mml

I thought this was interesting. While I don't think as little of the President as Mathews does, I do believe there is some truth to the fact that Cheney is a driving force and has helped shape U.S. policy in a much larger way than previous V.P.s. I also agree that the idealogues around him have a very stong, and IMO detrimental, effect on the President. What do you think?

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/articl...TICLE_ID=35378

Chris Matthews: Simpleton Bush not chief
Staff gave him 'something to think about for the 1st time in his life'

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Posted: November 1, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern




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© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
In a speech to university students, MSNBC host Chris Matthews characterized President Bush as a shallow-thinking, unlearned man who when confronted by aides with the decision about going to war with Iraq was given something to think about for the first time in his life.


Chris Matthews

The Bush administration's rationale for the Iraq war was "nonsense" and totally dishonest, Matthews told a gathering of 200 students at Brown University this week, according to the Woonsocket Call newspaper in Rhode Island.

Vice President Richard Cheney was "behind it all," contended Matthews, who served as an aide to the late House Speaker Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts and wrote speeches for former President Jimmy Carter.

"The whole neo-conservative power vortex, it all goes through his office," Matthews said, referring to Cheney, according to the paper. "He has become the chief executive. He's not the chief operating officer, he's running the place. It's scary."

The vice president, he asserted, is the man "who put his thumb on the scale" to affect the balance between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"The ideologues started circling around the president," Matthews said, according to The Call. "They saw a man who never read any books, who didn't think too deeply and they gave him something to think about for the first time in his life. This thing called pre-emption, the Bush Doctrine. They put it in his head and said 'Iraq, Iraq, Iraq.'"

Sources tell WND that management at MSNBC are becoming increasingly perturbed at Matthews for his outspoken criticism of Bush.

The commentator acknowledged the president has some "clear strengths" and is the favorite in next year's election.

Bush had a "King Arthur moment," he said, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when he stood on the rubble of the World Trade Center and declared into a bullhorn "'the people who knocked these buildings down are going to hear from all of us.' He pulled the sword out of the stone."

Matthews disclosed he favors former Vermont governor Howard Dean for president in 2004, according to the Rhode Island daily.

"He came out of Vermont, a small state, with no foreign policy experience and with sheer guts he believed in one big idea and that big idea was: 'It was wrong to go around to the other side of the world to fight a war.'" Matthews said.

Matthews said, however, Dean's problem is the American people have to decide, "do you put a lefty in at a time of crisis?"




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Ustwo

Its always good to hear from Jimmy Carter's old speech writers now and then.

I love how people long out of power and influence somehow are great mind readers and know exactly how things transpired. He doesn't like Bush and he is saying the same things that were said before the 2000 election.

Lets just boil down what he said.
Bush is stupid.
Cheney runs things.
neocons...NeoCons...NEOCONS!!!!! BOOO!!!!

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JumpinJesus

While I wholeheartedly disagree with you, I have to admit that your last line was quite funny.

I'll do a little research of my own and be back with a more enriching response later.

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filtherton

Regardless of what matthews says, he is probably more of an insider than any of us. I think i would be a mistake to claim that gwb is the braintrust of the current administration. The man has admitted that he doesn't read the paper or watch the news. That means he gets all of his info from his advisors. How hard would it be to manipulate him if you were his sole source of info on a certain subject? how much sway does cheney have with bush? Probably a whole helluva lot. He coasted through harvard and yale and failed at (i think) every business venture that he ever tried aside from the baseball team. He has never had to work a day in his life, atleast not "work" in the sense that you or i work. If he wasn't born as his father's son i am certain he would be sitting at some bar in probably new england watching espn 2 and talking with his fellow poor blue collar coworkers. I find a scenario where gwb is the easily manipulated figurehead to be quite plausible.

Liquor Dealer

I must agree with you - Matthews is quite obviously much more accomplished in life than is Bush - Why Matthews works for msnbc and Bush is just the measley little ole' Prez of the whole damn US of A. Let's hear it again for Matthews! Hip Hip

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Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

Macheath

When Bush came to Australia, we were taken slightly by surprise at the extent to which he was isolated from the general public. It makes me wonder at the extent to which this happens every day in America, where every person he meets at a 'public' event is carefully scripted to act a certain way - kind of like the Truman Show I guess.

Filtherton, if he was sitting in a bar in New England at least he'd know what blue collar workers actually think. Currently he isn't allowed to leave the Forbidden City.

2wolves

If I were to disparage Ronald Raygun by mentioning that he tried to join an openly socialist organization (fact) would that color his credentials with the worshipful neo-conservitive movement of today?

And I'm loathe to mention "youthful indescretions" that last into one's mid-thirties and later.........

2Wolves

HarmlessRabbit

Bush is not a simpleton. I believe, though, that he uses that image to great political advantage. Say what you will about him, Bush is no dummy. Even well-connected political sons are not given an MBA from Harvard for free.

I'm not even sure who Chris Matthews is. Does anyone watch MSNBC anymore?

filtherton

I said he was more of an insider than us, as in the people who are posting on an internet message board about chris matthews. Unless, ld, you are actually gwbush and you have unwittingly given us your true identity i don't think you can agree with me while misinterpreting what i said.

I disagree, i think bush is in way over his head. It is like the reverse of his father's administration, bush is dan quayle and cheney is a conservative elder bush.

Ustwo

Actually since I have read Reagan’s letters on the subject, no it wouldn't concern me in the least. Reagan started as an FDR democrat and came to learn the socialists from first hand experience. He then dedicated his life to protecting the US from them.

Of course I find it more amusing that you think so lowly of Jimmy Carter's speech writers

__________________
Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host

Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

Zeld2.0

Of course no matter what side you're on, the other sides arguments are always slightly twisted from the truth.

You know, we could take every post in this forum and show why arguing over even the most minute detail can be done and the lesson behind it.

tricks

I always found it ironic that the Republican Party put Cheney in charge of choosing GW's running mate and he rejected all the candidates that were being considered and chose himself.


Hmmmm....

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captain

I happen to like Chris Matthews a great deal--his greatest drawback is that he wears his dislikes on his sleeve. He did not like Clinton mostly because of the prez's lousy personal behavior and lack of truth telling. Chris has little use for liars.

He dislikes Bush because he thinks the prez is a shallow thinker and is easily manipulated. I do not think that view is accurate. but that's just me.

If you watch Chris on Hardball he will not stand for anyone disputing Chris's opinion. Cut any guest at the knees in a heartbeat.

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captain

james t kirk

Cause W is a member of the lucky sperm club. Other members include Prince Charles, Ted Kennedy and all of the subsequent Fords.

Frankly, W is a moron, and he is living proof that America wants a Royal Family. Be they Kennedy or Bush we seem to think that there must be a family gene for greatness.

james t kirk

No, not for free, they cost a lot of money though.

2wolves

And I've read the FBI's interview where ronnie denies it and lies about it. Whereupon he was owned by J. Edgar from that point on as the lying was under oath to a Federal Agent and considered a felony. (full story is on the web, with documentation, if you'd care to look)

Not all of Carter's staff, but Matthews? You bet, he'd sell his feet for better shoes.

2Wolves

samremy

A week or so ago I watched the Hardball episode in which Matthews interviewed Al Sharpton at Harvard in front of a student forum. I must say, that on that day, Matthews met his match, and in no shape or form was Shartpon cut down. It was most entertaining!.

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Food Eater Lad

I guess you can say shit about neocons, but if you mention liberals you get a warning. Da Yam.