Chris Matthews: "I Want To Do Everything I Can To Make This New Presidency Work"

Chris Matthews appeared on "Morning Joe" Thursday morning, and in the context of discussing the Obama transition — and Rahm Emanuel's motives for waffling on the chief of staff position — told Joe Scarborough it is not his job to question Emanuel's motives.

"You know what?" Matthews said. "I want to do everything I can to make this thing work, this new Presidency work."

Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinski pressed Matthews on his claim, asking if it his his job as a journalist to make the Presidency work.

"Yeah, that's my job. My job is to help this country...to make this work succsesfully, because this country needs a successful Presidency, more than anything right now," Matthews said.

"As Americans, Chris Matthews, we are all rooting for the success of Barack Obama," Scarborough said. "America is at a perilous time. But you just talked about being a journalist, and your job as a journalist is not to question motives. Then, two seconds later, you said your job was to make this Presidency a success. That's curious."

Later, Scarborough said, "We all wish [Obama] well, we just don't think it's our job to make this work anymore than it was a journalist's job to make the Iraq War have a successful launch."

Watch, and enjoy Time Managing Editor Rick Stengel knocking Newsweek's Barack Obama cover, which features a photo that Stengel called "about two years old," below:

Comments

[bestbite]

The MSNBC journalists did not come off as justified and noble seekers of truth in journalism - they just
looked like bullheaded shmucks. It doesn't take a genius to understand where Matthews was coming
from - no sin to his profession at all.

[SanityForOnce]

I hate to break it to Joe Scarborough, but the media supported Bush when he was first elected. He ran on a platform of bipartisanship. We learned later that the whole "compassionate conservatism" plank was a ruse (some of us saw through him), but many were willing to give him the benefit of doubt.

Joe is criticizing Obama for something trivial like the roll-out of his chief of staff, not a siginficant policy blunder. Obama hasn't even been sworn in yet, and Joe already has the knives out for him. That's not "journalistic objectivity", it's just a partisan hatchet job. Scarborough doesn't know how to be objective. He's not a journalist, he's just a commentator, and a biased one at that.

[HotLeper]

I am not sure if I saw this right but it looked like Joe made Chris cry at the end.

[panchovilla]

I voted for Obama. I want real change: troops out of Iraq, universal health care, and a vigorous fiscal policy to prevent a depression (without letting the financiers off the hook), a change in foreign policy towards Latin America. I will support Obama as long as he presses on along those lines. And I don't want a docile press. I want a responsible, critical press that focuses on the issues that have the greatest consequence for people, even if at the expense of their bottom line. (Note that I'm not saying that Fox News is any paradigm of good press.)

[meltingpot101]

I agree. The press have responsibility for checks and balances. Let's hope they do better with the new administration than they did with the old administration.

But manufactured outrage over fabricated issuse are no more than a distraction. That is Joe's partisan duty, he believes.

[meltingpot101]

I read the comments and many of us feel the same way about Morning Joe....Why Watch, I ask.

Fire Joe!

Your awakening doesn't have to be rude.

As long as we watch, Joe will keep his job.

I fired Joe officially today and I urge everyone who he infuriates to do the same.

[lovenews]

I agree. This morning was my final wake up call with Joe.

Check out the Today show. All the guest that appear on Joe's show appear on the Today show first. Not the format I prefer but at least Matt remains neutral.

[pattyrenee]

Joe is an alcoholic, albeit, recovering. He has all the signs of a person who uses rage, as conversation. He needs to be off of MSNBC as soon as possible. I can't take his ravings about Obama.
Mika loved Sarah Palin but because of Mika'sr father, they will never fire her. But, Mika and Joe, need to move on over to Fox or it is going to be a long 8 (please God) years! I am moving over to CNN when Joe is on.

[meltingpot101]

That's what I did. I enjoyed my cup of Joe without all the fabrications and egotism. I must say it change my entire day.

It's simple, FIRE JOE!!

[TuesdayMorning]

This was a really stupid conversation and Mika needs help.

[sukiposeyzena]

Chris Matthews is the one to watch. He loves the political nuances that shape our country. He is respectful and smart and he gives people the space to reveal themselves. Morning Joe has an enormous ego and he would be better suited on Fox News.

[rationalthought1]

The funniest thing about this clip was watching Mica trying to act like she's intelligent. I think she's trying to position herself as an impartial Rachel Maddow - the problem is she needs at least an additional 80 points of I.Q. And Joe, of course, is a snake.

[rubinoff]

I think Mika is intimidated by her father....The way she fawns over Sarah Palin is sickening, just because they are bother women....Maybe, they are the breadwinners in the family, ya think?

[old lady]

The GOP's filled with Daddy issues... Mika isn't trying to look intelligent.. she's constantly fawning and posing - like a perennial beauty contestant - which explains the overwhelming admiration for Ms. Wasilla.
As to mourning joe - just how long was he in congress? To hear his ego mythology he was the most brilliant pol the world has ever seen. So why's he on the telly?
Chris - you keep it up - you outclass both of them by a mile.

[TuesdayMorning]

I was really disgusted after the election when I saw Scarborough going on and on about how the media elected Obama and how badly McCain and his wife were treated and now this morning. In my opinion, you support the president regardless of who they are and if they mess up, you hold them accountable. Obama needs rest and time to think without this idiot trying to derail him before he even get into the office. Way to go Chris...just stay consistent.

[old lady]

He's a "journalist" his job is to chalk it up to the media and ignore the minor detail about 364 electoral votes.

[slamkitty2]

Began with joe and mika whining about the number of covers President-elect Obama has scored. The envy was quite evident. Why do so many of the joes and mikas have the mental maturity of a 9th grader?
mika was so very righteous and scanctimonious. joe wass just being the petty a-- most repugs are.
Matthews knows the game. Nit pick, make assumptions, spend on air hours discussing straw men.
Making something out of nothing. Like complaining about the heat while your house burns down. Matthews knows it is time to cut the crap and get down to business.

[Mdazes]

So true

[FogBelter]

Please Joe,

Hearst laid the foundation principle of American Corporate Journalism by saying "You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war." to his correspondent (Remington) in Cuba who said there was no war taking place in 1898.

Let's not pretend America's Private Press is something it isn't ... Frankly, I appreciate Matthew's candor.

[rubinoff]

Anytime someone says, 'I'm from the 'redneck riveiara' (sp?), then, you know what that means.
Racist....and that's what joe loves to brag about....A few years back (before he got his show), there was buzz on the internet about him while he was in congress and then, all of a suddent, he left the congress, to 'spend more time with his family' cliche...we've heard this one said by others, huh?

[meltingpot101]

When Joe said his mother thought the world was going to end if Obama was elected. How telling is that, this is the woman that raised him and molded his belief system.

[PiscesGirl24]

I missed the show this morning, but when I woke up my mom (who watches Joe every morning) was really upset and said she had to turn it off. She said he was being negative and looking to criticize a guy that HAS NOT EVEN BEEN INAUGURATED YET!

I just saw the interview showed here and his comments about question George Bush was surprising, seeing as how no one questioned Bush until the last two years when EVERYTHING started quickly head SOUTH.

Damn, the man JUST made history and didn't even get a couple of days to let it soak it in. Everyone (right and left winged media members) need to just calm down a little bit and give Obama a chance to get things set up. Then we can start to question, criticize or whatever!

[Greytdog]

Tell ya what - let's all view Chris Matthews this way - He's "embedded" with the Obama WH - just like all those so-called journalists and media folks who played the Pentagon's game, handed over their objectivity, and became "embedded" with the military propaganda machine in Iraq. Funny, no one - from Joe Scarborough down to the late David Bloom, complained about having to be embedded with the military and churn out all those wonderful, exciting stories of our "victories" in Iraq. So Joe - take a chill pill, and lest you've forgotten - you're a politician first, a mediocre pundit at best. No journalism to be found anywhere on your show.

[gretcheno]

Joe is just mad McCain did not win.

[old lady]

Joe is jealous that HE never made it past congress.