Chris Matthews Awkwardly Compliments Andrea Mitchell: You're Great, But You're No Russert!

This afternoon, Chris Matthews visited Andrea Mitchell, who has recently taken over as anchor of MSNBC's 1PM hour. At the end of the segment, Chris praised Andrea, saying, "You are one of the best newspepople in the country, and everybody knows that."

But things took an awkward turn when Chris told Andrea, "I can't think of anybody who's better than you in this business. Can you?" and then proceeded to answer his question with, "Tim [Russert] may be better at day-to-day politics than you....Nobody knows more about what's going on than he does, but you're up there."

Watch:

From MSNBC, 3/24

Comments

[leftbehind2000]

Everyone hates Matthews - it's evident by all of the invective here every time there's a thread about him.

I had never watched Matthews at all until this year, during election season. Personally, I like the guy. I think he's funny, if not exactly intelligent. I'd put him more in the talk show host category than I would in the pundit category. And I think he pulls it off most of the time. The problem is when he tries to be more than that. He fails miserably when he shares the desk with Olbermann, who eats his lunch.

He certainly is a lot more likeable than the execrable Pat Buchanan, the obnoxious Joe Scarborough or the self-important now-unemployed Tucker Carlson.

I alternate between being entertained by and feeling sorry for Matthews. Either way, I like the guy and would have him over for dinner any time.

[LiberalnChicago]

Andrea Mitchell and Tim Russert are both complicit in the Plame/Outing LIbby/Coverup for VP Cheney. Matthews is still wishing he had such access. Criminals. I don't watch MSNBC anymore and will not until they get hosts who are actually journalists and not White operatives.

[flasher3838]

i think mathews is on the edge of a breakdown

[geobushono]

I don't watch him, but he seems to be increasingly boorish and awkward...­..........­....breakd­own.
he is entertainm­ent.......­......kind­a like Jerry Springer for those who wouldn't be caught dead watching Jerry.

[MikeMidCity]

Chris is as smooth as butter.

[Yuma]

Chris talks too much!!!

[ddc]

I see nothing wrong with this. Andrea is an excellent foreign affairs correspondent. Recently, though, I've seen her get into, find out about, and report on some interesting political issues (execept the one regarding the true context of Rev. Wright's sermons). TIM RUSSERT SHE 'AINT. For those questioning who the hell Tim Russert is? He's the guy who routinely has politicians sweating, stuttering, and stumbling on his show. Tim has staff who will go back to your elementary school to pull statements that you made that contradict whatever line you're following today. For those who want to negatively comment on Russert, I must say: Quit hating.

[cindyw]

The point is not who's better. The point is that it was pretty insensitive for Matthews to publicly say that Russert is better than Mitchell.

[writeaway]

Mitchell is as much a Clinton basher as the rest of the boys. You gotta play the game ifyou want to be in the starting lineup. She is also married to Alan Greenspan, architect of the current Economic woes and a worshipper at the feet of Ayn Rand. You don't get invited to all the cool dinner parties if you don't play the game.

[mediamarv]

Memo to Tim's Mom: Thanks for the post!!

[iPolitics]

MSNBC let's out a lot of it's dirty laundry on the air. There is definately a mini-civil war going on behind the scenes and sometimes on camera there. Team Hillary: nice knee-capping on a network

[Grulg]

That was-awkward. I thought he was nice to her though.

[PatA]

Well, isn't Andrea the lucky woman? I'd bitch slap anyone who compared me to Russett...­..

[jinjinpinti]

Everyone I talk to who used to watch cable TV news is so jaded about them, particularly after the Obama pastor marathon they pulled on us these past two weeks. I know I will NEVER, EVER allow them into my home again with such blatant and obvious bias. I still can't believe they are allowed to stay in business after the lies and propaganda they issued to elect BushCo and to promote the Iraq occupation crime. They, all of them except those who objected, like Olberman, are GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY of crimes against humanity. And now, just look at 'em...they­'re right back at it again. Disgusting!

[ladygreenslippers]

oh Chris, you shame me.

[jinjinpinti]

Cable TV news has become so biased, so steeped in the fantasy of BushCoWorld, and SO OBVIOUSLY INTENT on getting John McBush elected, we can't even watch them anymore. It used to be that you could stomache some of their segments uninterrupted, but now you have to just block them off your set or else you find yourself clutching the godhead (remote) poised to switch channels every time they permit GWB, Dick Cheney, Pat Buchanon, Tony Blankley, Ann Coulter, Tom Delay, Mary Matalin and a host of other less prominant bulls**t artists to spew lies and propaganda. They rarely have reasonable and sane Republican guests who will honestly admit the fiasco of BushCo and Iraq, but always dredge up every old rabid neoCON warmonger/­swiftboate­r left over from their past election swindle. The nerve of them to think they can fool us again with the same old wingnut losers.

[kellygrrrl]

Chris Matthews seriously must have some personality disorder. Even if you agree with his message, he is annoying as all hell.

[klandish]

He does have an impulse problem that makes for good suspense. Will the foot enter the mouth next time he's near a superior. I can relate.

[wilhelmR]

I like Chris a lot even though he is sometimes awkward, I like Andrea, and I dislike Russert tremendously. Chris has a huge inferiority complex regarding Russert even though he is much smarter than him. Russert is pompous and he always caters to POWER

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

I don't know who is more skewed against Hillary Clinton - "HA!" or Andrea Mitchell. Her reporting on the Clinton campaign has always been negative and borderline nasty. She acts like it's some sort of punishment and she can't wait to get off the plane. Personally, I can't wait either because that means she'll shutup and go back to doing whatever else it is she does.