Chris Matthews: GOP Strategist Has "Forked Tongue"

On Hardball Tuesday, Chris Matthews urged Barack Obama to be bold in his policy choices. When a Republican strategist disagreed, the host told him he spoke with a "forked tongue." Raw Story reports:

"It seems to me that he's got one chance to get everything done," Matthews stated passionately on Hardball. "Ronald Reagan taught everybody that. Get it done the first year or don't talk about it. ... He's got to do it. He can't say, 'I'll put it off till after the year after next.' ... Do you think this guy can survive as president if all he does is do a little tax cuts and push SCHIP?"

Matthews put the question of boldness to two political strategists, Democrat Steve McMahon and Republican Todd Harris, but neither one seemed to respond to Matthews' implication that Obama needs to do something visionary to fulfill his promises.

"Doing something dramatic and bold on the economy I think is something they're very interested in doing," McMahon began. But he also insisted that "the middle decided this election and the middle of the country -- the swing voters -- are waiting for him to address their economic concerns."

"Big doesn't need to be conflated with liberal," Harris commented. "I think it's important that people not lose sight over what this election was and what it wasn't. What it was was a historic victory for Barack Obama. What it was not was a wholesale realignment of American politics to the left."

"You guys are so -- you speak with a forked tongue, Todd!" exploded Matthews.

Watch:

Comments

[CharlesJ]

I believe Obama knows exactly how he is going to approach this. He has a plan, and I am certain he will get it done. What I do believe is that everyone< the pundits> needs to stop trying to speculate what he is going to do and how. What they should be more concerned with it how can they support him in this endevor to turn this country around. This is not longer about red or blue states, that was settled on election night. This is about the UNITED STATES, and we all need to unite around our president and do what ever we must to make this happen, how else will we turn this country around. He can not do it alone, it is up to each and every one of us to do our part, that includes the house and the senate. They in particular (the house and senate) need to stop their partisin politics, unite around the president and get this country back on track. Other wise we have the vote in our hands to remove them from office and put someone in that will do the job. Its a very simple process, do what needs to be done in the best interest of this country, or get out of the way.

[Gatormouth]

Tweety calling out the neo-liberals! I am becoming a real fan of this guy. Yeah, they are deathly afraid of an activist Obama. Not quite France in 1789 - but something like it looms large, to hear them talk. It would be wise for the Dems to do nothing that Bush could wipe away with a pardon, but to be ready with hammer and nails for the day after Obama takes the oath of office. Hope springs eternal. We could always honor extradition requests by the world court, if nothing else! Think. what would they not do to the Dems if they had the power?

[ObamAtomic]

Todd Harris is on good company with Sarah Palin,intelligence wise!

[roshni]

Hilarious - I love it! This guy has a forked tongue as well as horns.

[Greg285]

Finally! Someone has called the GOP out for their hypocrisy! These folks are incredible…

[OregonMaggie]

Ya know what - AMERICA voted for a NEW DAY.

As an individual who worked for the Federal government for 21 years, and left at 40 to start my own business because I couldn't stomach the machine any longer, I am all for shaking up the whole darn system from the bottom up to the top down and back again.

It's not just democrats and republicans - the entire system is flawed, overblown, bloated. I love my country and government, but it's time to RETOOL. So many agencies I worked for and with, despite having a noble mission for the people, land and water, were heirarchal messes, with their own agendas according to which way the political winds were blowing.

Our citizens have spoken - and came to the conclusion that we needed a BRILLIANT, BOLD President with ALL the great minds available, to step in, take that nifty, brand new scalpel, and with foresight, planning, and precision, do some needed surgery to make things work the way they were originally INTENDED - by the people, for the people. That's why we have Barack Obama is our next POTUS.

It won't be easy, and it won't happen in a day. Rethugs have basically RUINED our country in more ways than we can count. But I'm ALONG for the ride on the CHANGE TRAIN, and EVERYONE else should hop on - the ticket is free, and the incredible reward is almost beyond comprehension.

[RocketSurgery]

Amen! I also worked for the federal government and quit because I too could no longer stomach the machine that wasted taxpayer money on an epic scale, fostered incompetence through its hiring practices, and stymied progress through arcane policies. The people responsible for all this were not the political appointees but the career employees. Politicals just lacked the guts or the interest to address these agency's problems.

I'm all for the Obama Administration from setting a new tone in the executive branch, and fixing all these systemic problems that are the reasons why the public hates Washington.

[Shieldmaiden]

WTF? Bush one by like, one vote in Florida and he got to send this country hurtling to the extreme right, but the guy who won in a near LANDSLIDE cannot have a mandate? I know I sip the Obama Kool-aid occasionally, but Lord, these people are practically guzzling their Kool-aid down.

[Teeninchee]

And Chris was exactly correct.

[BarackstarObama]

That was great... Harris is a GOP blowhard. LOL

[ScandalousCandice3]

He is snarky and n-asty. Like the kid in school would tell on you from something small. Typical republican though.

[BIG JOHN]

THE RADICAL CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN PARTY=THE END.

[Sparty1]

You see Obama has to be very cautious in what he chooses to champion during his first year, but Bush was able to put forth the most ridiculous policies known to man. I am so tired of the Repubs talking about what Obama can't and shouldn't do, why weren't they being so forceful in telling Bush what he shouldn't do. Now since Obama wants to help the American people, he's heading down the wrong road.

[DaisyDooks]

Good analysis, Sparty1. Obama is being held to a different standard than any other President-Elect. It's not about about Obama. It's about the american people. We joined together in spirit and action and helped put Obama in the WH. We still have work to do. We have to hold our local elected officials accountable and making sure that they support policies that benefit the american people and not just BIG BUSINESS! Clean up the mess from the ground up. Get involved. I don't give a hoot about what the media says. They are in the business of selling advertising. I question the competence of some of the news people when they try to spin B.S. We were born yesterday - just not last night.

[BannedInBoston]

Put a fork IN his tongue. It's done....

[DIAGUY]

It's impossible for Chris Matthews to be objective.­.....he's in LOVE......­just gettin' his 'tingle' on.

[DBtv]

You lost. Get out of the way of progress.

[Chardin]

They say ‘Love covers all things” .. Well, not exactly.

Ronald Reagan? Let's look closer than Chris through his rose colored glasses. Reagan can hardly be taken out of his own context. As to the forking of the tongue, Reagan was a prevaricator and a citizen of his ‘own imaginary world’. Environmentally he was quite clueless. Often confused, he praised Botha’s Apartheid regime for opposing and ending segregation. We’re still drowning from the trickling of Reagan-omics. Here are some of the most hackneyed facts: We had the mess of Grenada and the Iran-contra scandal and lying about it on TV. He said the Contras whom he funded, reminded him of the Founding Fathers while ‘his’ CIA taught them how to kidnap Government officials and erase them. His administration also had 8 of its officials indicted for corruption. Did I mention recession? Tax cuts that favored the rich to an extreme degree?

As to what Obama should accomplish in his first months and/or year-
in Reagan’s first t year, his approval rating nadir-ed below Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, sinking into the strata of the least popular presidents of the last 60 years. In fact, Reagan had the lowest approval rating of all recent Presidents(during his first year he was way below Ike, JFK, Johnson, Jimmy Carter and even Nixon—at 2nd year end, he tanked at 41-45% approval), His response? Reagan is where Bush found his inspiration for “heh, heh, heh”. Blame it on the stars.

[Chardin]

I just located an article that presented these facts (above) and more-MUCH better than me.

The Enduring Lies of Ronald Reagan

By Susan J. Douglas
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3242/the_enduring_lies_of_ronald_reagan/

chardin

[Liberal2]

Actually he's planningto run for a Senate seat. He's seen the results of the 2008 election. Now he loves the "center". He ain't gonna call Hillary a socialist again, at least not until he's elected...­.or loses

[beaupritchard]

Mathews for for MTP(Meet the Press)

[ScandalousCandice3]

No way. R-ussert thought M-atthews was a joke. There was a post about it here on the HP right before Big Russ passed. He thought CM was a joke and a clown.

[ravenman22]

hmmm Todd Harris as Gollum/Schmee in Lord of the Rings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLvIFRNbqOs