The Blog Swarm Chris Matthews Never Saw Coming

The Tweety Effect, as the Matthews controversy was dubbed online, illustrated how the Beltway press is increasingly susceptible to pressure applied by the netroots. And that could have enormous impact as the general election unfolds this year.

By not only getting Matthews to apologize, but by also forcing the rest of the press -- post-New Hampshire -- to back off its, at-times, overtly sexist coverage of a prominent Democratic contender, the blogs have already had more impact on how the traditional press covers this presidential campaign than they did during the entire 2004 White House run.

Read the full Media Matters column here.

Comments

[Zentomato]

The aspect that I most find objectionable about Tweety Saliva Lips is his schoolgirlish gushing and faugning (sp) over his male guests who have or had some power in DC. When he has Tom Delay on is it actually nauseating. Ick. Ikky double ick.

[Joeseo]

Ole spittle lips is a complete coward and a sissy gossip.

He doesnt have the balls to apologize personally. He hides and snipes from his passifier anchor role.

Also, he should be censored by the full Senate of the United States. This bastard is not an elected official and needs to be put in his place.

[Bulbul]

Tell me something, how long we have to endure Mathews, now they run a 2 minutes ad about him. He is as nasty as ever. They can move him to early time and Have Rachael or David at that time !
Ruining my evening watch on a daily basis .

[NYSF]

I was hoping that someone would pick up on this!

Every since the rant on Hillary, regarding her ccrying on camera, and her reason for getting elected to the senate, Chris Matthews has stopped on a dime, and changed course. He WAS in support of Obama, until then. It was obvious that he received the memo from MSNBC, and he LISTENED. Right now I am listening to him rant on for the Clintons.

Its disgusting!

[MaDem]

I decided to boycott Matthews' Harball show on Sunday mornings here, and encouraged others, especially women, not to watch, but alas his show was replaced at this NBC affiliate by a Bibilical veggie cartoon.

[Lazslo]

Here's the real story, Eric: Clintons silence critical press and media under guise of claims of misogyny. With media effectively marginalized, Clinton goes on to get nomination. America continues movment towards fascism and corporate plutocracy.

[soupcity]

Excellent as usual Mr. Boehlert, well researched and sourced. Keep it up.

[pbarba1969]

Chris Matthews has had a big problem with Democratic Candidates for President, especially in 2000. He hammered Gore every friggin noght and made his obvious love for Bush to obvious. Every night ne had 1 Democrat getting pounded by Matthews and usually 2-3 Republicans.

Matthews was one of those who put Bush on a pedestal anbd pounded Gore for the sins of Clinton. He bought into Bush hook, line and sinker. He even slammed Phil Donahue by saying their was "no place for someone like Phil Donahue on this network", which at the time I beleive was CNBC. Donahue at the audacity to question the rush to war with Iraq, and because of it was sacked. Meanwhile guys like Matthews were let off the hook by the members of the media and the public for not just the support for Bush, but for his rush to war, and his power grab.

[BufoAmericanus]

I have to say, Mathews has sucked for a long time. Mathews attacks on Gore, as well as his general attitude towards sexualizing everything, from political parties to automobiles, should have relegated him to a museum long ago. Mathews has outlived his usefulness to the American Political theatre. He's been rotting for at least eight years, and the stink finally caught up to him.
Stewart is right, the guy has lost it. Watching him in his current condition is like watching the passed out drunk get drawn on, and then go to bars after waking up. I am surprised that he even noticed what the blogs were saying about him.

The TV pundits live in as thick a bubble as Bush does. You have to bury them in E-Mails just to tell them Mathews is rotter? They all suck, and they survive by "relative suckiness."

[JerryWalden]

If Tweety keeps this up, I might be able to watch him again.

[larry278]

The comments above are trying to absolve Chris Matthews of sexism by saying that Chris is simply a fervant supporter of ABC, Anybody But [Hillary] Clinton. I don't buy it. There a less sexist ways of criticizing her Hillaryship by simply pointing out her many faults such as being the DLC's poster child for '08, accepting & probably soliciting funds from right wing fat cats such as his Murdochship. If you want to join the pressure on Chris, MSNBC, et al- take a look at CLG NEWS for 1/23/08; they have a piece on e-mailing Chris, et al to protest Mr Matthews's penchant for using sexist terms & arguments against her Hillaryship. CLG NEWS includes links to use to call Chris & his bosses to task for Chris's chronic, pathological, sexism. I want BH Obama to start serving as POTUS on 1/20/09. He doesn't need the support of sexist talking heads or scribes to win. Got that, Chris.

[Hud]

I have watched MSNBC for years but something changed 5-6 months ago.They decided to openly support Barrack Obama. I cannot watch it anymore because of how they openly attack Clinton nearly in every segment. Obama coverage is nearly always positive especially on Hardball. He smiles when talking about Obama and scowls when reading a Hillary piece. Before the Dem Philedelphia Debate Hardball was almost begging Obama to go after Clinton to go negative. He did..They all did at the same time. From then on Obama's negative jabs were ok but Clinton's were under the belt.
I'm not even a Democrat never liked Hillary but the obvious press bias against Clinton is so OPEN and above the pale its amazing. Why is this happening? Isn't the press supposed to be neutral? Why does Obama get the pass?

[EspressoAtNoon]

Sexist? I've seen all the stuff Matthews has said and it's not sexist. He obviously doesn't like Hillary, but 99% of his points are accurate and about her refusal to answer questions candidly and honestly.

When your entire campaign is based on triangulation, dishonest smearing, and spinning in the way Hillary's is you are likely to receive a LOT of criticism.

[JacktheBlogger]

Yes, it definitely appears like Chris Matthews has backed off a bit. He definitely got spanked by the powers-that-be at MSNBC - i.e. the Most Supportive Network Behind Clinton!

[RabidRightRebel]

It's just possible that when someone pointed out that saying what he said about Hillary was the same as saying that the only reason the McCain is in the race is that he was shot down over Vietman made Matthews realise he had made a mistake. Sometimes it is not the volume of the comments but the quality of the comments that make a difference.