Chris Matthews: Obama Guilty of Elitist Charge - Failed to Explain Economics

Chris Matthews takes a tough stance on Obama's failures, and it's a little jaw-dropping until he remembers how he earns his salary...oh yeah! I'm a Democrat shill...and remembers the current  administration talking points that voter's are unhappy because the president has not explained the complexities of his economic policy, and oh yes, Obama is an elitist, yes he is. See the video below.

Explaining Obama Economics

Matthews is confounded that Obama has not explained his progressive brand of economic, and says every Grad school student learns that a large deficit in a recession is necessary. Obama does not have a degree in economics, and perhaps he failed the undergraduate work. We wouldn't know. All his records are sealed. He has no life experience with economics. His economic policies, and the policies of his economic team, have flown in the face of sound fiscal policy. So what is there for Obama to "explain" without being laughed off the world stage.

Matthews is also disgruntled that Obama was so very patriotic during the 2008 elections, and he believed in America's exceptionalism...so very much, but then...there were the teleprompters, and Obama talked at us, not with us, and he didn't listen.

Precious few of the claims of Obama's campaign patriotism or the belief that America is exceptional were anywhere in the 2008 election. He was caught on camera not saluting the flag. Appalling. He wanted to redistribute our wealth. His father and his mentor were both communists. Showing just how out of touch with the framework of America, he thought America had 57 states, and he had visited them all. Oh, you say...he just misspoke? Surely he knew how many states in America? Apparently not. That's as absurd as saying he didn't know he should be saluting the flag.

 In a speech at the home of Harry Truman in the summer of 2008, he gave a speech to prove his patriotism, because so many believed there was so little. In that speech, I was not comforted that he spoke of his "growing awareness of our nation's imperfections" as a younger adult. Those of us who were honest knew Obama's fondness for Islam would tip the scales to less protection for Israel. Why does that matter? It matters because Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. If we cannot stand for true democracy around the world, how do we defend our own republic?

Maybe Matthews' is looking for a way to save his journalistic life as this train wreck descends from the heady heights Liberals think he ascended.

Chris Matthews - Obama is Guilty of Elitist Charge

Partial transcript:

MATTHEWS: When he was a campaigner, he did nothing but talk about what a great country this is, what an exceptional country this is because a guy like me an make it here and only in a country like this could I have made it. He was very patriotic, very inclusive and he was very interactive in an interesting way. Ever since he has been president he has been elitist and he has come with his teleprompter, and he has given his speech. He hasn't listened, he has talked at us, rather than with us...

MITCHELL: At least that's what he has projected.

MATTHEWS: No, he actually does bring the teleprompter with him and he actually does know what he wants to say.

MITCHELL: No I don't mean that. I mean...you don't think that he's interactive even thought he's had these townhall meetings, you don't think he's given the sense...of...

MATTHEWS: No and I think he hasn't explained himself. Lincoln had to explain the Civil War, darn it.  Roosevelt had to explain everything about the Great Depression. You have to take people along with you. I think he is guilty of that elitest charge. If you are going to spend a $1.6 Trillion deficit in one year you better explain to the American people why you did it. He never explained economics the way he was taught it. We were all taught in graduate school you had to run a big deficit during a grand recession. How about explaining that. Everybody didn't go to graduate school.

Others Talking:
Hot Air 

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Chris Matthews Asks to be Told Something He Doesn't Know

Notice the sheer angst on Matthews' face as he is told Democrats may lose the Senate. He asks, "could Barbara Boxer lose in California?" He's in shock - no thrill up his leg, but I've heard from a reliable source willing to speak under anonymity, that the Nation's electorate is causing Matthews extreme and painful constipation.

Chris Matthews - Something He Doesn't Know (video)

Paul Ryan Gives Chris Matthews a Plan to Almost Completely Reduce the Deficit - Matthews Ignores It

In this video, we get an embarrassing glimpse of Liberal, Chris Matthews, asking questions he doesn't understand the answers to, and isn't interested in. The goal: catch Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) in a "gotcha" moment. It didn't happen quite that way, and Matthews ended the segment frustrated and unable to accomplish his ambush.

See the transcript below the video  -  transcript courtesy of NewsBusters, along with reporter, Noel Sheppard's excellent commentary. Please visit NewsBusters  for additional commentary.

  Chris Matthews Schooled by Paul Ryan (video)

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Congressman Ryan, is there any tax role for reducing our $1.4 trillion to $1.7 trillion debt this year -- deficit this year? Is there any role in tax increasing to help do that job?

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), WISCONSIN: I don`t think it`s a good idea, especially when we`re trying to come out of a jobless recovery in a slow- growth economy.

Look, we have got unemployment at almost 10 percent. The last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on the economy. Look, the worst thing for deficit reduction is a slow economy. You hit small businesses with these kinds of tax rate increases and you will slow down the economy further.

Look, 75 percent of those who will get hit with these higher tax rates are successful small businesses. Tens of millions of our jobs come from these small businesses. Now, if you try to blame these tax cuts and the wars for all of our fiscal problems, the numbers just don`t add up.
At best, 14 percent of the evaporation of the surplus came from these tax cuts. It all came from other circumstances: spending, economic growth declining, 9/11, all these other things.

MATTHEWS: Yes.

RYAN: So, I think what Joe earlier said is right, which is these taxes will go up. And I think that`s a mistake. And I think it`s going to hurt the economy.

MATTHEWS: Well, let me ask you one question as a follow-up.

It seems to me every Republican that goes on "Meet the Press" lately is asked, where will you cut? They say nothing. They will not mention any cuts.
(CROSSTALK)

RYAN: Chris...

MATTHEWS: No, I have had Congressman Pence on, who won`t say any cuts.
(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: So, you won`t cut -- you won`t raise taxes and you won`t cut spending.
RYAN: Chris...

MATTHEWS: So, in other words, all this bitching about the deficit doesn`t mean squat, because you won`t do either, raise taxes or reduce spending.

RYAN: Let me answer it, then.

MATTHEWS: Neither one.

RYAN: This year, Congress isn`t even doing a budget, but, last year, when we did a budget, I brought a budget to the floor that specifically cut $4.8 trillion of spending out of the budget and paid for all of these tax cuts and debt reduction. Two months ago, we put out $1.3 trillion in very specifically listed and enumerated spending cuts. So, I can go on with you on cuts. I can show you all the kinds of cuts.

[Newsbuster's Noel Sheppard] Good answer, right? Here was Matthews' astonishingly addle-minded response: 

MATTHEWS: But that`s one-three hundredth (ph) of the deficit. That`s 0.3 of 1 percent you`ve talked about.

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] One-three hundredth of the deficit? $1.3 TRILLION?

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] The lesson continued:

RYAN: Four-point-eight trillion dollars is not .3 of 1 percent of the deficit.

MATTHEWS: OK, 4.8 trillion. OK.

RYAN: And 1.3 trillion is not peanuts.

MATTHEWS: OK.

RYAN: It`s nothing to sneeze at.

MATTHEWS: OK. Let me go. 

(CROSSTALK)

RYAN: Two things --

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] From here it became obvious what Matthews was up to. He's not interested in balancing the budget. He's certainly not interested in cutting spending.

What he's interested in is getting Republicans to say what programs they want cut so that Democrats can use that against them in the upcoming elections.

Ryan saw through the charade:

MATTHEWS: I just don`t see -- I just don`t see any program cuts. You`re talking in general terms, but let me tell you this: the major Republicans that come on television will not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They won`t cut the military. They can`t cut debt servicing. They won`t -- they won`t get rid of a major cost of government.

They`ll talk about, you know, let`s freeze discretionary spending or discretionary and domestic in some sort of generalized way. But they won`t get rid of government. They seem to like government. In fact, they love to talk against it.

RYAN: Go to Americanroadmap.org and you will see a very comprehensive piece of legislation that the CBO has scored that`s actually paying off the debt --

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] Indeed, this Roadmap was released last week, but I digress: 

MATTHEWS: OK.

RYAN: -- with specific reforms to the entitlements you mentioned.

MATTHEWS: Name a major piece of the 1.4 trillion to 1.7 trillion. No, just take --

RYAN: OK.

MATTHEWS: -- just take a chunk out that 1.4 trillion by getting rid of a big program or good expenditure that people now watching can understand.

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] Straightforward question. Now watch Ryan give a straightforward answer that Matthews will summarily brush aside like a fly in front of the camera: 

RYAN: I would rescind the unspent stimulus funds. I would rescind all the TARP funds that aren
Now, you and I can get into a debate about Keynesian economics, whether it worked or didn`t. I don`t think it did. We increased domestic discretionary last year by 84 percent. I don`t think we should continue to build that kind of a base. Let`s go back and cut discretionary spending back to `08 levels.

MATTHEWS: OK.

RYAN: Rescind stimulus, rescind TARP and do a federal hiring and pay freeze. Those are just a few ideas that add up to $1.3 trillion right there.

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] Now, let's understand that at the beginning of this segment, Matthews asked Ryan how he plans on reducing our $1.4 to $1.7 trillion deficit. The Congressman just gave cuts to eliminate $1.3 trillion, and Matthews dismissed it totally: 

MATTHEWS: OK. Congressman Crowley, I still don`t see any cuts in entitlements there. But go ahead.

Cuts in entitlements? Matthews didn't ask Ryan to cut entitlements. Matthews asked him what he would cut to balance the budget and Ryan complied.

As such, Matthews was being completely dishonest. This wasn't about balancing the budget.
Matthews wants to get Republicans to say they'll cut Social Security and/or Medicare:

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: You asked me discretionary.

MATTHEWS: Congressman Crowley, let me ask you. What are the Democrats going to do about the deficit? Anything?

REP. JOSEPH CROWLEY (D-NY), WAYS & MEANS CMTE.: Well, I did notice there, though, Chris, was he didn`t mention at all his plan to privatize Social Security. Again, going back to the same old Bush agenda, the failed Bush agenda, the American people rejected in the election of Barack Obama and the Democratic majority in the House and the Senate.

(INAUDIBLE) as it may, I think Democrats have really taken steps to be more responsible. We`re working under a PAYGO system, pay as you go. And albeit there are some items that are cut off from that portion of it, we are attempting to get back a system that was proven to get our budgets in order to really -- under the Clinton administration --

MATTHEWS: Yes.

CROWLEY: -- really just -- really bring back more fiscally responsible Congress, more responsible government. It has worked in the past. Chris, I think it will work in the future. The president has said he wants to cut this deficit in half and I want to help him do that.

MATTHEWS: OK. Let`s get back to the bottom line. Are you comfortable going to the voters, Congressman Crowley, with a proposal to eliminate the $250,000 and above tax cut?

CROWLEY: I could tell you, Chris, in my district, there are very few people who make more than that money (INAUDIBLE) just a gross income of $250,000 or more. And I think, to live in the greatest country, as I said before, the world has ever known, it`s a small price to pay.
MATTHEWS: Let me ask you, Congressman Ryan -- you have no problems defending tax cuts for people who make over a quarter a million a year?

RYAN: Small businesses -- go to Wisconsin.
(CROSSTALK)

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] Now watch Matthews either demonstrate staggering ignorance or shameful dishonesty:

MATTHEWS: No, no, individuals. It`s an individual tax cut.

[NewsBuster's Noel Sheppard] And small businesses are owned by WHOM, Mr. Matthews? The lesson continued: 

RYAN: No, no. You have to understand, Chris, 75 percent of those people who pay that tax rate are small businesses who file as individuals, not corporations. That`s the problem with this economic argument, Chris, is when you think you`re just taxing rich people like Bill Gates, what you`re end up doing is you`re hitting successful small businesses. When we tax our employers more than our foreign competitors tax theirs, they get our jobs and we lose in global competition.
So, we ought to be keeping our eye in economic growth and job creation, what`s necessary to do, and that means low tax rates on businesses and small businesses in certainty. We have a whole new tax on certainty that`s hurting economic growth. We need to give taxpayers certainty that they`re not going to have a huge wave of tax increases in 2011 and then another in 2013.

MATTHEWS: OK.

RYAN: I would argue that`s depressing economic growth and costing us jobs.

Clearly not listening, Matthews went for another gotcha question:

MATTHEWS: So, when the debt commission comes back this fall, and as a two-to-one cut in spending and a $1 increase in taxes, you`ll oppose it?

RYAN: I`m a member of the debt commission. I`m working, my colleagues --

MATTHEWS: I know.
(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: If the proposal is for $2 in spending cuts, and $1 tax increase, you`re going to oppose the majority position on that?

RYAN: I don`t think it`s good form to do table talk, what`s on the table or off the table in the debt commission. I`m hoping we could put a really good dent on the problem.

MATTHEWS: OK. Well, I`m with you with that.

Thank you, U.S. Congressman Joe Crowley of New York --

CROWLEY: Thanks, Chris.

MATTHEWS: -- and Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

Thanks again to NewsBusters and Noel Sheppard

Chris Matthews Republican Suicide Bombers Video

In this video, the conversation with Chris Matthews and his guest, Politico's Jim VandeHei,  is the whine that Republicans believe they have momentum, so will not help "The President" with any of his legislation. When I hear this, and I do, over and over, I find myself talking back to the screen. The point is, we agree with absolutely nothing coming out of this White House. Everything is radical, so why would we co-operate? After VanderHei drones on, Matthews breaks in and compares Republicans to suicide bombers...and says we "don't care who dies." See the video below.

Suicide Bombers

This comparison by Matthews of Conservatives to suicide bombers is puzzling. I thought all progressives had great empathy for the "plight of the Palestinians" and their valiant fight against the Jews, you know - a dedication to bringing justice to their people. The heartbreaking act of a noble mother strapping her young son into the explosives, leading him to the 72 virgins, and not caring who dies shows martyrdom is the last act of mercy for "the people."

Conservatives are interested in bringing justice to the people as well, and we plan to use our Constitution to do, just as the Palestinians use their Charters and Constitutions to send the suicide bombers forth - or at least they did until Israel erected the wall and cut them off.

I think understand Matthews now. He wasn't criticizing us. He was pointing out how heroic Republicans are for standing up for principle. You know, Chris, it's inconvenient but you really can't have it both ways.





Chris Matthews Compares Republicans to Suicide Bombers (video)

Dan Rathers Obama Can't Sell Watermelons Comment Ignored in Most Press: Rather Explains Watermelons

Huffington Post finally printed the story - but it's Dan Rather's story, and he was allowed to publish his version without posting the video. Very un-HuffPo-like. See video below.

Former CBS news anchor, Dan Rather, told a Chris Matthews panel that President Obama "couldn't sell watermelons if you gave him a state trooper to flag down the traffic." Matthews was on-point - everyone is wary of Rather these days...tried to break in and stop Rather from slitting his throat the full 360 degrees, and in doing so, soiling the Matthews charm, but alas, if you listen closely enough you can hear it all. It doesn't get much better than this: Matthews desperately trying to keep his Black president from being slayed with watermelons.

Didn't find this in the NYTimes, or NYPost, The Washington Post, the Boston Herald or The ChicagoSunTimes. Maybe it's there but a search at each site did not show the story.

Rather, in his HuffPo piece laments that this is "what we call news today."  Of course, had any conservative news personality, retired, fired or not, said this, it would have been the HuffPo headline of the day, and stayed above the fold for a few more.

There are some hard-hitting questions on the blogs about this incident - the two best: Flopping Aces asks "what about fried chicken?" Moonbattery asks: Did you say watermelons?

The Lonely Conservative isn't asking questions. She's explaining:

Dan Rather tried to explain something we all know - Obama is an ineffective leader....But for me the only thing that coms to mind when hearing Obama and watermelon mentioned in the same breath is watermelon Marxism, which is green on the outside and red on the inside.

Here's the video, and the fact that it has gone viral, Rather blames on the "cable echo chamber."He points out that he has just done a segment on the "travails of Afgahn women," which he should know does not interest his Leftist female peers in the industry. The only thing missing in this confessional is the count of the many Blacks he calls a friend.



Dan Rather and Chris Matthews: Obama can't sell watermelons (video)

Chris Matthews: Matthews says Israelis Racist Don't Like Obama

Chris Matthews' guest Ethan Bronner eventually says Israeli's were nervous that Obama came into office and cozied up to Muslims, and distanced the U.S. Presidency from Israel. Then Bronner said "I would say that there is some level of prejudice about the fact that he had some islamic background through his stepfather....I think there's some sense here, that some degree of racism to be perfectly honest."

Well, okay, Bronner ignores Obama's Muslim father.

Gerbil-brained Matthews response:

Yeah, because they see it as a black man.

What? Bronner made it clear that the racism he was speaking of had to do with Obama's Islamic background.

Here's the full exchange, see the video at StoryBalloon:

Chris Matthews: Who’s more popular over here? Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden. Put them in order. Who’s the most popular figure over here in Israeli?

Ethan Bronner: Bill Clinton is the most popular of those four. And I would say Hillary is probably next. And then I would say Joe Biden. And then president Obama.

Chris Matthews: Okay, that tells you a lot. So tell me why the President of the United States is so far at the bottom? Is it his middle name? Hussein?

Ethan Bronner: I would say that there is some level of prejudice about the fact that he had some islamic background through his stepfather. But I think it has more to do with the fact that when he came in to office a year ago he wanted to recalibrate the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. And the easiest way to do that was to put some distance between the United States and Israel. And he did that. And that made people nervous. I think there’s some sense here, that some degree of racism to be perfectly honest.

Chris Matthews: Yeah, because they see it as a black man.

Chris Matthews Trips on Don't Ask Don't Tell Video

In the video below, Chris Matthews asks a question of a guest, and when he doesn't get the answer he wants, he gets personal.

h/p The Daily Caller

Chris Matthews and Peter Spriggs on Don't Ask Don't Tell (video)

Jon Stewart Chris Matthews Ron Burgundy: One Scotch Away From Ron Burgundy

This one had to hurt. After Chris Matthews said he forgot Obama was Black...for an hour! Stewart grinds it in: "I swear this guy is one scotch away from being Ron Burgundy." Ouch - that's harsh! Watch the video to the end, it moves to Jews and Asians, and big Irish Lesbian Gym Teachers.

Jon Stewart - Chris Matthews - Ron Burgundy

West Point is Enemy Camp? Cool Audience for Obama? Chris Matthews Enemy Video

The West Point cadets were quietly respectful as the President spoke tonight. Not once did I see a head nod in agreement. There was no rousing or resounding applause for the mission laid out ahead. This had to apparent to anyone paying attention, but this is how MSNBC's Liberal hack Chris Matthews saw it - and he saw West Point as "the enemy camp:"

Matthews said, “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.”

 Only a far-leftist would see West Point as a strange venue for a war speech.

NRO's Kathryn Jean Lopez said a "shameful low" was reached tonight when Matthews referred to West Point as an "enemy camp." Lopez received, and published, an email which puts tonight's audience in perspective:

Whether out of professionalism (the vast majority of cadets) or fear of punishment (the rest of them), the Corps of Cadets would never be disrespectful to the Commander-in-Chief.  In fact, West Point may be the only place in America where President Obama can simultaneously trash George W. Bush and announce an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan and not be booed from the right or the left.

 Here's the Matthews video






Chris Matthews West Point is Enemy (video)


Related:
Obama's West Point Afghanistan Speech Transcript: Breaking it down

George W. Bush vs Barack Obama West Point Speeches

Chris Matthews: Unfettered Arrogance

Watch this. Remember their arrogance. Vote for McCain