Matthews' obsession with Obama's ability to "walk[] into a dinette [sic]" continues
SUMMARY: A week after claiming that Sen. Barack Obama "can't walk into a dinette [sic] with five or six guys there, white guys, in some cases. He can't just shake hands and hang out," Chris Matthews asserted, "[Obama] doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting."
On the April 24 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, referring to Sen. Barack Obama, host Chris Matthews said to NBC News political director Chuck Todd, "Chuck, let's talk about race. Let's mix in with class. I've said before -- people have criticized me for this -- he doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting."
The week before, Matthews similarly asserted that Obama has "got another problem. ... He can't walk into a dinette [sic] with five or six guys there, white guys, in some cases. He can't just shake hands and hang out. He doesn't seem to, 'Hey, you know, how are the Eagles doing?' Or 'How are the Phils doing?' " In addition, on the April 10 edition of Hardball, Matthews claimed that Obama is "not that good at that -- handshaking in a diner," adding: "Barack doesn't seem to know how to do that right." MSNBC correspondent David Shuster agreed, stating: "[H]e doesn't do that well." Matthews then asserted: "What's so hard about doing a diner? I don't get it. Why doesn't he go in there and say, 'Did you see the papers today? What do you think about that team? How did we do last night?' Just some regular connection?" During that same segment, Matthews and Shuster also critiqued Obama's reported request for orange juice after being offered coffee at an Indiana diner.
Media Matters has documented numerous other examples of Matthews and other MSNBC personalities and guests purporting to identify actions by, or characteristics of, Obama that they have suggested demonstrate that he is not a "regular guy."
From the April 24 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
MATTHEWS: Chuck, let's talk about race. Let's mix in with class. I've said before -- people have criticized me for this -- he doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting.
TODD: Right. I mean, I think this is as much of that as it is the overall race issue. I mean, look, there are some people who say race is a factor who -- because it's prejudice, and there are some who say race is a factor because they think their next-door neighbor won't support a black candidate, but they are hoping a Democrat wins and that's one reason they voted. So, I think somewhere in those numbers, there's a little bit of accountability for that.
And what the hell is a 'dinette?'
What is this, some wierd Hemingway fixation on his part? What's next, is he gonna start talking about an Old Swede or something?
I am the heaven
I am the water
ich bin der dreck unter deinen walzen
ich bin dein geheimer schmutz
und verlorenes metallgeld
ich bin deine ritze
Ich Bin Deine Ritze Und Schlitze
I Am The Clouds
I Am Embroidered
Ich Bin Der Autor Aller Felgen
Und Damast Paspeln
Ich Bin Der Chrome Dinette
Ich Bin Der Chrome Dinette
Ich Bin Eier Aller Arten
Ich Bin Alle Tage Und Naechte
Ich Bin Alle Tage Und Naechte
Ich Bin Hier
Und Du Bist Mein Sofa
Ich Bin Hier
Und Du Bist Mein Sofa
Ich Bin Hier
Und Du Bist Mein Sofa
Original:
I Am The Heaven
I Am The Water
I Am The Dirt Beneath Your Rollers
I Am Your Secret Smut
And Lost Metal Money Down Your Cracks
I Am Your Cracks & Crannies
I Am The Clouds
I Am Embroidered
I Am The Author Of All Tucks
And Damast Piping
I Am The Chrome Dinette
I Am The Chrome Dinette
I Am Eggs Of All Persuasions
I Am All Days & Nights
I Am All Days & Nights
I Am All Days & Nights
I Am All Days & Nights
I Am Here
And You Are My Sofa
I Am Here
And You Are My Sofa
I Am Here
And You Are My Sofa
Maybe it's a pizza palorous .... ?
Surprise pizza stop, By Theresa Novak - Gazette-Times City Editor
[Photo, credit:] Andy Cripe - Gazette-Times [Captioned:]
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., a Democratic presidential candidate, stops to talk with Deb Fernandez, Michael Fernandez, Amanda Free and Jack Rogers during an unexpected stop in Corvallis on Friday afternoon at American Dream Pizza.
The only revealing thing about all of this is Matthews trying to show his working class roots by getting the terminology wrong and showing us how out of touch he is.
He'd be better off talking about how the Phil's did in the match last evening.
Chris and the other Media Whores are apparently starting to believe their own bullsh*t. They beat us over the head night after night with these trivial "controversies", then swear that the "man on the street" is equally outraged about these picayune non-stories. Here's news for you, Chris.... YOU JERKS are the ones driving these stories.... NOT the public. The average American wouldn't give a rat's ass about Obama's "elitism" if you douchebags hadn't told them to be outraged.... again and again and again.
Nerzog,
You sound a tad upset ;-)
Yeah listening to Matthews continue on with this foolishness does get redundant.
Not to go off topic here [though I will] just wondering what you think of this:
Olbermann was discussing the election with Newsweek's Howard Fineman, a frequent guest. They topic was, how can a winner finally be determined in this never-ending Democratic race for the nomination? Of course, the assumption was that it was Clinton that should be shown the door (despite clearly still earning her spot in the race thanks to, um, voters). Fineman said that, all the delegate math aside, ultimately it was going to take "some adults somewhere in the Democratic party to step in and stop this thing, like a referee in a fight that could go on for thirty rounds. Those are the super, super, super delegates who are going to have to decide this."
Said Olbermann: "Right. Somebody who can take her into a room and only he comes out."
Is St. Keith advocating violence against Hillary??? Now try to imagine the outrage on the Left IF Rush, O'Reilly, Coulter or ANY Republican/Conservative said this....
Just wondering if the posters here will blast Keith the way they would a Con.
super, super, super delegates
Didn't know those existed. Wonder if Kryptonite has any effect on them?
J,
I will give you only one chance to answer correctly here, think carefully.
Of the two choices below, which is usually given to Olbermann around here?
A) A blasting.
B) A pass.
Ha! Yeah Tommy I know.
But you can't blame me for trying...
I keep thinking one one of these days...ah never mind ;-)
Shhh don't tell but I have my Hillary cackling pen with me ;-)
Oh damn...Mom heard it.
Check out Daily Howler today. Somerby completely eviscerates Olbermann.
http://dailyhowler.com/
I read it and found it long-winded and rambling; nothing more than a critique coming from from someone who doesn't like Kieth. My asnwer to all that, since I DO like Keith, is: "Big deal. So what?"
"Eviscerates" is a gross exageration. (Or at best, HIGHLY dependant on sharing the writer's POV.)
I read it and found it long-winded and rambling; nothing more than a critique coming from from someone who doesn't like Kieth. My asnwer to all that, since I DO like Keith, is: "Big deal. So what?"
"Eviscerates" is a gross exageration. (Or at best, HIGHLY dependant on sharing the writer's POV.)
"Is St. Keith advocating violence against Hillary?"
He's definitely making a stupid joke that's not funny.
My sweet Lady Julia I'm glad we agree about Olbermann :-)
As far as my "cackling" remark goes, well in my defense...I was trying to make fun of an earlier thread starring Tucker & Shuster:
MSNBC's Shuster, Carlson discuss purported "cackle," laugh over "Hillary laughing pen"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200804220008?f=s_search
I hope I'll be excused from doing 100 oinks....though I'm willing to do 50 for my bad judgment in repeating anything Tucker & Shuster say ;-)
Is St. Keith advocating violence against Hillary???
an MSNBC spokesperson sent over an apology from Olbermann, which I have reprinted in full:
It is a metaphor. I apologize: the generic "he" gender could imply something untoward. It should've been "only the other comes out - from a political point of view." You could've called for reaction first if your main motive had merely been criticism.
Oh Pearlene you always stick up for your man!
You are very loyal. But no wine for you!! ;-)
And let me just add this:
If anyone but St. Keith tried to excuse his remarks this way. Nobody would buy it. IMO.
But I still love ya Pearlene :-)
But no wine today for you.
Well they might buy it, but they'd still complain. It wouldn't be enough.
Jeter, becuase I like you I stopped myself from decking you for taking dirty about my man. HE said he was SORRY!
And don't go thinking you're going to punish me, your not the only man buying my wine. ;-)
It does hurt Snoop cause you are making it awfully hard for me to recruit new members for my Chris Matthews Fan Club.
For anyone interested in joining, we're meeting at a dinette filled with regular White grumpy old men who like to talk sports & drink coffee not O.J.
you are making it awfully hard for me to recruit new members for my Chris Matthews Fan Club.
If you like Chris Matthews' fanny, that's your own concern.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
So... Chris Matthews walks into a bar... ouch! That's gonna leave a mark!
A republican walks into a hitler youth meeting to discuss porn and jews. The press goes "eh, nothing here folks."
I guess y'all heard that one before...
You know what I would really appreciate in a politician who walked into a "dinette" that I was in? If he didn't shove his greasy mitt at me while I was trying to eat my Reuben sandwich, and would shut the f- up about his sports team. I'm trying to grab some lunch, why don't you get to work?
Here's my politician in the sandwich stop story:
I worked for awhile in Ohio, but lived across the river in West Virginia. Each Friday, several of us from work would go to lunch in one of the local restaurants.
One Friday when 4 of us were in a sub shop in Ohio, I was facing toward the back of the restaurant, and the 2 men facing me dropped their jaws at one point like they had seen a ghost. I turned around and saw what looked like 2 secret service agents at the door, with earpieces and sunglasses (when none were needed).
In strode Senator Howard Metzenbaum, US Senator from Ohio. He started shaking all of the diners' hands, saying to each person, in monotone, "Hi-Howard-Metzenbaum-Glad-to-meet-you", "Hi-Howard-Metzenbaum-Glad-to-meet-you"...
When the Senator came to our table and was about to shake my hand, one of my buddies said, "Don't bother shaking his hand. He's from West Virginia!" The Senator pulled his hand back quickly, startled, and both sunglass guys came running to our table. My guilty buddy repeated what he said to the sunglass guys, and Metzenbaum regained his composure and continued his robotic handshaking with the rest of the diners.
The things that MMFA routinely cite (such as this crap about if Sen. Obama walked into Cheers, would everybody say "Hey Norm! ...er, hey Barack!"), this stuff is not market-driven or ratings-driven, as though it was the kind of thing People wanted to see and hear... as a matter of fact it's the stuff that repulses People, and has the effect of turning them off to National Policy discussion, and of causing a disaffection among People...
This crap is an attempt to influence and manipulate the political opinions of the American People, pure and simple, it's a fact.
Distraction, absurdity, gossip, innuendo, character assassination, guilt by association, flag lapel pins, her voice sounds like a car skidding on squirrels while running over cats smashing into a flock of geese...
It's not done for ratings or any market or because People want to hear such crap: It's a manipulative distraction from substantial Political Discourse, pure and simple, it's a fact.
High gasoline prices - funny you should ask.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/house-gop-challenges-pelosi-for-gas-price-plan-2008-04-22.html
Nerzog: And, before some conservative apologist offers up the excuse that these overpaid twerps are "just reporting the news".
Let me get this straight: So there's a conservative apologist out there watching Chris Matthews' Hardball show on MSNBC...
Oh, I GET IT! YOU'RE JOKING!!! (I like the one about Dolly Parton better.)
A Catholic priest, a Rabbi, a civil rights activist (white), and an African-American presidential candidate all walk into a bar, and the bartender says to them "What is this... a joke?"
You walk into a bar and find Barack Obama, John McCain, and Dolly Parton and what do you have?
Two big boobs and a country singer.
Q - What's the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenburg?
A - One is a flaming Nazi gasbag, and the other is a dirigible.
:-)
Wes-
Don't you mean three big boobs, and the first black president of the United States?
Mathews will continue to rub mmfa's nose in this "dinette" story as long as they keep responding...he likes the free publicity for making these silly comments.
It does appear that mmfa is running out of steam on this dinette thing...evidenced by this rather half-hearted rebuttal by A J Walzer...but I suppose Walzer is qualified to talk about a "dinette" since his employment before joining mmfa was as a chef.
It does appear that mmfa is running out of steam on this dinette thing...
And you never had any steam at all, Wesley.
you and I both know that Matthews reads mmfa
Wow! Do you really think he does Wes? Cool.
Hi Chris, it's me Jeter. I watch Hardball every night. I'm your biggest fan!
Ha! I'm just kidding Chris. You're a boob.
Well you can have dessert, but there will be none on Political Island and there will definitely not be any dinettes. To quote the lyrics of the 70’s Good Times series all of Political Island’s inhabitants will be “hanging in a chow line”
With his ego I'm sure he reads everything...searching for a mention of his name.
But, does he read the comments? Most people don't...according to Alexa each user of mmfa only views 1.5 pages per day...so most are only scanning the headlines...while we regulars entertain ouselves...mostly.
Nerzog,
Of course this is silly, and irrelevant......but it is where we are with the 24/7 cable channels during an election season. Everything from dinettes to haircuts to candidates wives recipes are going to be bandied about on these shows, otherwise how can they possibly fill all the airtime? They could stick strictly to substance and policy intracacies, but do you really think their audience would sit too long for that? I doubt it, they would bolt other, less taxing conversation, I think.
And as silly as this may appear, it is analysis to some extent.......gauging voter's mindsets on these candidates and how they appeal to those whose votes they court. Essentially, it's all harmless stuff that is thrown around for about a seconds worth of consumption and has no real lasting affect on anyone. I don't buy the whole "pushing the narrative" thing too much - if this sways anyone one way or another, or even when combined with other drivel, then they are a lost cause, either way.
Of course this is silly, and irrelevant......but it is where we are with the 24/7 cable channels during an election season. Everything from dinettes to haircuts to candidates wives recipes are going to be bandied about on these shows, otherwise how can they possibly fill all the airtime?
Exactly Tommy!
Everyone talks about how good news & newscasters were way back when. But part of the reason for that was because they had a limited amount of time to report the news. And very little time to shmooze.
Hi Jeter,
Even though there is much more time, wouldn't you also say there is less news?
Fried,
I don't know that there is less "news" today. By that I'd guess you mean real [as in important] news?
I just think more time is spent today on superficial & trivial "news" than on the more important stuff.
More time to fill, more need to fill it with something...even if it's crap. And I see no end in sight, unless cable & the internet disappears & we're back to only 3 major networks & newspapers for our source of the news.
I kinda miss those days sometimes....
Nerzog
We don't agree on much politically...but your post was a real bulls-eye on the current state of our media.
You knocked that one out of the park.
It's not harmless precisely because it continues to "reinforce the narrative." All these tiny little seemingly trivial things add up to a big picture and continue to paint that picture over and over again until it gains a life of it's own. Matthews' job seems to be to work on the "elitist" spectrum of the picture, continuing to make these observations that have absotlutely no grounding in reality to create the image of the Democratic candidates as disconnected from the mythical "Middle American" and unable to empathize or do any good for them while the Republicans are somehow just like all the "common folk" out there. The whole concept is based on lies and misconceptions.
All of these people, Obama included, are first and foremost politicians. Matthews' comments are a judgement of how well Obama does in the "Condescending to the lower middle class" round. Ok, so Obama sucks at that round. SFW!?!?!?!??!?! George Bush scores perfect freaking 10s in that game with bonus style points for "Pretending to be just like you" so well. Just how well have those amazing acting skills worked for him as President?
Whenever Matthews is talking like this he is really saying "Look all you hicks and yokels out there, Obama just ain't like you and me, good common folk." He is the one being a condescending elitist thinking that we are so simple-minded that we choose our leader based on how good he is at making idle chit-chat?
Unless, of course, he's right. If so, deity help us all.
And come on, orange juice!! Everyone knows that the life blood of working class americans is pure, unadulterated coffee (and none of that elitist liberal latte/cappucino stuff, either!)
I think this is all part of a hidden, radical fruit juice agenda against our nation's hard-working, tireless laborers. In fact, the very lifeblood of this nation is coffee! (before work, of course, after work it's beer)
I believe that oranges are being imported to the U.S. from terrorist sponsoring nations, in order to decrease the productivity of U.S. workers. Obviously, Barack Obama, a dangerous muslim terrorist posing as an American politician, supports this radical juice agenda, and in doing so, he is destroying America.
Other people who drink Orange Juice:
Liberals
Atheists
Gays
Illegal Immigrants
Pinko commies
Elitists
Opinionated Black Pastors
Nazis
Al Gore
Unless you support all of the above listed groups, stop drinking OJ now!!!
I think he repeated dinette "because" Brock and Co. called him on it and by repeating the same dumb statement...he is poking at mmfa.However I don't think he reads the comments...he has probably "been there, done that" and knows everyone here thinks he's a dunce.
I'm not Karnac...but that's my guess.
I think every media person who is highlighted on these media watchdog sites, from the left and the right, takes it all in stride. I mean, unless they really screw up royally, they weather the mini-storms just fine. They realize that when every single word is monitored for some correctness of some sort, they're going to get nabbed at some point, it's par for the course nowadays.
tommy,
I think they do more than take it in stride...I think they relish the coverage...good and bad...almost like a badge of honor.
It appears that most "investigative reporting" done by the major media today is to scour the web looking for something that they can sensationalize to fill air time.
The blogosphere then picks apart all these stories...and the vicious circle is unending.
I think that the major media is a dumbed down...inbred society...that is truly out of touch with us "dinette" folks. The major networks are losing viewers and the cable nets are not really gaining much.
The blogosphere is the real winner...with it's mix of diverse opinions and people who do not need to be spoon fed or are easily duped.
That's an interesting take on Matthews' repeated use of "dinette". It's a really alien mindset to me, but seems to be common among pundits and radio talkers, especially conservative ones.
Similar to saying "Democrat party", I don't understand how repeatedly being wrong and exposing ones ignorance is seen by those doing it as rubbing the other persons nose in it. Is this a uniquely Republican area of pride, displaying your stupidity and imagining it as some sort of victory? I guess you use what you got.
The thing is, I hear people around me talking about the Democrat party, so it's working to a certain extent, and using that particular word is nefarious if you ask me. Why? Because they are trying to distance the democrats within the democratic party from the democratic process, that's their reasoning of course. But then again, anyone with half of a brain knows that they sound, well, just dumb.
It goes the same for right wing talk show hosts. I listen to a lot of their shows, unfortunately, living in NC there are a lot of them on with not a lot of balance of anything else, and almost universally, they like to basically call people names. I stumbled on Mark Levin one night, and whew, he's the worst one out there as far as making up silly sounding names for all of the people he believes are evil (read, democrats, and up until recently, John McCain). I know that Olberman does this as well, and it bothers me. Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, Levin, Boortz, et all. They all do this name calling thing, and behind it all, there's no substance whatsoever. Just a jerk with a microphone.
Love your article as I have been fuming at Chris Matthews audacity in
laying this senseless claim. Over and over and over again........... Duh! Huh?
Chris M. is quite simply supporting bigotry. He, also, knows so little about
Senator Obama and how he has truly helped so many people. Obama
is comfortable in any surrounding and very engaging.
Unlike so many politicians, Obama's sincerity is refreshing. Perhaps that
is why Chris M. can't get it or him.
I still remember Chris M. throughly enjoying bashing Senator Kerry
and praising George Warmonger Bush.
Chris only gets upset about Bush's War when he seems to believe a draft
may return and his son will be made to serve in the military.
Chris Cheap Shots is a better name for his show than Hardball.
Come on liberals Matthews has a great point , Obama is a Brother from another Planet and guess what , they obviously don't have caucasians on that planet , so how CAN he communicate with whites .
And even though his law school was 90 % white , he didn't speak to any of them, he hung out playing basketball and that bowling debacle , good gawd do we have to see him in a swimming pool next , bowling the cradle of white American sports proved he can't be part white .
So, Obama graduated with honors from law school because he just hung around playing hoops with his brothers? And (I'm really trying to take you seriously), you actually believe that bowling is a kind of credential for whiteness?? Damn, I don't bowl--and here I thought I was white all these years. I suppose it makes me, er, non-white. Well, I suppose that makes sense since I seem to understand what Obama is talking about.
Thanks for the racist analysis! ;-) Always love it when neo-cons show their true colors--a dozen shades of white and a room temperature IQ.
We all know about Chris Matthews. He's been a joke for a long time.
However, Media Matters is losing some credibility when it doesn't criticize some of the bizarre and vitriolic commentary by Keith Olbermann against Senator Clinton. I haven't seen anything at all on your site about the most recent episode where he seemed to imply that a "super superdelegate should take Hillary into a room and only one of them should come out. Mr. Olbermann apologized to Rachel Sklar, who wrote a damning piece about the allusion to violence against women in his remarks, but did not apologize, God forbid, to Sen. Clinton. Where was Media Matters in all this?
You cannot maintain a position of objectivity in your media critiques if one MSNBC commentator gets special treatment. Mr. Olbermann deserves the same condemnation as Chris Matthews for his inflammatory rhetoric.
Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.
You might want to check out the "About Us" section of this site.
Kieth takes some licks elsewhere on site. Is his progressive side more important than the kicks he gives Hillary? It is an open question.
Humor took a hit or two on this thread. Just got though,"The Kat Who Walked in Beauty" Geo Herrimans Krazy Kat. Some beautiful dailies from 1920.
From May, 17th.
KK: That Mrs.Henn is a tough bird, Ignatz.
IM: How so?
KK: From what I seen her do I'd say she was tough.
IM: Well what did you see her do?
KK: I seen her bite a fish.
IM: Y'mean to tell me a hen bit a fish???
KK: Sure, but I'll say this for the fish, he was game, and came right back at her.
IM: What did the fish do?
KK: He kicked her.
Ignaz bends over to pick up a brick sized rock, with intent to throw.
What's this? The media is being critical and unkind to Obama? Not much fun is it? Well to that I say 'Walk a mile in Clinton's shoes'. She has received this kind of media treatment from day one while Obama got to bask in the glow of their infatuation with him, and all for free!
Could it be the party's over?