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Look, Chris Matthews is a Pennsylvania Democrat. He worked for the MOST LIBERAL Congressman in history, my personal hero and late neighbor, Speaker Tip O'Neill. He also worked for Democrat and former presidential candidate Ed Muskie. He went into the PEACE CORPS because of John Kennedy. He's had his Dem ticket punched. His brother is a Pennsylvania Republican and holds some state office in PA. Working Irish, that's his stock. Pay your bills, be honest and true, take care of the poor, go to mass on Sunday, strong defense but no imperialism--in a nutshell, that's the worldview.
I think he was appalled by the Clinton - Monica thing, mainly because he has a lovely wife, Kathleen, who works for a GOP TV station in the greater DC area who did not like that business, and kids, and that was a rather shocking event for the time. Nowadays, with all the discussion of it, the practice is far less shocking, even if it still meets with disapproval by some segments of society. However, if weecowboy got a couple of BJs every week, but balanced the budget, kept us out of war, and improved the jobs situation, they'd probably write a law to provide federal funding for them, and institute a draft of sex workers to ensure a ready supply in support of our national defense. Eventually, the weekly BJ would be televised for the delight of the TV viewing audience, to show America that our Pretzeldunce is ON THE JOB. That's the MEDIA for ya--they want to tell us how to think, for their purposes. And their purposes are PROFIT, not ideology.
What I think is going on here is MARCHING ORDERS. The media, all of them, are touting a horserace, because a horserace benefits THEM. Honestly, would you watch TV if it was portrayed as a ROUT by either side? Would you turn on the TV to see our candidate getting HAMMERED every damn day? Fuck, no. Alternatively, if all you ever saw on TV was weecowboy getting the shit kicked out of him, after a week or two of laughing, gloating, unbridled glee, giddiness and joy, you'd give it a ho-hum, same ole, same ole, and be watching Home and Garden TV or the Cartoon Channel. A horserace means viewers, and viewers mean advertisers. We're all being conned, and it is all for profit. It has absolutely nothing to do with who is the better candidate.
They have to straddle a line, where they toss out just enough information to PISS BOTH SIDES OFF. Watch carefully, and see how they do it. If Day 1 is Bush bashing, Day 2 is Kerry crushing. Notice carefully how they play this shit on purpose. Sometimes, when they are desperate, they sieze on a non-issue and make a stink out of it, with faux outrage and dire warnings, just for cheap thrills. Other times, when it is a big deal and they should pounce on it, they don't, because they have to even the playing field to keep the illusion of a fake horserace going. I swear, they get a memo every morning, telling them to beat up on one or the other.
My point is, USE the media for the video and the information they can provide, but don't rely on them. Use them, abuse them, and make up your own mind. Rely on your own ability to suss out the truth, look to your gut, and get out the vote.
Chris Matthews had LOWER ratings than Phil Donohue...don't forget that. His influence is limited on a good day, and his best advertising is done on Saturday Night Live. He's a charicature. Don't make him, or any talking head, more important than they really are.
One more thing and I am off my soapbox. My hero, Tip O'Neill, said ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL. We have to get local, get busy, and get out the vote in our own neighborhoods. Get out and ask people -- ASK THEM -- to vote for Kerry. ASK FOR THEIR HELP. People like to help, it is in our altruistic natures. Draw people into the cause. Get out that vote!
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