts to go with your rumor-mongering, he asked? Facts? What a concept for a journalist!

Now Chris Matthews has crossed the bridge. Will he have the courage of his convictions to challenge his profession at this historic time? Or will he be pulled back to the darkside? In his heart, he must know that something is askew when a candidate with a heroic war record is challenged about his medals while the AWOL candidate sits in the corner and smiles at the deeds of his negative operators. And the media ignores the AWOL record. Night is day and black is white.

Could Chris Matthews be the leader that reporters and the media need to reform themselves? Will others follow his lead? Or will they continue to simply mouth the words given them by their right-wing masters? Let us encourage Chris Matthews to follow his heart in this matter. He could be doing our nation a great service.

[Ghetto_Boy]

1. Tweety been a little shrill lately.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

23. Shrill? Lately? What do you mean by that?

I know you aren't commenting on the content of his remarks, but your emotional perception of his manner, but still, it puzzles me.

He's always been 'shrill', imho. What do you see him doing, how do you see him acting differently from before that caused you to say he has become shrill lately and how is it different from the way he's always been?

[Bunny]

27. Tweety's ALWAYS been shrill, my boy. n/t

[Shopaholic]

2. We can only hope and pray that they will follow suit. . .

but Faux is a lost cause--it's very existence is to bullshit and lie and CNN is all but a lost cause given their current direction.

[ewagner]

3. Just sent an e-mail

to viewer services at MSNBC. I told them that between Matthews and Olbermann, they had the market on REAL JOURNALISM on cable TV virtually cornered. I told them that MSNBC is on my "favorites" button on my remote.

I hope it encourages them.

It's about time that some of these electronic media types started digging for the truth and outing lies where ever they find them.

[pacalo]

4. Great post!

I've been doing my part to express appreciation to Chris for his fairness to John Kerry. Keith Olbermann has been doing his part, too, in keeping the facts straight.

[Generator]

30. I just have to say your name says it all!

[wtmusic]

5. Matthews and Olbermann have opened the door a crack

Chris was mad at Michelle Malkin yesterday, and in truth pretty rude. Pulling an O'Reilly on her. She would have dug herself deeper had he let her talk.

[Bush was AWOL]

8. How was he rude?

She is trying to pass a rediculous talking point without being challenged. She got called on it and deserved to be treated as such.

[wtmusic]

9. He talked all over her O'Reilly-style

C'mon, Michelle Malkin is the worst. But Tweety did not let her speak and came off as obnoxious as he does when he attacks Dems.

He should have let her dig her own grave.

[kentuck]

11. He was cross-examining....

She wanted to give her right-wing spiel and he wanted a yes or no answer.

[Bush was AWOL]

16. If she answers the question they could've moved on

but she was trying to drop in a lie without being challenged and was not allowed to do so. I wish more journalists would follow his lead. If you try and tell a lie, you may not proceed until it is cleared up.

[DemNoir]

6. Matthews will flip again most likely

He has been on a rampage since the Bush campaign used his interview with Kerry in a misleading way.So its personal with him now. Will it last? I dunno.

His feelings for the boy king run very deep. Their make up sex will be spectacular.

[Bunny]

28. ***snarf***

Their make up sex will be spectacular.

That's a good one! :toast:

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. ..

[kentuck]

10. I think this has had an impact on the media at large...

How much of an impact is still to be seen...

[olddem43]

12. Matthews' attitude has changed a lot since the convention

I actually think he favors Kerry now. Someone said that he just got a new 3 year contract, so now he is more free to take the side he wants to.

[molly]

13. He was superb last nite - that little twit was on C-Span

this morning saying how awful he treated her.

[Lex]

14. They can dish it out, but they can't take it. How typical of bullies. nt

[Liberal in Ohio]

15. Hardball

has become Must See TV for me over the last week

[DemNoir]

17. Careful!

Matthews always teases you guys then he kicks you in the groin.

Why do so many look for love in abusive relationships?

[kentuck]

19. Where do you see love ?

?? More like hope.

[napi21]

18. I sent an email to Hardblogger praising Chris. You should too!

I praised him on being someone who finally asked for a yes or no answer instead of letting his guest spin the answer to their point of view, which usually ends up being and answer...but not to the question asked.

If the ratings on Keith & Chris go up, we might have the start of getting others in the media to do some of this too.

[neoSattva]

20. The Media Requiring Facts?!?!?!

Mathews finally is challenging guests on their facts, rather than just letting each side talk and saying that that's the whole story. I'm sure his motivation is from Bush twisting what Kerry said on Hardball.

Tom Oliphant was on PBS' NewsHour last night with John O'Neill. He also did a good job of challenging him on facts, saying that what O'Neill called evidence wasn't within a "country mile" of what real journalism requires.

Is this the beginning of the media starting to do their job, or am a guilty of wishful thinking - again?

[napi21]

21. Probably wishful thinking, but so am I!!!

I understand the news business is all about $$ now, and although I don't like it, I have to accept it. If we all watch the shows that at least try to ask for proof, the $$ will follow!

I think that's the way to make the change. What we needed is for someone to start the ball rolling. I hope Chris & Keith have done that, and we the listeners have to keep it rolling.

[neoSattva]

24. An encouraging email to MSNBC

wouldn't hurt, either.

[DeepModem Mom]

22. MATTHEWS/MSNBC CONTACT INFO --

Contacts: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
MSNBC FEEDBACK: [e-mail] ;
to leave viewer comments, [phone]
Also --
Fax: [phone]
Address: 1 MSNBC Plz., Secaucus, NJ 07094

[ibegurpard]

25. Did you notice this at MSNBC?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x642317

[AmerDem]

26. I don't feel Mattthews is a leader but i do agree....

with what you said. He is locked in a struggle of his heart! He knows in his heart what the real deal is, like you said ..awol versus war hero. With the generational peer pressure we see in this country, he sees alot of people in his generation in the "spoiled braggert who really have done nothing" category and he is caught in a quandrey. Do i say and speak from my heart or do I go along with everyone else because I will fit in easier?

Like so many I see in his generation, their attitudes and behavior is nothing more then an extension of some by gone adolecent era they don't want to give up. well, I think as of now Matthew's heart is stronger then the weakness of his generation!

[kentuck]

29. Chris was in the Peace Corps...

That is not an experience that you could wipe out of your consciousness so easily, I would think. He has worked with good Democrats and understands the goodness of the Democratic Party, as well as some of our weaknesses. I think he is struggling with himself at the moment, also.

But, we should realize that MSNBC is half-owned by GE/NBC and half by Bill Gates and Microsoft. There can not help but be corporate pressure on anyone that might be in his position.

[AmerDem]

34. this is true and...

Something I have read before was the fact his bother is involved in politics in Pa., holds office in some capacity. From what I understand many of Matthew's family are repuke including the bro holding office!

His bro was quoted as saying something to the effect of..."he ( tweety )is a democrat but he is finally starting to come around". You will have to look more into it for a more detailed explanation.

[pbg]

31. My Theory

is that Chris now sees Bush going down HARD in November.

Whether this has caused a moral awakening or he sees a career opening--it would be a GREAT chunk of virgin territory to stake out, anti Bush hard-slamming pundit, wouldn't it?--I can't say, but I think he's making his move.

Especially with MSNBC maybe going away, right-wing screamers might be as imperilled as Web developers perty soon.

[Avalux]

32. An observation about the show last night -

at one point, Matthews talked about getting caught up in the emotional aspects of a candidate and not focusing on the issues. He then said "I know I did 4 years ago". Anyone else catch that? When I heard him say it, I got the distinct impression he feels betrayed by shrub; a man who he once supported and was even somewhat enamored with. A bit of bitterness came through.

And to his credit, Matthews mentioned TWICE the number of dead and wounded soldiers in Iraq thus far and why are we talking about Vietnam instead of Iraq?

[Lugnut]

33. I did.

I also watched him in the segment with David Gergen. He told Gergen, "You're my kind of Republican.". IOW, Gergen presented a calm, honest assessment of the swift boat ads calling them the wrong way to go. Gergen also said, not verbatim, that this kind of thing might work in the short term but can be devastating in the long term.