Rachel Maddow thinks Chris Matthews is the best political analyst on TV

[antiimperialist]

Yes, Rachel Maddow thought it was ridiculous for Matthews to say that he would never underestimate Hillary Clinton again, while saying the next day that Clinton was a candidate and a senator only because her husband "messed around".

Yes, Matthews is obsessed with Clinton and Media Matters's research concluded that in a two month period he issued 8 negative statements about Hillary for every positive one.

Yes, he hated Al Gore back in 2000.

But what does it amount to? Read what Maddow said to an AP reporter:

BAUDER (1/12/08): Toward the end of his primary coverage on Tuesday, Matthews remarked that he would never underestimate Clinton again.

After a short night's sleep, Matthews appeared on Joe Scarborough's morning MSNBC show and said Clinton's appeal has always been about a mix of toughness and sympathy.

"Let's not forget, and I'll be brutal, the reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a frontrunner, is that her husband messed around," he said.

Bam! That quote raced around the Internet and unleashed a fresh round of anger toward Matthews at a time emotions were already frayed.
Joy Behar went on the attack on "The View," saying it felt like men were piling on Clinton.

"I thought it was a patently ridiculous statement to make after having stated so emphatically the night before that he would never underestimate Hillary Clinton again,” said Rachel Maddow, a liberal commentator and "Air America" talk show host who was on the MSNBC set that night.

However, she also said Matthews is the best political analyst on television for his knowledge, quickness and ability to be critical while anchoring a broadcast.

Yes, he's critical allright. 5 minutes of research will help you find dozens of lies and misstatements by Matthews, who IMO is one of the WORST in the business.

"Chris is relatively impervious to criticism," she said. "I think Chris does what he wants."

I'm not taking away the credit she deserves for "standing up" to Matthews the other day...but did she have to screw it up this way?
The message is basically, "you can lie and be biased, but you can still be the best of the best".

Or maybe the AP took her out of context and she never said that. It happens. We have seen reporters come up with quotes out of nowhere.

But if this is true, shame of Maddow, who by the way is said to be close to land a job on MSNBC.


The Daily Howler has a theory:

Maddow has a brilliant personal future—as long as she doesn’t tell the truth about players like Matthews. You can’t do cable, or Meet the Press, while telling the truth about Chris.