The Chris Matthews Show: Do McCain's Campaign Shake Ups Equate To A Shaky Presidency?
By Nicole Belle Saturday Jul 12, 2008 12:00pm
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John McCain's campaign is struggling, and this was a particularly hard week for them. But never fear, McCain's Media is here to spin this as well as possible for the MaverickMan. After all, there's no need for them to go over and over ad nauseam all of McCain's verbal gaffes from this week. They did that during the Democratic primary when they talked about Clinton's Bosnia story and Obama's relationship with Rev. Wright for weeks on end. It's so done. Let's instead focus on him bringing in new staff. But don't look too hard at the fact that he's brought in the people from Karl Rove's shop that destroyed his candidacy in 2000, because that might indicate some sort of desperation for the dirty politics that Rove is so famous for using. So let's invent a more mild concern, like a messy desk analogy for his management style. And we all know that can be turned around to be a positive, since Nixon had a neat desk. But above all, let's ask if this is a fair question to evaluate a supposed McCain presidency.
MATTHEWS: NY Times reporter Adam Nagourney wrote this week that quote even former McCain associates think voters now might be getting an early glimpse of the messy, unstructured way in which McCain and his White House might be managed. Howard, is this a fair problem for people to be worried about, staff shakeups, firing people, layering people, bringing in new bosses to run the campaign?
FINEMAN: Well, John McCain is not a systems thinker. He's a leader by personal will and force of personality. He's gathered a sort of constellation of people around him. Nobody ever actually leaves the orbit, it's just different planets fly closer at different times.
MATTHEWS: Well, who are these former staffers that keep dumping on him in the NY Times?
FINEMAN: There are a couple who have escaped...who had escaped gravitational pull.
McCain Media, hard at work to make you not think at all.
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Wow just wow.
OK back on Planet Earth, Fineman, who is going to run the country? You know, back here on Planet Earth.
Sooo... is he saying what we all know? That McCain is on another planet?
The fact that the events, mis-steps, mis-statements, denials, reversals, and out-right lies have not driven McCaint from the race (much less, in a more bipartisan fashion, ensured the presidency for Cynthia McKinney) all taken together suggests to me that Bombin' Johnnie, the baby-killing war-criminal will be the next occupant of 1600 PA.Ave...
"staff shake ups"
It is amazing that a race between a Republican Presidential candidate and a Democrat could even be close. Have the American people had their heads up where the sun does not shine the last seven years? Looks like it might be so. Hello America wake up and smell the blood!
McCain has been on the Bush war bus the whole time.
Nicole this morning on Meet the Press Hillary was discussed as possibly being chosen to be on the McCain ticket. Have you heard this anywhere else before?
To me, it just shows how desperate the Repubs are. Their paralyzing inability to get McSame up and running shows that not only is he failing to generate any enthusiasm for his campaign (and his poor sinking ship knows it), but that he will be defeated by a LANDSLIDE in Nov.
The Repubs are done with. For now, anyway---and a long time to come.
Yes, he does leave the impression that he's not the best manager of personnel in the world. But, If McCain somehow is able to win with the right mix of race-baiting and fear-mongering, I feel like his presidency could have the potential to be more damaging than Bush's... even if it were to last only four years.
You sit and wonder how much evil shit the Bush Administration wasn't able to pull off due to sheer incompetence. Social Security Privatization? Flat out stripping away the new deal? They definitely wouldn't have been able to pull off invading Iraq if a large majority of the country wasn't still in a crack daze from all the post-911 psychosis.
After this past week anyone else running for Pres. (with the notable exception of George W. Bush) would have gracefully conceded they are not fit to run for Pres. and dropped out of the race. Many would likely have left the country and gone into exile. Not so with John. It's different when he makes mistakes, cause he is old, and he was a prisoner of war.
Btw: "Do McCain’s Campaign Shake Ups Equate To A Shaky Presidency?"
No, they portend a fuuking catastrophe. McCain't could well be the last Murkin President.
the last 45 years, since 1963, have seen an amazingly forthright--and astonishingly successful--attack by the global elites on the Murkin Presznissy, especially in its capaciuty as a majority of one for the best interests of the Nation and its people.
The institution will never recover from Bush. McCaint is just the coup de grace, to put us out of out misery.
The elites know this is likely the last "election", free, fair or phucqued. The popular democracy of the US of A is mortally wounded. It's not gonna recover...
idealistic in NM @ 5:
While it should be a "slam dunk" for Obama and the Dems it is not. Especially if the Democrats keep rolling over on issues like FISA.
All this tells me is McCain isn't a "stay the course" kind of guy, and is fumbling in the dark for a clue. Anyone who manages to get this guy elected it the person who should be president, not McCain himself. The guy is his own worst enemy.
@ #10, Chris sez: The guy is his own worst enemy.
Humbly beg to differ...He is OUR worst enemy...
lyleleander @ 6:
idealistic in NM @ 5:
Don't forget about the electronic voting machines. That is my biggest concern.
Bog Allen and Boy Troy spring to mind...
I just don't get that these dopes think it's funny. fiddling while Rome Burns. I've always thought that Tweets is a vacuous shallow jerk. herein lies the proof. McCain is a fool in fool's clothing. he picks the worst possible advisers, he makes ridiculous mistakes. it must be that Obama is right: "Oh, and did I mention that he's black."
poor leadership, poor choice of associates, poor policy, yet to tweets it's just politics.
chris @ 10:
The Repug VP is the one to watch, as happened with Raygun and the ides of march.
jackinthebox4 @ 14:
The Republicans rejected McNasty as worthless for Herr Chimpy back in 2000, that says a lot.
He was rubbish back then, now hes the golden boy... Repugs and their twisted F*cked up logic.
How telling that at the end of the segment, the one panelist says that this hasn't taken hold with the public, but it will if the media makes it an issue by talking about it.
Perfect cue for Matthews end the segment... so they can stop talking about it.
woody, tokin librul @ 11:
No need to differ. The categories aren't mutually exclusive: he's both.
From this panel I gathered that McCain is more than likely a decide on the fly, reacts without thinking sort of man. He keeps his staff members on and then dumps them once he changes his vision and will probably do the same for anyone else in the United States if he is elected President. People like him are highly unstable, irrational and unwise. He is not what America needs.
FINEMAN: "Well, John McCain is not a systems thinker. He’s a leader by personal will and force of personality." = Bush=Mcsame.
Oh wonderful, Mr. Poster child for adult ADD discusses the prospect of another insane repug administration. Fascinating!
A cue ball would be a better leader.
How many times would McLame get to crash the country?
"Well, John McCain is not a systems thinker. He’s a leader by personal will and force of personality. He’s gathered a sort of constellation of people around him. Nobody ever actually leaves the orbit, it’s just different planets fly closer at different times."
You have got to be kidding. This isn't Rome or the Third Reich. You can't govern by "personal will and force of personality". It's a democracy. Are these people sane? Oh, I forgot, it's the talking head mainstream media consensus. They are completely shameless.
woody, tokin librul @ 3:
what youve said above is complete and utter nonsense. him occupying the WH the next 4 years doesnt follow logically at all from what youve stated. its possible he might be elected or its possible he wont be. but those particular things thatve happened with him this week may or may not weigh on certain voters minds, in a positive or a negative light, but for these things to affect the entire election are just absolute silliness. there are so many factors that its, most of the time, hard to pinpoint one thing or even two things as absolutely affecting the way people vote in certain elections. two things that will with a certainty affect the way many voters vote this november: Bush and the economy. go to the bank with that.
Thanks for reminding me again why I don't watch Matthew's miserable, unprofessional, and misleading shows.
Ron @ 12:
idealistic in NM @ 5:
Don't forget about the electronic voting machines. That is my biggest concern.
ah, but only if the race is close. Which I firmly (and idealistically, I suppose ) believe it will not be. Not if all the Obama '08 stickers, signs, and banners I have seen around my city are any indication. (I have not yet seen a single McSame sign.) I think that is VERY telling. I really think the Repubs are in a for a shock this Nov. ! Yes, the Dems & Obama need to step up more (c'mon with the FISA vote already. WTF, Obama ? ) but the sheer anger at the Repubs around the nation will coalesce in the droves that will vote in Nov. We can only hope that the droves are as informed as we are !
I guess Matthews has a few thousand people who actually watch and listen to him, but I don't believe in wasting my satellite or internet bandwidth on such a blow hole. Have to give kudos again to this site for keeping us entertained and updated on the broadcast news talking heads, though. Just reinforces my decision to turn the channel.
???
Oohhh.... So is this why McSame is loosing his bearings and marbles... He's got elements of his campaign that "escaped gravitational pull".... so he's Lost In Space!!!
Well.... that explains everything.
Drunks like boosh get the shakes
As do certain geriatric diseases
And Archie Andrews splits them with Betty and Veronica
My parents like those comics more than super-heroes
But it was Betty and Veronica cavorting on the beach that helped me discover I have a penis.
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she said it in the very end if the media repeats it...........that doesn't happen....that's what they do with obama..repeat any gaffe over and over
mccain is very much like bush a gut person vs. a good communicator....i believe like bush.. mccain will depend heavily on staff to think and do for him.....he gets
stuffed every day like a holiday turkey with what to say
29 ysbaddaden
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I find it safer to make myself the butt of my own jokes, less likely to get punched out that way.
And watching two episodes back-to-back of My Name Is Earl last night probably didn't help.
chris @ 10:
Not McSame..could be McWorse
Anybody who pays attention to anybody appearing on TV with Chris "Nutso" Matthews deserves what they get.
Yes "if it becomes a meme" that the press repeat over and over again then the people will take note of the incompetence.
Of course there is little danger in that happening what with apologists like Tweety tripping all over themselves to make excuses for Gramps.Now if Johnny Maverick were a Democrat...
Additional proof as to what an incredible jerk Howard Fineman is. Why oh why does Keith Olbermann continue to have him on? [Matthews I can understand; he's too stupid to know better. But Keith??] Perhaps contractually required to do so by NBC/MSNBC? That stable over there needs a thorough cleaning out!! And not just of the poop on the floor!!
mccain's already writing his first annual state of the desk report he intends to give to congress.
Scott @ 23:
Scott... that's a great observation. Another example of the MEdia allowing McCain to be McCain... and not really paying any attention to ANY issues worth discussing.
By the way... I give 10%PROPS to our beloved Tweety for even having this discussion in the first place.
Nobody ever leaves the orbit. Just the ones who escape the gravitational pull. Luckily, "nobody" actually means "lots of people" in modern modern English, so technically the guy's right. What's a couple of completely redefined words when you're a Republican?
Does anyone know when this was taped? Because Matthews didn't do the Friday Hardball, can't remember if he was there on Thursday. This could have been taped as early as Wednesday, which could account for him ignoring the rest of the week's McCain missteps.
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