Matthews Blames Bailout Crash On McCain's Failed Leadership

Chris Matthews points to John McCain's failure to provide the leadership that he promised -- and took credit for:

McCain said he was going to lead the Republican charge, he was going to make sure that this was a bipartisan success...he called charge, and the Republican retreated. That's what happened here.

Here's video:

Here's what McCain staff and surrogates were saying before the vote:

"This bill would not have been agreed to had it not been for John McCain... This is a bipartisan accomplishment, a bipartisan success. And if people want to get something done in Washington, they just watch John McCain. He's been the guy whose name is at the top of major pieces of legislation for a long time."
-- Mitt Romney, NBC's Today show, 9/29/08

"What Senator McCain was able to do was to help bring all of the parties to the table, including the House Republicans, whose votes were needed to pass this"
-- Steve Schmidt, NBC's Meet the Press, 9/28/08

"We're optimistic that Senator McCain will bring House Republicans on board without driving other parties away, resulting in a successful deal for the American taxpayer."
-- McCain spokeswoman Kimmie Lipscomb, 9/26/08

Comments

[siellis]

McCain got b*tch slapped by his own party today.

[T Pol]

What an insult to the memory of Wally Cox (the voice of Underdog) McCain is.

[thinklib]

Yes, McCain tried to avert financial disaster in the last week, but failed.

But for anyone here who's intellectually honest, and for anyone wishing to affix blame for this situation, I urge you to read these articles thoroughly. You will be astounded.

From 2003:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E3D6123BF932A2575AC0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=%22barney+frank%22&st=nyt

From 1999:
http://articles.latimes.com/1999/may/31/news/mn-42807

[sean6886]

My response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW9viaJatpo

[sclucie]

Try looking up two bills: Phil Gramm's 1999 Deregulation Bill and Phil Gramm's December 15, 2000 Commodity Futures Modernization Act - which opened the way for credit default swaps - with no regulation. It changed the way Wall Street was allowed to operate and paved the way for the mess we're in. ANybody who thinks this is not going to impact every single American is crazy.

Remember Phil Gramm? He has been very quiet for a couple of weeks. He was John McCain's co-chairman, close friend and main economic advisor.

[BlueZoo]

Normally, I cannot abide Matthews but I'll give him props on this one. McCain has lost a lot of political capital with his Underdog caper, flying into D.C. to save the day and not doing so. Obama needs to take advantage of these blunders in the next debate but the third debate is where Obama should hang his hat up and come out swining. That debate's topic is "The Economy" and I'm hoping Obama will swab the floor w/McCain and his stunts.

[RomeoinFl]

So he called off the campaign then went back on his word and went to the debate, without a deal.

He claimed victory and all his surrogates were all over the TV claining the bill is successful because of McCain's leadership.

He is falling apart before our very eyes, but when you take all these "BOLD" positions it's hard to back away from them when they blow up in your face. Obama just needs to get out of his way at this point.

[LadyBlackProud]

One of the lowest blows McCain could have delivered last week (in addition to other deliberate lies and blunders) was to cancel his scheduled appearance on David Letterman's show. He lied -- and got caught!! McCain's reason for canceling was his flying to Washington for "the country's" crisis; he needed to "suspend" his campaign. What? Suspend? Maybe a child from school. . . but a U.S. Presidential campaign? Come on Johnnie!

McCain was busted while getting his makeup done in a studio close by, for another CBS news interview while still in N.Y. Anyone in the media/entertainment business, with common sense knows not to mess with Dave - who enjoyed two nights of outrage and jokes about John McCain's lie.

[frenchie25]

so John McCain the so-called leader of the Repblican Party suspends his Presidential campaign on Thursday and runs to DC to work on passing a bill that will save the Credit Clog...and by late Saturday night a bi-partisan effort produces a bill - maybe not the best, but absolutely essential for the freeing of credit not only here at home but around the world - and what happens? The Republican Party - McCain's Party - the free market, no regulation gang that couldn't shoot straight - flies in the face of their leader and vote 2 to 1 to kill the deal.

Ah, if that's not leadership I don't know what is!

[sclucie]

I was told by my Republican representative today that he is writing a counter-bill because the market should have no regulation at all. It can take care of itself. I am not making this up.

[bash]

For the poster who hears the sounds of revolution in the air........I have a ton of knitting I need to get caught up on.

[BlueZoo]

I crochet, Madame deFarge. Would you like some company?

[alexis d]

I love you two and your literary references.

[snakeeater]

I'm ready to see some repugnican blood on the street!
Snakeeater

[Tellecter]

Tough to blame a Senator that was only directly part of the debate for 2 days -- for the HOUSE and the Speaker lacking the ability to close the deal.

Pelosi should resign. Anyone that runs around all day Sunday claiming a bill that will pass on Monday -- misread the bill, misread the Congress, and misLEAD the markets. Either than -- or she can't count to 218.

Either way -- Pelosi has no leadership -- and lied to the entire country regarding her ability to pull this thing off

[frenchie25]

yeah, Pelosi made the Republicans cry. WHAAAAA

[RomeoinFl]

2/3 of the Dems supported the bill. The Republican Leadership (Bush/McCain We don't even know who it is, could be Lieberman), they are the ones that failed.

[onceler]

ha! who's running for President? who's supposed to be the leader of their party? McCain has LESS THAN ZERO clout with his own party, when he's supposed to be the leader! Pelosi got 60% of Dems to vote yes. seems like she did a better job here. why can't McCain lead his own party?

[foxbat]

McCain couldn't get a single AZ congressman, Dem or Repub, to vote for the bill. And before anyone says, what about IL ... 7 of 11 IL Dems voted for the bill and even a couple of IL Repubs too.

[UNCLEJOE]

Primary Fact: The votes in the House were running against the Bailout Bill BEFORE Pelosi's speech appealing to the remaining uncounted House Members to support the Bailout.

But the 2/3 turds, GOP members were not persuaded as were not the Red Dog Democrats.

And why NOT? Because of two clauses in the Bailout Bill; the limits on CEO salaries and the bailouts for the home owners.

This vote is categorical proof that the GOP Members of the House of Representatives are anti-Main Street and pro-corrupt corporate Wall Street.

[sjmaureen]

I don't blame the senator- BUT he was running around all morning taking the credit for the plan- and it's passage, once again he sounds like a fool! He also said Obama was "phoning it in" well, by all reports McCain went back to Washington after the debate, he went out to a fancy dinner and then called in to see how things were going- if he wants to say he was the key to the deal thaen he has to take blame for the failure.

[bigfated]

John McGrouch a "LEADER?" Take this old man to the farm. He must be 90 years old.......and his thinking is strictly eighteenth century.

[Tellecter]

Do you know that Pelosi is only 68, Reid is 69, and Biden is 66 with a couple brain surgeries under his belt? McCain's 72 ain't much different than your leadership.

[radical1]

What is your point, anyway? Pelosi, Ried and Biden have memories they can count on, unlike McCrab. Is it possible that FOX News "Only" people tend to have shriveled up brains and conciences from non-use..

[sclucie]

Have you heard John McCain? On camera, on the street. he can't remember who the Sunnis and the Shiites are. He thinks Purim is Halloween. He can't remember what he said four days prior. He had eight different position in 10 days on the economy. Age is relative. His Mom seems to be doing just fine. He looks and acts like he is 90, with onset of dementia. I am not joking. I think it's sad. It will be sadder still if the voting is so corrupt that we wind up with a man with early-onset dementia and a woman who sounds like a Chatty Cathy doll in the White House.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Even Tweety gets it right sometimes.

[Veni-Vidi-Vici]

Do you think Matthews meant Pelosi's failed leadership?

[alexis d]

Promised 140 votes, delivered 141. Somebody's failing, but it's not Pelosi.

[radical1]

Me thinks you have a serious problem understanding what you hear or read. Just speaking to the brain level of some persons.

[lovingpolitics]

I can hardly wait for BO to vote Present on this bill or come up with an excuse not to be there. Mr. take no responsibility at all costs!!! If Michelle said something that could cost him the Presidency he'd throw her under the bus!!! What a POTUS!!! NOT

[Ged2012]

Like Michelle has ever thrown Obama under the bus.

She has never done that.

And Obama has said many times that he would vote for the bill, if only it was approved by Congress, so does your candidate McCain.

And tell me, what do you understand by voting 'PRESENT'?

The word has a different application in LOCAL Senate legislatures. Here's what I told MOMFORCOUNTRYFIRST:

When Obama voted present in the Illinois legislature, this means that the wisdom behind the support for the bill is valid, but there are several things inserted in the bill which he didn't agree with.

Let me simplify it for you:

If a bill is passed to lower your income taxes, it is a great bill, right? But what if it includes other provisions which increase all your other taxes, would you still go for it? Or would you vote 'present' as an act of defiance against the other loophole provisions?

That is the meaning of voting 'PRESENT.'

[chitown8]

Thank you! I have been screaming that for a while.

[punkingale]

There are no "present" votes in the Senate.

[DerekRC]

If the bill wasn't good... he could have voted no. Voting present is a cop out. Period.

[lakeqi]

"not" isnt that that phrase from Saturday Night live circa 1992 and is SO played out. Sarah is that you?

[DennySP]

Hey, clueless, what does BO have to do with McCain's inability to lead his party?

[MadJeffersonian]

Like McCain is a leader in this? RIGHT. "The fundamentals of the economy are strong." Uh huh. Then, "This is the worst financial crisis since World War II." Okay. They flies in, like a pigeon, and craps on the process, scr*wing up the initial deal. And he leads them on to.....failure. Yup. Nice going, Dear Leader.

[PS4OBAMA]

In th political areana....voting "Present" means they agree with some part of the bill but like a further review......read about it before you post it. The word "present:" in the senate has been used for years and years and years......

[oneblackvote]

Chris Matthews calls it like he sees it. I like him very much. He takes no Bull**** from anyone.

[sclucie]

I like him too. I detest the Media Matter witchhunt - and cannot believe that they have non-profit status. He is not always right, but he is genuine - and he is not one of the many prep-school-legacy boys we have reporting now. There is a whole cadre of them - from Jonah (can someone tell me how that guy got a job?) to bow-tie Tucker to Tapper to Joel. They write the same, they sound the same, they have the same opinions and snark - and they have absolutely no idea how regular Americans live. They all went to the same kind of prep schools.

[MOMFORCOUNTRYFIRST]

So do you think Obama is prepared to vote "present" on Thursday?

[Kynn]

There's no present vote in the US Senate. Take a freaking civics class.

And saying that crap when McCain has missed more than half of the votes in the Senate every year for years is mind blowingly dumb of you.

[Dave01]

Not to mention he hasn't cast a vote since April!

[Ged2012]

Mom,

When Obama voted present in the Illinois legislature, this means that the wisdom behind the support for the bill is valid, but there are several things inserted in the bill which he didn't agree with.

Let me simplify it for you:

If a bill is passed to lower your income taxes, it is a great bill, right? But what if it includes other provisions which increase all your other taxes, would you still go for it? Or would you vote 'present' as an act of defiance against the other loophole provisions?

That is the meaning of voting 'PRESENT.'

[myklwain]

the good senator from illinois will proceed with caution offering a steady and informed hand.

[RomeoinFl]

What he won't do is suspend his campain and run around like a roach with a light shining on him

[punkingale]

You can't vote "present" in the Senate!

[DASM]

Failed leadership = McCain. Amen.