Chris Matthews Humiliates State Senator Kirk Watson On MSNBC

Texas State Senator Kirk Watson (D-TX) learned a lesson in preparedness Tuesday night when he was humiliated on MSNBC. Watson was on to talk about his support of Senator Obama alongside Representative Stephanie Tubbs (D-OH), who backs Senator Clinton. Watson has endorsed Obama and writes glowingly of all the things Obama will do for the country, if elected.

But he was unable to answer Chris Matthews most basic demand: "Name some of his legislative accomplishments... name any..." A fantastically awkward mix of dead air, stuttering, laughter and repetition ensued, as Watson could not name a single one. Matthews laid off part way through, it seems at the demand of his producers, but came back around to lay a final blow at the end.

Watch what must be the most awkward clip of the night's coverage:

Kirk Watson, stumping for Obama, was unable to answer Chris Matthews most basic demand, "name some of his legislative accomplishments." A fantastically awkward mix of dead air, awkward laughter and repetition ensued, as Watson could not name one. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1422253679http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

Update: Kirk Watson has written about last night's interview on his website:

So . . . That really happened.

On Tuesday night, after an important and historic victory in the Wisconsin Presidential Primary by Senator Barack Obama, I appeared on the MSNBC post-election program. "Hardball" host Chris Matthews (who is, it turns out, as ferocious as they say), began grilling me on Senator Obama's legislative record.

And my mind went blank. I expected to be asked about the primary that night, or the big one coming up in Texas on March 4, or just about anything else in the news. When the subject changed so emphatically, I reached for information that millions of my fellow Obama supporters could recite by heart, and I couldn't summon it.

My most unfortunate gaffe is not, in any way, a comment on Senator Obama, his substantial record, or the great opportunity we all share to elect him President of the United States.

Read his entire commentary here.

Comments

[wheelskeepturning]

So who is surprised? The people who believe in him obviously just jumped on the band wagon without really finding out WHO he is. Maybe his team sprays some kind of mist in the audience so they are all hypnotized? All I know is that I havn't heard anything about him except that he will bring change. How about just bringing something to the table, like experience!!!!!

[marybanilow]

Fortunately for all of you, someone took the time to list both their legislative accomplishments. There are important things and silly things (like National Healthy Schools Day). I guess it's more the responsibility of a journalist like Matthews or those who would accuse Obama of being an empty suit to actually do the research, but at least someone's up to it.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

[jb245]

And WHY OH WHY SHOULD we hae to search so darn hard for STRAWS???

[GeoLee]

So, basically Chris's response to KO's question that he did not know could have been completed with "hardly anything" and he would have been correct.

[ParacleteofKavorka]

There was a film clip of him at a rally stopping to blow his nose with a handkerchief and the audience cheering. Cheering him blowing his nose.

Danger! Danger! Will Robinson.

[dthom7171]

interesting. Not a single person can answer that question of their senator. It's stupid. I still cant think of a hillary accomplishment or old man mccain. John Kerry.

[characterfirst]

I know of two accomplishments of my U.S. Senator Arlen Specter. He is the author of the "magic bullet theory" in the Warren Commission Report. Secondly, he is the bastard who trashed Anita Hill to get Clarence Thomas confirmed to the Supreme Court. Thomas was the "Uncle Tom" who cast the deciding vote in the 2000 election of GWB.

[IllinoisVoter]

Was this a hostile question? I will let the viewer decide. Was it a fair question? I think
so, but then I am from Illinois and my answer
would differ than a state Senator from Texas.
After my son died my wife could not continue her
social work job and my book pedalling travels
provide no health insurance. Illinois All
Kids which Senator Obama championed allowed
us to have uninterrupted health care for
our daughter. Thank you Senator Obama.

[thedudeabides]

like in any walk of life, like in any presentation you have to make or talk you have to give, if you aren't ready, don't do it...

[ParacleteofKavorka]

Why didn't Watson say to Chris "Check his website"? That's the standard reply from the Obama kids.

[mark77]

LMAO. For the past year, the Clinton supporters were bashing Chris Matthews non stop. Now, suddenly he's credible! He's great! He's the best thing since sliced bread!

[apcalc]

I am a Clinton supporter. Matthews is not credible.
Why wait til now to ask the question?
The question should have been asked long ago.

Now that Matthews thinks he has Hillary out of the way, he can go after Barack.

Don't you see he is in love with John McCain?

[mark77]

Well, it's a common thing. I find the Obama supporters doing the same thing with journalists they don't like.

I didn't see anything wrong with Matthews for asking the question. The surrogate should've been prepped, but that's not Matthews' fault.

[grisgris]

Obama hasn't seen anything yet. The NSM has been pushing Obama for the nomination from the beginning because they fear Clinton can beat McCain. They are confident McCain can beat Obama. If Obama wins the nomination, then the gloves will come off. Right now, the MSM and the right are still playing nice. Wait. It won't be pretty.

[Delaware22]

I'm a Clinton supporter (former Edwards), and I still dislike Chris Matthews. But, that doesn't change the fact that Obama is inexperienced and lofty speeches don't make change happen. Tenacity, the kind Hillary has, makes change happen. She rocked the debate, tonight! Go, Hillary!

[Clarabell]

Just as I have predicted. Chris has pretty much finished Hillary off, and now he starting on Obama.
He was so proud of this interview that he showed it again yesterday -- with that cute little smile and wink, of course. He then laughed and said something like "That why we're called Hardball") He also was hitting Michelle yesterday on the "proud" thing. When he first verbally mentioned it he put in the word "really," but then later showed the edited video with the word "really" deleted. The U-Tube (probably quickly) edited version that I saw clearly showed that she had said "really," and you can hear the "r," but the one Chris played had the "r" also removed. This guy has got to go.

[ginamc]

Only one bad Matthews interview to an Obama supporter, and the whining begins. I am NOT in the least bit surprised. It's really so funny, as they LOVE to say about Hillary... if BO can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Hillary has been pummeled by the Right and Left; specifically, the Obama camp, and one little hardball interview is devastating. Puhleeez. Wait until General Election time -- that's when it REALLY gets good.

[jb245]

I am one diehard Democrat who am willing to join the "Democrats for McCain" group.
I WILL NOT be part of this fanatic, kool-aid drinking band of mersmerized "individuals" willing to put some feel-good preacher into the WH because of his plagiarizing, preaching, poetry reading skills, zero resume, and NO track record of any effort to even TRY to do any of the things he promises.
Feel good is NOT what we need! WE desperately NEED tough solutions for the deep stink mess we are in, and YES, there WILL be enough Democrats in Congress AND the Senate to pass the bills we need. So ALL this FLUFF about bringing people together is just what it is...B---S­h---T.
This is not a Hare Krishna moment...i­t is about a country in the midst of a depression, and on the brink of global disaster.
The feel-good moment is over; let's get back to reality!

[azn1011]

"Name any of Obama's legislative accomplish­ments."

to quote what Eisenhower said when asked to name any of Nixon's accomplishments:

"if you give me a week I might think of one."

[ntmessage]

bones. This surrogate gave the truthful answer. What is Obama changing, how can he prove that he can change anything?

Hillary has been great at change; she has all the negatives to prove it. Once Obama's negatives get as high as Hillary’s is when know he really battled.

I had too much time the other day and discovered where much of the Obama plans came from. Lobbyists and big business! The theme is not much change here.

1. Health Plans: Obama’s is a windfall for the insurance companies. The rhetoric Obama uses is directly from the Health Care lobby talking points, Harry and Louise ad campaign they did and the I will not be forced to pay for insurance, it is my right to be uninsured Rhetoric. Health Cares costs every American 7K somehow and 30 percent goes to administration, United Health Care, WellPoint, HMOs et al win.

2. Obama’s Ethanol plan is directly from the Farm Lobby and all those that understand the issue know that it won’t lower gas prices and will keep accelerating food prices. Archer Daniels Midland wins.

3. Obama’s alternative energy plan and the 10B that goes along with it looks like GE’s strategy for the world. GE wins here.

This is just what I discovered after taking the time to connect the dots. Don’t see much change and all the plans are derivative of big business lobbyists. Where is the change? Where is the beef?

[Tyrione]

From a Mechanical Engineering Economics equation on Ethanol:

Cost of Crop Production + Cost of Processing + Cost of Refinement + Cost of Infrastructure Upgrades >> Cost of Oil combined Processing & Distribution.

The Republicans have used this equation to downgrade Ethanol and intentionally made it a dead issue regardless of CO emission.

So we have a few options:

Set standards manadates for the Auto Industry which forces them to sell [already shelved but ready to go engines] at much greater efficiencies and thus by having greater efficiencies you reduce CO emissions and get better gas mileage.

Win/Win.

But we have to go further.

We know Ethanol is DOA and we also know Corn Syrup is biologically killing this country but being in over 1500 must have products it's hard to get Americans off those addictions.

How to do go further?

We switch our vegetable product of choice:

Solution: Algae.

http://www.petrosuninc.com/

Petro Sun has perfected a process where growing Algae in any climate [above freezing] produces a cost equation far

[ntmessage]

A fellow BSME/BSCE! In addition to corn syrup used as sugar everywhere the new uses of processed soybean oil are equally dangerous.

I know that the Ethanol strategy that Obama supports will not lower gas prices and keeps accelerating food inflation.

[StephenJK]

Good post. Just confirms the feeling I get when I hear Obama speak. It's like living in Germany in the 1930's.

[ParacleteofKavorka]

Just as I thought. Obama hasn't seemed well versed in his own policies as I suspect they were written by others with little input from him. Don't we have that now with Bush?

I guess the reaction to the Bush disaster was to go head over heels in the opposite direction yet still end up over the cliff.

[jb245]

To many eerie parallels with GWB. When I listen to Hillary...­call her a designing witch if you will..I hear not only KNOWLEDGE of the issues, but PASSION about them, and the BURNING WELL THOUGHT OUT DESIRE to make them right.
With BO, all I hear are the SAME slick speeches, be it when he wins, when he loses, or when he is asked a technical question.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...I am NOT a member of the MSM. or some aspiring blog!

[americanwhocares]

Chris Matthews is a world class jerk, Nuff said!

[azn1011]

world class jerk = anyone who doesn't have their lips super glued to Obama's ass.

[dill]

I see the sore loser's club is at work again! It was such a relief after Wisconsin--hardly heard a peep from you guys. Seems you were just honing your attacks so you could sound ever more childish.

[Wanod]

Mekarri,
ON IT!

[ThePhantom]

Obama is a blank slate. People are seeing something that just is not there.

[Wanod]

Go Chris Go! That guy looked so stupid, he's just another sorry politician that go's which ever way the wind blows. Chris was right to ask the question, and it will be asked again, they don't know why they're voting for B.O., they're just in with the incrowd. There was a female Sen. on the next day that answered the question he was asked. This Sen was equally as stupid, because when she was asked why she voted for B.O. the first time, on a different day, she said her daughter yelled a name at her when she refused to vote for B.O., what kind of mother is that.

[protagonia]

Chris is the kind of bully that is only strong when he's got his "Big Brother" standing right behind him at the time.

[StephenJK]

The reason Obama is being so successful is he's suckered a couple demographics that prior to this election couldn't give a rat's ass about politics in general. Most of them probably mocked the political process. All of them sat on their asses while Americans went to the polls. They have become enthralled with a guy who spouts canned speeches and has a wife who heretofore was not proud to be an American.

[ParacleteofKavorka]

Exactly. While it's great that Obama has brought additional voters to the polls, if they haven't been participating previously, how good is their judgement compared to voters who have been voting all along?

[ParadiseDiva]

Much to my surprise, many of the Obama supporters are STILL reacting as if Matthews being a rude, aggressive jerk is a recent realization.

[nosanity]

theres no there there , dems are shooting themselves in the head if they let red states decide this

[CammyV]

Sometimes I just want to plant a big wet one on Chris Matthews. Not often, but there are moments.