“How dare you?” Fleischer and Matthews hammer each other over Bush, Iraq
posted at 6:52 pm on March 11, 2009 by Allahpundit
The pretext for this moldy talking-points rehash is today’s Politico piece on the efforts of Bush loyalists like Fleischer to rehabilitate Dubya’s legacy. Nothing here you haven’t heard several thousand times before on Hardball, but with Glenn Beck drubbing MSNBC even more than usual at 5 p.m., Matthews has to do something to goose the ratings. So here’s the inevitable showdown, which turns entertainingly nasty about four minutes in when Chris dumps on Bush’s counterterror legacy and Ari’s patience goes up in smoke. Twelve minutes of simmering hostility later, Matthews finally gets to deliver this summa on preemptive war on behalf of his pal “Barack”:
And I am glad that we no longer have an administration that uses that kind of argument… And the American people are happier, too. They are, I can assure you. We don’t like that thinking anymore in this country.
Given the predictable badgering and interruptions, Fleischer stays surprisingly cool and does a solid job parrying the thrust about advance intel on 9/11. Note the stagehands laughing at 8:10 when he demands to get a word in edgewise. Doesn’t he know which show he’s on?
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Is that a royal “we”?.
Hey dirtbag, you don’t speak for this American citizen.
Maquis on March 11, 2009 at 6:55 PM
This one either, Maquis.
Bob's Kid on March 11, 2009 at 6:56 PM
I hope Chris Matthews fails.
faraway on March 11, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Oh yes, we are all just ecstatic that Obama’s Depression is on the horizon.
No, in other words, we don’t like to think anymore in this country. Just feel. Feel the magic and tingle.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 6:57 PM
“Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime … He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation … And now he is miscalculating America’s response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction … So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real…”
– Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003 | Source
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.”
– Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002 | Source
“One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line.”
– President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998 | Source
“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”
– President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998 | Source
“We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the stability and security of his neighbors with weapons of mass destruction.”
– Madeline Albright, Feb 1, 1998 | Source
“He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983.”
– Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998 | Source
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
– Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998 | Source
“Hussein has … chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.”
– Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999 | Source
“We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.”
– Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002 | Source
“Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.”
– Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002 | Source
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
– Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002 | Source
“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members … It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”
– Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002 | Source
MB4 on March 11, 2009 at 6:57 PM
And the American people are happier, too. They are, I can assure you. We don’t
like thatthinkinganymore in this country.darwin on March 11, 2009 at 6:58 PM
These are the numbers on Drudge… notice Matthews isn’t even on the list:
CABLE NEWS RACE
TUES., MARCH 10, 2009
FOXNEWS O’REILLY 3,212,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,376,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,331,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,274,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 2,044,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 1,965,000
CNN COOPER 1,214,000
CNN KING 1,185,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,041,000
CNNHN GRACE 986,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 928,000
Y-not on March 11, 2009 at 6:59 PM
Matthews: “…and I call them the Band of Bushies…”
Carbon_Footprint: “and I call y’all the Pack of Pussies..”
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 6:59 PM
16 minutes, half of which contain Matthews? Maybe later.
baldilocks on March 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Chris Matthews, complaining about the deficit and spending under President Bush.
That took some fricking nerve.
I don’t know if I can make it through the rest of the clip.
capitalist piglet on March 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
So, AP, you listened to this whole thing?
Thanks.
I’ll accept your summary of it.
(You can’t possibly get paid enough.)
notropis on March 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Don’t speak too soon, Chrissy. Let another 9/11 happen and that thinking will come back in style so fast it’ll make your head swim. Of course, then it will all make sense to you and your kind. So much so that you’ll claim you thought it up and that it is completely different from Bush’s brutish “you’re with us or with the terrorists” warmongering.
Kafir on March 11, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Ah, poor Ivy-Leaguer Keith is at the bottom below Nancy No Grace.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:01 PM
We don’t like
thatthinking anymore in this country.FIFY, Chrissy.
You worthless Obama Cultist Lap Dog masquerading as a journalist. Goebbels would be so proud. How dare you try to represent all Americans. You represent your little 10 viewer station (and that’s if your wife watches)and that’s it. I know Beck will continue to kick your tail over and over again. As Uncle Jed used to say, “Pitiful…Just Pi-ti-ful”.
kingsjester on March 11, 2009 at 7:01 PM
RedSoxNation on March 11, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Smoke & mirrors…
Bait & switch…
Watch the hand I’m moving, and not the hand behind my back…
Do ANYTHING except discuss how big a failure BHO has been in such a short time. The ONLY reason to CONTINUE to talk about Bush, and Iraq, is to distract from the DISMAL failure of our nation’s first great black president, who apparently can do no wrong & who’s sh!t doesn’t stink.
singlemalt_18 on March 11, 2009 at 7:03 PM
Nor me Maquis.
Seriously, who cares about Prissy Chrissy?
rbj on March 11, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Yo, thanks!
Akzed on March 11, 2009 at 7:05 PM
I’ve heard of this Matthews fellow, does he have his own cable show?
Bishop on March 11, 2009 at 7:06 PM
OT: http://interactive.foxnews.com/specialreport/live
This is Special Report w/ Bret Baier new Wednesday online special. Interaction with the K man is awesome!!!
Lance Murdock on March 11, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Heh. Indeed.
I was actually thinking about a couple days ago; AP takes a lot of flack for the posts he puts up about R’s and the sniping that the various factions of the R party are taking at each other and Rush and Palin etc. I was thinking it was a bit repetitive.
But then, post something like this, and I don’t want to watch Matthews! Making fun or even just illustrating the insanity of the left only works if you can stomach them!
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:10 PM
There it is at 4:40 in. Matthews boasts that we were attacked on 9/11 on George Bush’s watch. Remember this. When we get hit again-and we will get hit again- let’s see how this standard of blaming changes.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Outstanding job, Mr. Fleischer.
default013 on March 11, 2009 at 7:12 PM
It’s extremely important to remember that Matthews was against using force – approved by the UN – to remove Saddam from Kuwait.
If Matthews had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power, would be in control of much of the Gulf’s oil, would be sitting on top of Kuwait’s oil supply, and – from what we later learned about his programs – would be in possession of nuclear weapons.
And he has the gall to second guess other people?
SteveMG on March 11, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Click ‘play’. Hit ‘pause’.
When the bar indicates you’ve sucked their bandwidth move on.
Stephen M on March 11, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Ha, the dufus already has!
With the viewership ratings this show gets it must be subsidized somewhere along the lines of N.P.R.
As a matter of fact I look for Presidente Urkel to demand taxpayer subisidization of Ol’ Tingly legs in the next stimulapaloosa bill.
dhunter on March 11, 2009 at 7:13 PM
I hope Matthews gets beaten by his own tingly leg.
HornetSting on March 11, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Chris’ audience is just rabid left-wingers he isn’t really trying to do much but serve up anything for lefties to tune in for. Go over to HuffPo and read the comments after something like this video and you will see what is going on..Stuff like “I am glad Chris told that Liar Ari blah blah the whole Bush cabal..blah blah…good to see..blah blah”
They aren’t interested in Chris making a scoring a logical point. They are emotional globs who only have their meters go up by seeing someone asscoiated with Bush or Republicans treated badly. It is the two-minute hate from 1984.
Conan on March 11, 2009 at 7:15 PM
When the Revolution comes, we’ll shoot Matthews last
( in re that Schwartzenegger movie where Arnold holds the guy over a cliff and says, “I lied” )
Matthews, the Worst Fake Journalist ever!!
Janos Hunyadi on March 11, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Not.even.gonna.watch.
Mike D. on March 11, 2009 at 7:16 PM
I guess I’m giving Matthews too much credit here, but why the he** did he go into that whole deal about people all of a sudden running around defending Bush?
Did he seriously not think about the fact that he asked him to be a guest? Or that Fleischer would call him out on it?
The egos on the left are astounding.
If that were the first time I ever saw Matthews, that part alone would discredit the rest of his POV for me.
yellow_railroad on March 11, 2009 at 7:17 PM
That’s interesting. Bret actually reads a lot of the comments on air.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Is it Thanksgiving…Ari just carved up a turkey and served him to us…
right2bright on March 11, 2009 at 7:17 PM
What kind of thinking? Fear mongering? Please, Bush was positively jovial compared to Obama.
I was around for the 90′s. Perhaps Matthews was in a coma. I remember the Iraqi Liberation Act and the fact that every Democrat in the Senate signed it. None of them argued with the assertions that Saddam was dangerous and needed to be removed from power.
I remember the attacks on the embassies in Africa and the subsequent indictment that stated Saddam Hussein helped AlQaida in Africa. I do not remember Chris Matthews having a hissy fit about that claim.
My feelings about Saddam and what a monster he was did not come from anything Bush said, I was firmly convinced by the UN and Clinton as well previous administrations. The idea that somehow Bush and Bush alone was responsible for any of this is just absurd.
Unless you are Matthews.
BTW, the right track wrong track numbers are not greatly improved so I suggest that Chris Matthews speak for himself and leave the rest of us out his little tirade.
Terrye on March 11, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Classic moment:
CM: What are you doing here?
AF: Why Chris, you invited me…
right2bright on March 11, 2009 at 7:19 PM
It really was entertaining. Skip ahead to 4:00 if you can’t stomach all of it.
Allahpundit on March 11, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Lol. I love the moment at 5:30ish. “Who’s talking?” “What?”
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Actually 46% of us do like that thinking.
loppyd on March 11, 2009 at 7:20 PM
MB4 on March 11, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Live and learn: With that cast of characters on our side, we should have known we were in for trouble.
CK MacLeod on March 11, 2009 at 7:20 PM
As offensive as the whiny-voiced talking garlic bulb is (and believe me, he’s Richter Scale 9 offensive), he still doesn’t talk over his guests as much as that equally pompous egotron, O’Reilly.
whitetop on March 11, 2009 at 7:21 PM
It was very cool, to bad it went by so fast. Plus, since it was online we got to here what Dr. K really thought of the Freeman scandal. What he said online, he would never say on the air.
Lance Murdock on March 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM
But … but … Rush Limbaugh!
Give a liberal an inch and they will rewrite history.
DannoJyd on March 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Damn! Beat me to it! :)
+1
bluelightbrigade on March 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Seriously folks, watch it. Matthews get severely and repeatedly clowned…
Rhinoboy on March 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Ari has the patience of a Saint. He is one of a few people I have ever seen who have been able to get their point past the Hosts’s argumentative tirades.
Karl on March 11, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I don’t know how Fleischer didn’t reach out of the screen and beat the hell out of Chrissy.
aikidoka on March 11, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Ari did great.
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Chris is too dim of his own and the left’s rhetoric to know that for people who were close to Bush they haven’t liked being misrepresented. They are now being demonized for trying to give their side. Only the mentally unstable left doesn’t understand the sequencing of these events. Are they going to be motivated to speak out now or 20 years from now when it isn’t a daily topic of what Bush did wrong? There propaganda machine is what is creating the desire to speakk about it now.
Conan on March 11, 2009 at 7:25 PM
I gotta give it up though. Matthews is better then Gibbs.
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:26 PM
GOT TO SAY THIS Chris Matthews DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME.
When he uses we he is not talking about me.
unseen on March 11, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Fleischer handled Matthews’ bringing on teh crazy as well as I have ever seen.
aquaviva on March 11, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Chris Matthews is unwatchable. This is a perfect example of why Glenn Beck is getting 4X the audience. What a freakin idiot.
nobama88 on March 11, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Fleischer was great with that and “how disingenuous can you be.?” Anyone have an email for Matthews? We should email that list of quotes MB4 gathered. That is powerful stuff.
msmveritas on March 11, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Guys, when the Tinglemeister says “we don’t like that kind of thinking anymore in this country”, he’s talking about him and his fan-base or lack there of
FontanaConservative on March 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Wow, Fleischer destroyed that douche.
RightWinged on March 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
If I was Chris Mathews and I saw a replay of this, I’d go home and kill myself.
Tuna Tugger on March 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Hitler had only one ball
His mother cut it off when he was not very tall
Al Franken has two but they are very small
And Chris Matthews has none at all
MB4 on March 11, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Why doesn’t Matthews just jerk off on camera, it would be a lot more entertaining than having to listen to what he has to say.
GarandFan on March 11, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Yes, he did great.
I don’t think Matthews cares honestly. I don’t think he even believes his own shtick. I don’t know his email, but the show’s is: hardball@msnbc.com
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Chrissy… give it awhile. Obambi may actually become the most disastrous president ever, and your leg will still tingle when you dream of him at night. Gurly man.
RalphyBoy on March 11, 2009 at 7:33 PM
This is ridiculous. Chris Matthews doesn’t know the facts.
Email, call, twitter, facebook, whatevs Chris Matthews. Tell him to invite Mahdi Obeidi and Richard Butler on his show to talk about the Iraqi Atomic Weapons program. If he wants, he can have Obeidi’s co-writer Kurt Pitzer on the program to talk about “the Bomb in my Garden”.
Iraq did have an atomic weapons program. It was dormant through approximately August 2000. It was restarted AFTER 09/11/2001.
Read some books for crying out loud.
gabriel sutherland on March 11, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Just watched it all the way through. Does Matthews always insistently interrupt his guests every 15 seconds? You had to strain to her what Fleischer was saying a lot of the time.
Matthews just drives my blood pressure up. I kept thinking that I was going to have a stroke and die and Matthews was the last thing I would see on this earth.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:37 PM
BEST.HARDBALL.INTERVIEW. EVAH!
One of my favorite Ari lines here is that “You were tough on Clinton on his ethics and morality. How couldn’t you be?”
I also liked Matthews saying “the recession WE inherited.” Is he officially part of the Obama Administration now? And Chris’ face when Ari asked him “was there a war against Libya?” Classic!
Also, Why would Iraq be a check on Iran’s desire to destroy Israel?
DarkKnight3565 on March 11, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Like Matthews, I’ve never understood this “safe since 9/11″ argument, especially since al Qaeda didn’t pop out of nowhere on that day. If the supposed top virtue is to “keep us safe”, then 9/11 represents an epic fail. I mean, bragging about how you kept us safe since the last time you didn’t… is pretty absurd. But apparently it resonates with some people.
The “better without Saddam” line is a bit stronger, but not by much. I was waiting for Matthews to ask Ari directly if he thought it was worth the cost in blood and treasure, but Mr. Hardball left that bullet in the chamber.
ChenZhen on March 11, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Yes, I like this strategy of talking right through him (CM) though.
Spirit of 1776 on March 11, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Ari’s pretty tough, call’s ‘Tingle laig’ out, hits him hard. I thought Kwissy might cwy…
TinMan13 on March 11, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Dude, 5:20 in sets up a hilarious exchange on double standards.
Seriously hilarious.
Nessuno on March 11, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Give me a hurricane and a stomach ache instead of butt-buddy Matthews anytime, anywhere.
ProudPalinFan on March 11, 2009 at 7:43 PM
I saw this as it happened and knew I would see it here. It was a wonderful thing to see!
Star20 on March 11, 2009 at 7:44 PM
I don’t remember where I saw it today but, one comment about Chrissy the poster call him “Obama’s D!ckholster”. That pretty much sums it up.
milwife88 on March 11, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Fleischer 1 vs Matthew’s 0
I really enjoy a good boxing match where the loudmouth guy gets pummeled.
The only thing missing was the Referee counting to Matthew’s on the mat then, announcing Fleisher the winner by a K.O.
Tin Lizzy on March 11, 2009 at 7:44 PM
This was one of the most impressive debates I’ve ever seen by Ari. Ever.
I didn’t support the Iraq War in the beginning, but supported the surge.
Ari was a phenom, nevertheless.
Dadvocate on March 11, 2009 at 7:46 PM
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
clinker46 on March 11, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Really, though, not to take anything away from Ari, but talk about distractions. This is a distraction, particularly when compared to the Rush kerfuffle.
It’s not particularly good for the GOP to have talk about Bush resurrected right now. I hope this isn’t a coordinated effort by the RNC. Steele should probably call the folks behind this push and tell them to lay off for now.
Y-not on March 11, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Ari was good under fire, the only critique I would have is he should have called Matthews out on Clinton and the Dems role in the housing debacle which led to where we are now. I am sure it is easy for me to say though. I do appreciate his loyalty to his former boss, that is refreshing.
echosyst on March 11, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Do you remember the Clinton-Bush transition or are you really the 8 year old that your post suggests you are?
Y-not on March 11, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Matthews got schooled, his facial expressions when he knew he was getting clobbered were priceless.
ebrawer on March 11, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Chris Matthews = diarrhea of the mouth
Cheryl from Texas on March 11, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Matthews failed
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
JihadKiller1s1k on March 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
All good points.
And what about when Matthews said “I’m going to ask you a partisan question…” and Ari laughs and retorts: “Do you ask anything else?”
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
God Damn!!!!!!!! Ari handed Chrissy’s ass to him!!
RWLA on March 11, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Wow, Mr. Fleisher was superb against that hostile, devious, disingenuous, weasel. I wasn’t sure before but now I know how good he is.
Quetzal on March 11, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Yeah, it resonates with people who are not brain dead, retarded are liberal.
carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:57 PM
areor liberal.carbon_footprint on March 11, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Chris SIGHS as much as Al Gore in the 2000 debates. Like an impatiens child.
What a colossal ASS.
13Girl on March 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
It resonates because it has been seven years not “just the last” and if your memory isn’t good enough NOBODY predicted that long a time without an attack so IT IS IMPRESSIVE TO NOTE!!!
Conan on March 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Thanks for those numbers. I’ll echo something said above. You know you’re pathetic when you can’t beat Nancy Grace!
BuckeyeSam on March 11, 2009 at 8:00 PM
I just emailed MB4′s list of quotes and the ratings info that Y-not provided on March 11, 2009 at 6:59 PM to Chrissy. I hope he likes them.
74SeventeenSeventySix on March 11, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Those quotes can also be found at http://www.liberalscum.com
13Girl on March 11, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Now why did have to go there? Someone poke out my minds eye, please.
Greed on March 11, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Thanks
LOL, me too, it’s worth a shot to point out maybe there’s a reason why they aren’t even registering on the ratings map.
msmveritas on March 11, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Certainly Mathews, the American people are just elated that we have an incompetent, overwhelmed chump in the Oval Office. Fsking toady.
spmat on March 11, 2009 at 8:08 PM
BS that Obambi doesn’t believe in preemptive strikes.
He just applies them to Capitalists and Liberty loving Americans.
He used this economic crisis, caused by the fumbling and bumbling of Congress and their pets Freddie and Fannie, as cover to preemptively invade the Private Sector market.
And before long, Obambi will do the same to your wallet.
Montana on March 11, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Too bad your president and his administration doesnt agree with your thinking Matthews…
canditaylor68 on March 11, 2009 at 8:09 PM
And constipation of the brain.
Greed on March 11, 2009 at 8:15 PM
Is Chris Matthews serious? What a clown.
therightwinger on March 11, 2009 at 8:15 PM
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!! Yep, we all know where he stands, too.
I remember Libya acting like kids caught with candy, and had to suck it and turn those weapons in. I remember a video clip of two vehicles that we found that had storage for wmd’s (empty) that lead to the conclusion that they had in fact bio weapons and were moving them around.
Remember the fighter jets buried in the desert?
ProudPalinFan on March 11, 2009 at 8:18 PM
AGREED!!!!
Would really love to see one of the networks just put it up as is during one of these debates….
Or paint it on a Stop sign and bust Mathews up side the head every time he opens his blow hole…..
BigWyo on March 11, 2009 at 8:19 PM
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