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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Hanoi Jane Republicans

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  November 10th, 2008 at 10:29 AM  | 

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As Caleb and others have noted, Chris Matthews has declared it his job to make sure the Obama administration looks good, regardless of the facts.

“This country needs a successful presidency,” Matthews said in addition to, ” I want to do everything I can to make this thing work, this new presidency work . . . . Yeah, it is my job.”

We have Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, and Chris Matthews now all in for Obama and admitting it. Therefore, we can conclude that any Republican who appears on MSNBC will be there solely to serve as a foil for the Obama fan club.

We should resolve to designate elected Republicans wiling to play the fool “Hanoi Jane Republicans.” There is no longer any value in going on MSNBC now that their chief faces are declaring openly that making Obama succeed is part of their job.

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE: Joe Scarborough. He’s a good guy. Go on Mornin’ Joe.

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COMMENTS

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  • bocabrian

    Are we so partisan that we would rather a country, a president, fail than have better things for our citizens? and the world.

    We should be more concerned that the country succeeds or fails rather than whether the guy/gal we wanted is running the country!

    Remember COUNTRY FIRST!

  • Scope

    The picture of Chrissy Wissy is priceless.

  • Maggie_in_Indiana

    Are you suggesting that we just follow along with the policies of Obama and his gang than fight him for “Our Country First”?

  • liberalrepublican

    North Vietnam was our enemy. It was sick and disturbing to want them to succeed.

    Obama is the president of the United States.

    It’s patriotic and decent to want him to succeed.

    Country over party.

  • SteveLA

    Erick

    I’d like to also not do business with those that advertise on ObamaMSNBC.

    To avoid watching the contagion that is ObamaMSNBC, it would be helpful for someone to post a list of advertisers who support this excuse for a news outlet. Nothing says we care by not caring to buy the products on offer from this source of Pravda.

    As an aside, want to bet that even the loony Left will now start to watch something else without Bush to be angry about. I hear MTV is running a special 52 part series on the sex life of fungus accompanied by the music of Obama and the Chip Monks.

  • Section9

    Look, Scarborough runs a reasonably honest morning show. Few people now realize that he was Don Imus’ replacement. I don’t mind sending Palin, Romney, Rice, Jindal, Pence, or any other of our bright bulbs on to Joe’s Morning show. They are more likely than not to be treated fairly. That’s the one exception I would make.

  • spainishirish

    My opinion of any Republican who appears on MSNBC has been quite low for some time. I could tick off names, particularly from the House and Senate, and the usual word that springs to mind is “dupe.”

    Sure, all networks are biased to the left. But MSNBC is openly an advocacy outlet and propaganda organ. It has been for three election cycles now, growing worse with each passing one. An appearance there is more than adversarial; it turns the Republican guest into a useful idiot. I would make exceptions for GOP spokespersons not afraid to take it to the enemy–which is what MSNBC is–but those folks don’t get invited back.

  • HerbC

    Sure, I’d want the office of the presidency to
    maintain the principles on which it was founded.
    However, the individual who will be occupying
    that office has stated numerous positions which
    contradict at best, and at worst condemn, those
    principles. So no, I do not want that person
    to be successful at his stated intentions.

  • spainishirish

    those sponsors have burned their money anyhow. Maybe that is punishment enough.

  • Scope

    I wondered if all of the Obama workers (expecially the ones that didn’t get their pay) would remain in force after the election. Uhhhh I guess they are now trying out for Obamas New Civilian Army, wearing the uniform pictured above.

    Do you look good in Green bocabrian, especially the military shade?

  • spainishirish

    Remember, Matthews actually moderated a Republican primary debate this time, if I recall. That is unacceptable unless someone like Rush Limbaugh gets to moderate the Democratic primary debate next time out. Geez, I don’t think that will happen.

    The RNC needs to make clear a Matthews-type moderator will not be tolerated.

  • Erick

    Thanks.

  • Just_A_Grunt

    Republicans should avoid the pundit shows, but if MSNBC has any real news shows left, I don’t know if they do or not, they should appear there.
    I would however make the point that while I wasn’t afraid to appear on their network it seems the same thing doesn’t apply to Democrats appearing on Fox or saying generically the rival network. Most people would know what that little euphenism means.
    Of course far be it for me to say something like, while MSNBC flies in First Class on the Obama plane others were being thrown off.
    There is simply little to no chance that you will change any minds among the regular viewers of that channel, bu tit would be fun to jab the Dems and maybe become an You Tube sensation by smacking them.

  • Fotones_de_Akba

    EE: thanks BUT you didn’t post all the good stuff,
    there’s more at
    http://www.missmalevolent.com/

    personally, I’d love to see the end of radio + tv talk shows, in general !!!

    The Internet is the place to be for political dialogue. We’re active folk here, not passive.

  • davo

    Why limit this to MSNBC? The entire MSM has been complicit in getting this empty suit elected. They all have a vital interest in seeing that he doesn’t look like a failure. And on this note Remember this? A nice show trial ala Joe Stalin would be just the thing to distract the unwashed masses from any unpleasant domestic or international news. Maybe this is what Joe was refering to here

  • billcabot

    Most of the media is run by news organizations that are independent or part of conglomerates of the news and entertainment industry and thus have first amendment rights. NBC and MSNBC are owned by a large government contractor, namely GE, and thus should be subject to the campaign finance laws. Certainly the fact that Chris Mathews, “my job is to make Obama’s presidency a success,” clearly indicates that GE has and is making “In Kind” political contributions every time Mathews speaks.

    Note: If you own a resturant and have a dinner for a candidate for office, this must show up as being paid for by the campaign or as you being listed as making a contribution ‘in kind’ for the value of the dinner.

    There no doubt now Mathews is being paid by GE to make the Obama Presidency a success…How helpful will this be when the next batch of GE fighter engines is ordered from the US government? I believe Mathews air time is expensive and such a contribution by GE is illegal.

  • Brandozilla

    He used the f-word on TV today.

    I don’t have sound at work though, so i can’t confirm.

    http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/11/10/scarborough/

  • Hera

    We’ve been told for years by the left that dissent is “patriotic”. So just think of us as being “patriots” putting our “country first”.

  • aceintx

    If he’s going to continue to accept a pay check from the equivalent of the NVA using your analogy?

  • davo

    That didn’t take long did it. In psychoanalytic terms it was a parapraxis (Look it up. This really is a perfect example.) Scarborough doesn’t really want to remain at MSNBC so he is giving them a reason to get rid of him. Amazing.

  • liberalrepublican

    How about if he is able to keep America from being hit from a terrorist attack? Keep Bush’s streak going?

    How about if Iran doesn’t get Nukes?

    How about if the economy gets cranking again?

    Would you rather have failure there so it would be easier for R’s to win?

  • TxCon

    if none of his policies become law. So I hope he’s successful.

  • NightTwister

    These guys eviscerated Bush every chance they got because they disagreed with him and his policies. Now they want to put Country First.

    I don’t believe them. If that were true, they’d have been doing it all along.

    They want to put themselves first. This has nothing to do with supporting the Presidency and putting our Country first. I agree we need to do that.

    We have no such obligation to MSNBC.

  • antisocial

    How do these journalists contribute to success or failure of the Presidency? Does fawning help? NO. Does criticism harm? NO.

    As private citizens they are free to hold and even express their opinions. BUT as journalists they need to hold the administration accountable regardless of party affiliation? Do you think they were putting there COUNTRY LAST when criticizing President Bush?.

    Please refrain from posting such nuisance comments.

    DID I call them journalists???

    Hey sorry if I hurt feelings…

  • hunter

    The democrats were actively undermining the Present President to Syria, Venezuela, Iraq, etc. etc., etc. etc., etc., etc.
    Their rationalization, that you bought into and actively supported, was that sort of dissent was patriotic.
    Now commenting about a press that ahs abdicated its role as watch dog, and making fun of that is unpatriotic?
    Obama gets no slack.
    His sold out propaganda tools get no respect.

    Shove off, you hypocritical twit.

  • HerbC

    Unfortunately the track record of the last 2
    presidents who were democrats do not indicate
    that this next one will be able to do anything
    you are hoping for. Both of them allowed egregious terrorist activities to grow under
    their watch. Carter destroyed an economy and
    Clinton was a further catalyst with his “Community Reinvestment Act”.
    And this next one is even further left than those
    two individuals.
    Keep on ‘hoping’. And keep watching MSNBC for
    their propaganda.

  • SteveM

    Boycotting any media outlet is a bad move that can only backfire, IMO. Look at how stupid the d’s looked for staying away from Fox all that time. Of course, now they’re saying they never did any such thing, but that’s beside the point.

    If you want to slay the dragon, sooner or later you have to strap on the sword and shield and confront it. There’s no point in shying away from lizards like Matthews and Olbermann in the process…might as well get the practice.

    If we want to treat the media as an enemy, they’ll act like one. Better to show some stones and take the fight into hostile territory. That’s one lesson we ought to learn from Obama’s campaign: Contest every vote, everywhere, at all times.

    Are we ever going to flip Matthews and Olbermann? Heck, no. But why should we cede their entire combined audiences?

    No, we should be sending Republicans up against MSDNC’s “best”. The worst that happens is that they get a rough time from the network (and who really cares if they do)…the best that happens is we chip away at their credibility and can get our message out to the people watching the shows.

  • nogyro35

    …if Obama’s policies make us more susceptible to an attack.

    …if Obama nationalizes medicine.

    …if Obama raises taxes and institutes socialist policies.

    …if Obama tries to bankrupt the coal industry.

    …if Obama rushes to fill 47 current vacancies with the most liberal Federal Judges/ crooks he can find.

    …if Obama seeks to add 50-100 new Federal Judgeships to further tilt the court.

    …if Obama attempts to re-instate partial birth abortion.

    …if Obama attempts to make our military men and women subject to the international courts.

    …if Obama attempts to remove “under God” from the national anthem.

    …I could go on forever.

    No, we* do not* need to support this type of President. We need to oppose him and hope he fails.

    If he succeeds, our Republic, and the American way as we know it, could fail.

  • absentee
  • SteveLA

    Joe needs to call up the FCC, said he did it, pay the fine (out of his own pocket) and promise to not do it again. People on live TV goof more than they should, he goofed, now he needs to take the heat and move on.

    I saw the clip too, the look on Mike Barnacle’s face was something else….Whoopsie.

  • redalert

    If you study history you see that when the media is used for propaganda purposes the results are always dismal for that country. That’s what a lot of Obama supporters don’t seem to understand. During the campaign the MSM was totally behind him,refusing to pursue any story that was detrimental to his chances of becoming President. That was bad. Now,however,that he is actually the new President,it will be dangerous if they continue to act as his arm of propaganda.

    There was a reason that the Founding Fathers put in freedom of the press as the First Amendment to the Constitution. They realized how dangerous it would be if a government controlled the press. They must be rolling over in their graves now,where the press has voluntarily abdicated their role as watchdogs and have transformed themselves into lapdogs. I never thought I would live to see the day where the media in America would willingly be used as a branch of propaganda for an Administration that loves propaganda. Dark days are coming up ahead,my friends.

  • jeffreywturner

    It is about truth and fairness.

    Even if it hurts my party, I want the truth to be known so that the American people can make informed decisions.

  • absentee

    ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, awesome:

  • WOSG

    An Obama-nation

    I am disappointed that one of the GOP contenders didnt call for a revolt at that and demand they have conservative host for the next GOP debate. It would have been a huge applause line.

  • Old_Dominion

    There are tactical lessons to be taken from Obama’s victory. I don’t suggest that any one appearance played a particularly significant role, but Obama’s chief flack Robert Gibbs went on Hannity & Colmes, and Obama himself went on O’Reilly. A minority party shutting out a news network is biting off their nose to spite their face.

  • E_Pluribus_Unum

    Ah, TOOOOOO much, man.

  • jdripper

    Barack Obama and the Democrats were willing to abandon an Army in the field during a war to win an election and you want me to put these jackals first?

    You are either delusional or your meds need serious readjustments. This current crop of Dims would be despised by FDR and JFK.

  • Moe_Lane

    Or is it 53/47 by now? – At any rate, who are we to argue with the majority?

  • WOSG

    if Obama’s agenda FAILS, it will be GOOD for America.

    Example: Obama’s anti-drilling executive order – if he succeeds, then domestic drilling is hurt. It is a FAILURE in our attempt to have energy indepedence and more energy jobs.

    So for America to SUCCEED we should want Obama to FAIL.

    So what would you prefer?

    Obama success and American failure.

    or

    Obama failure and American success.

  • reldim

    If you read the Bill of Rights as it was proposed, passed and sent off to the states the First Amendment was actually listed third, behind a provision that would have altered the apportionment clause that determined the number of House members there needed to be, and what is now the 27th Amendment mandating that any congressional pay increase bill not become effective until there has been an interceding election.

  • nc

    Look, I clearly grant you that Matthews and Olbermann are biased, and will twist themselves into strange pretzel-like contortions to justify anything his Oneness (or should that be his Oneship) does, but I don’t we should form ourselves into the Republican version of the Spanish Inquisition simply because some of our fellow party members go on MSNBC. Quite frankly, that will just make us the mirror image of the Kossites, and I not sure that is what we should be.

    Our party lost an election because it received less votes than the other guys. I don’t think the problem with the party right now is that we have too many heretics who we need to expunge. I think we need to keep all the “heretics” we have and add a few if we can.

    The point of politics is not to be pure, but to enact the best set of policies we can. Lets persuade, rather than demonize.

  • nc

    nt

  • ocleverone

    To me, country first, is to live up to the tenants of the constitution…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not, let the government take care of all your problems.

    I contend that everyone that raises their voice in disagreement with elected officials IS putting country first by exercising their freedom of speech to make this a better country.

    To reason that we must support Obama because he is the head of our government flies directly in the face of what the founders of this country wanted.

    “GOVERNMENT IS NOT REASON; IT IS NOT ELOQUENCE; IT IS FORCE! LIKE FIRE, IT IS A DANGEROUS SERVANT AND A FEARFUL MASTER.” – GEORGE WASHINGTON

    Will I stand behind the Obama administration if they govern prudently and wisely, yes. Will I just blindly follow, you know, go along to get along? No.

  • Grim

    Freedom? I can see what MSNBC wouldn’t like that. Pesky individual rights and all.

    Wait, now I see, it was the other “F” word. Sorry.

    Grim

  • HerbC

    Let’s be clear… Fox was portrayed by the left
    as being in the tank for repubs everywhere;
    however, studies by Pew and a few other organizations have shown that Fox has been the
    most consistently balanced network.
    msnbc, on the other hand, has been the most
    left-leaning propaganda machine. They serve
    as much “news” as Chavez’s and Putin’s media
    outlets.

  • redalert

    Whether it is boycotting MSNBC or CNN or not,SOMETHING must be done. This idea that major networks become lackeys of an administration can not be tolerated. Propaganda has never been used in a democracy. The two simply don’t go together. Propaganda is always a tool of a totalitarian government. These networks must realize there is a price to pay. Either they go back to being a free press and are impartial in politics or they and their advertisers will be boycotted.

  • RoxannaDanna

    LMAO… Yes, “everyone heard it that way”.

  • RoxannaDanna

    Thess are “journalists” we are talking about. Journalists. It’s not their job to promote a government or a policy.

    And as an aside, I think Matthews is jockeying for a press secretary job. He might not be the only one

    cough Oblberman cough

    and spew…

  • TexasGringo

    I’ve seen the clip. It was entirely accidental. He was retelling a story and meant to say “eff” instead of “f*.” A few moments later, presumably after a producer told him what he said, he apologized profusely. And, if I understand it correctly, FCC rules either do not apply or are not nearly as stringent for cable, as compared to broadcast. He made a mistake, he’s admitted it, and he’ll take responsibility for it. It’s not even close to a firing offense.

  • finaljeopardy

    $4000 is the going rate to don a brown shirt for Dear Leader.

  • finaljeopardy

    with minimal damage, but with the monstrous scope of his policy and character revealed. At some point Americans should wake up to who Obama is, and it will be hard for Dems to be taken seriously for a long time. I’m not letting up.

  • finaljeopardy

    The only ones still around are the ones who can’t get work with the Dems. If we stand for what we believe in and make our case as eloquently as possible, we can attract more talented and capable people.

    I will not pollute my mind with cable TV. I will not give these people my money. I have had about enough of the immaturity, and my political right to dissent is not the same.

  • kyle8

    If he governs from the center on economic matters and does even a fair job of getting through this financial crises, then he will be enshrined as the foremost liberal saint and will win reelection easily.