Matthews Slams Reporter For Citing Blogs: "Let's Stick To Journalism. I Don't Do That Here" (VIDEO)

On "Hardball" Thursday, Chris Matthews issued a stern rebuke to NY Daily News reporter Liz Benjamin when she cited blogs on the possible "affair question" with regard to Caroline Kennedy's withdrawal from consideration for the New York Senate seat.

Earlier in the segment Matthews speculated that the 'personal problem' that was given as Kennedy's reason for withdrawing was her marriage to Edwin Schlossberg. But when Benjamin said that the "affair question" was surfacing on blogs, Matthews abruptly cut her off: "Let's stick to journalism. I don't do that here. If it's just blogging let's drop it."

Read more about Kennedy's withdrawal and the various reasons that have been given as explanations for the sudden reversal.

Comments

[lagumbo]

I agree with Matthews on this one, but I don't like the man. I don't know how anyone can go on his show. He ask questions and don't allow you to answer, and he is alway interrupting his guess. I hate when he does that. He doesn't do it to Pat Bucannan, one of the biggest racist in media.

[memphispaul]

Heck, I thought Hardball was a televised blog.

[dan-o]

Mathews should talk about someone using blogs as sources. I used to watch him MSNBC all the time but it has become the FOX News channel of the left. What happened to the neutral journalist? Mathews sure is not one of them.

[Schvenzlerman]

Is that a nose on Benjamin's face?

[Trittydi]

Wow.

So - does the truth hurt Tweetie, or are you really just that stupid?
*

[PlanetK27]

Makes me think of The Farside cartoon where in the owner of a dog is asking said dog to "sit up , stay, and fetch" and balance a bone on it's nose... but what the dog hears is "blah blah blah"

essentially
WHAT THE OWNER SAYS: FETCH, STAY, SIT, GOOD BOY
WHAT THE DOG HEARS: BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

no doubt there is some fine blogging, but so much of it is.... "
BLOG BLOG BLOG !!! BABBLE.... heck, even this post... LOL

and the shear quantity of it... who the heck has that much time on their hands?

[Palemoon]

I'm with Matthews in some respect. Quite often blogs are nothing more than sensationalized online versions of the National Enquirer. If you look at the Enquirer's long and storied history, they had only 1 factual and credible story printed in more than 70 years of being in business. That's a very poor track record. And blogs are no different.

Blogs are often used to launch vendetta's or paybacks as well. Look at the Drudge site. All the blowhard rightwing radio shockjocks like Rush Limpbaugh, Sean Vannity and Michael "Brain" Damage, they all quote extensively from Drudge at every opportunity.

That right there is the "good old boy network" as one poster here phrased it. MSNBC has more credibility in their urinals than freep, drudge and the radio guys combined.

[phlashba]

I had to switch off MSNBC on Tuesday, because I could not take another second of Matthews inane commentary. I honestly believe the guy is half drunk most of the time.

[brighterlight]

I give him credit for cutting through Benjamin's character dig.

[DrBillo1]

truth always wins out---

[Wanjiru]

...can't say I blame him...

...bloggers will put him out of business...

...he sees the threat...

.

[cariintexas]

Ahhh, the two faces of Chris Matthews. wonder why he gave up on his Senatorial run in PA? Fess up Matthews, why did you not run?

[Helzapoppin]

Must've been because of his marriage to Edwin Schlossberg.

[ChristianEcon.com]

The asleep-at-the-switch lapdog journalism of the last 8 years made blogging a lot more relevant.

[peaceonearth]

Second that. However the msm needs to attempt to keep their facts straight, and repeating something some blogger said - especially when it would tarnish a public figure, would be horrible journalism and matthews is right here.

[peaceonearth]

Addendum to my last... I mean without it being substantiated.

[steve-annie]

He must be afraid of offending Sarah Palin, his latest sexist crush.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

Someone should tell Chris that there's a lot of "journalism" coming from blogs these days and his old boy network of powerful sources and people like Judy Miller is a little strained in 2009.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

Agreed. The disdain by journalists of bloggers is disconcerting to say the least, not to mention very close minded,

[JCane526]

Sadly, for every good blogger, there are 100 bloggers with diarrhea of the mouth who say whatever comes to mind, sources or not. Going with a "one bad apple spoils the bunch" approach here.

I love my blogs for "opinions," but let's not fool ourselves into thinking its much more than this. Journalism is subjective reporting.

Some blogs contain news... but it should never be the other way around.

[Realist]

Amen - Chris Matthews prefers Rothchild owned AP and Reuters to actual journalism. lol!

[WhyAreYouWearingStripes]

Not only that, but MSNBC producers (actually all cable newsers) spend hours each day reading the blogs!!!!

[poster1122]

Perhaps, but you don't go around repeating "rumors" posted by some anonymous blogger, especially ones which don't even bother to give a pretense of supporting evidence. That's just irresponsible.

[Ajita]

You're using "blogging" synonymously with "rumours". Also, you seem to characterize all blogs as anonymous (or you just like to embellish your comments with hyperbole). Finally, do you know for a fact that the blogs the guest had in mind "don't even bother to give a pretense of supporting evidence"?
MSNBC and the other news outlets are always discussing rumors. The reason why they shoot down blogs is because it threatens their way of doing things.

[mulegino]

Point well taken. Maybe one day they'll come up with a Hollywood Squares for has -for the flatulent, sycophantic, and out of date journalists like Matthews.
The information age increasingly renders their pomposity, superficiality and intellectual shallowness ever more irrelevant.