Chris Matthews: Republicans 'Probably Going To Lose' (VIDEO)

Chris Matthews offered a grim prediction on Sunday for the Republican party ahead of the 2012 elections.

Speaking on "The Chris Matthews Show," Matthews brought up an attention-getting column by conservative writer George Will, which said that Republicans might want to write off the presidential election as a lost cause and focus instead on strengthening the GOP's grip on Congress.

Matthews echoed Will's thoughts as he said, "A great year to win, they're probably going to lose, in fact, lose by Barry Goldwater dimensions. A wipeout." Turning to his panel, he asked, "Is this Rush Limbaugh thing the kind of thing that's getting them this sense of forbidding in a year they should be winning?"

Matthews' comments came in the middle of a discussion about Rush Limbaugh's recent controversy, in which he called a birth control advocate a "slut" and subsequently received a barrage of criticism.

Matthews pointed out that while Republicans are stuck explaining and apologizing for Limbaugh, Obama has been left unscathed. He even phoned Limbaugh victim Sandra Fluke to express concern.

"Barack Obama is radiating optimism these days," said Matthews.

Many critics have argued that the messy GOP primary will hurt the Republicans in November. Recently, Sarah Palin told Fox News that voters are "so tired of the pettiness within the GOP process."

Comments

[iphanie]

09:42 PM on 03/07/2012

They stand no chance to win this election; particularly with their surrogate/spoke person/supporter Rush Limbaugh talking craps and disrespecting and call women who stand up for issue close to their heart all kinds of horrible and dirty names. This is the value of the Republicans and what conservative stand for: harassment, intimidation, disrespect, name calling, lies, and manipulation.

[Subsoil73]

12:27 PM on 03/07/2012

This is wishful thinking on Chris's part.

Matthew's is the same man on the night of the 2008 elections didn't think the Republican would recover for years - and yet they came roaring back in 2010.

[Peacockjp]

02:13 AM on 03/07/2012

I really hope that Rush Limbaugh - doesn't lose his show over this. I don't really agree with much that he says - Although I do like that flower place he advertises on his show - I hear that they have now pulled his advertising along with maybe 20 others. I totally support his right to say what he likes. It's good to have these folks right out in the open so that we can keep an eye on them.

[mjmann]

06:15 PM on 03/06/2012

One could posit that the Republican party needs to hit bottom through a great loss before it can begin to heal itself. The mistake the Republican party leaders made was to embrace the toxic Tea Party movement and allowing it member to sign Norquist's pledge. Romney has so much political baggage to carry around it's a wonder he can move at all. While Romney can run backwards from his Massachusetts' health care plan he was once so proud of and he can run backwards from his passage of Massachusetts' same sex marriage law he happily signed while he's in the Republican primary. But, if Romney ends up in the general, President Obama will not let him back away from these issue, rather he will make Romney explain them or explain his odd stance. I think Chris' prediction is spot on.

[duggal]

05:26 PM on 03/06/2012

If Obama does win I think a few "Thanks Yous" should be sent to:
Rush Limbaugh who brought women to the Democratic Party
The Koch Bro who brought us Wisc and hate
The Roberts court who brought us the Super Pacs, funding the protracted and sad GOP Presidential Race
Rick Santorum who brought the fear of sex and the folly of attending college and the disdain for JFK and.....
and finally, the rest of the GOP candidates who showed us that even a fool can run for President

[JAMES GORMAN]

05:12 PM on 03/06/2012

Christ Matthews isn't exactly Sybil or the Oracle at Delphi: his predictions and predicliction \have had wandering career. He usually offers so many conditions and qualifications that one could
narrow any of his prophecies to a school-kids "maybe so."
WE HAVE NO IDEA yet what real satisfaction there is out there in the economy: the unemployment figures are all a cosmetic: actually if you count all the figures, nearly 20% of
the USA is scared about the job scene, and consumers are hanging on to every nickel.
To me, one state matters: Ohio and with it Pennsylvania: if Obama loses one or both of these
he cannot easily "over-whelm"---and the Catholic vote in those states is crucial. That vote
is intensly alienated in the "contraception-abortion" flap which was entirely ridculous and an
arrogant mistake. I won't believe any Chris-Crossing the future until the night they count
Ohio. James McCormick

[IndependentRule]

04:55 PM on 03/06/2012

Another 4 years of gridlock....Perfect. The Dems won't get filibuster proof control of both houses so another four years of the same old polarizing politics.

[skykam]

04:32 PM on 03/06/2012

I am waiting for the internal gnashing of teeth as they try to figure out what went wrong. The finger pointer, the blame throwing. Should be a good time. Buying popcorn futures in anticipation.

[HiramWdwsn]

04:41 PM on 03/06/2012

You seem to be speaking from experience....

[skykam]

05:46 PM on 03/06/2012

Yeah, I've seen this train wreck before.

[ACIM]

04:41 PM on 03/06/2012

Hmmm, corn futures (becomes the popcorn) sounds like a good play. I'm in for 100 contracts! Maybe we should look into soda and beer too....

[Jab Allen]

04:19 PM on 03/06/2012

Now Chris likes the Sarah Palin lines? Lets reuse the trash he threw at Hillary four years ago.

[walkaway]

02:39 PM on 03/06/2012

Check out Game Change on HBO. See how the Pubs blew it last time.
Mark my words, they will make Crispy Cream Christie the VP pick and lose the entire base.
They will all just stay home!

[csmomo]

03:57 PM on 03/06/2012

Yeah--Christie might just as well waddle on back into his lair right now.

[ACIM]

04:44 PM on 03/06/2012

Nah, even Mittens isn't dumb enough to get another guy from the northeastern part of the U.S. He'll try for Rubio, but nobody of any quality will want to be his V.P. candidate, 'cuz they know the the Repugnicants are in for an as*-whupping in November.

[Plissken]

02:25 PM on 03/06/2012

This is not the time to be lured into a false sense of security. These things are never over till they're over. Anything can happen in politics, and a year might as well be a lifetime.

[vaf112675]

01:52 PM on 03/06/2012

I'd like to thank Rush for showing us just how far gone the TP GOP is.

Thank you Rush for reminding all good and decent liberals, independents, and even some conservatives, that we must not let the GOP win come November.

Let's take back the Congress and give Mr. Obama a fighting chance at saving this country!

[NWBrunette]

02:57 PM on 03/06/2012

Hear, hear! F/F.

[csmomo]

03:58 PM on 03/06/2012

I am still waiting for the response of the front-runners to Rush's illiterate spewing.

[vaf112675]

04:13 PM on 03/06/2012

They didn't respond. They just avoided the subject as quickly as they could and they did a miserable job at that.

[Thecla]

01:24 PM on 03/06/2012

This "economic policy" the T-Pubs are so proud of -- ya know -- the one that's been holding the government hostage for the better part of three years -- is the product of a 12-year-old 7th Grader. Grover Norquist fully admits that he thought up that "No New Taxes" policy as an adolescent in Junior High School.
If that's all you've got, you're in serious trouble.
As long as the Democrats "Get Out The Vote," and I firmly believe that we will, Obama will be re-elected, I am very proud to say.

[Maxx Webber]

11:53 AM on 03/06/2012

Speaking of Grim check out the Pasty complexion on Chris

[Chubster30]

10:46 AM on 03/06/2012

Once Romney secures the nomination...there will be a closing of ranks never before seen.

11/2/2010 was a shellacking...step 1

11/6/2012 will be a shellacking...step 2

[rcampbell]

10:56 AM on 03/06/2012

Thank you for your submittal for Joke of the Day.

[Chubster30]

10:58 AM on 03/06/2012

I am glad that I could make you laugh...

Promise me you will continue to find my thoughts laughable...

[Ulalume s Ague]

12:05 PM on 03/06/2012

This assumes that Obama's re-election efforts amount to lying down in tall grass. Romney has more baggage than LAX. The closing of ranks is a laughable notion, given that Romney could barely eke out anything in Michigan. You whistle past the graveyard if you believe that Ohioans will forgive Romney's full-throated support for Kasich's union-busting which was handily overturned by voter referendum. That, and the fact that Romney's health care mandate in MA is the model for the Affordable Care Act. Romneycare is working very well-- so he has to say either "I made a huge mistake." or "I led the state in this successful program". Unfortunately for him, he'll have to choose the former-- but that will only look disingenuous given the record. He's going down in November-- that is, if he even makes it to July.