Fineman in Tweety's Doghouse

[kskiska]

Panelist in ol' yeller's doghouse

I hear that political journalist Howard Fineman is in very hot water with his bosses at MSNBC for comments he made on the air about "Hardball" host Chris Matthews.

Fineman, a "Hardball" regular who has moonlighted at MSNBC and NBC for the past six years while writing for Newsweek magazine, went on Don Imus' radio show Friday and compared the ratings-challenged "Hardball" to Matthews' much more popular syndicated Sunday show.

"One reason why Chris Matthews' Sunday show is so successful is that the producer there tells Chris, 'Shut up!'" Fineman told Imus, who was goading him to criticize Matthews. "And he does, and the rest of us get to talk."

I'm told that the sleep-deprived Fineman, who was a "Hardball" panelist all week at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, realized his mistake as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

On MSNBC.com a couple of hours later, Fineman wrote: "Sometimes when you are tired - when you've been yakking all week and racing from a convention hall to a political reception to an interview - you screw up, big time, as Dick Cheney would say.

"Well, I did that this morning by failing to defend the best political mind on TV, my loyal colleague and host Chris Matthews ... Matthews is the best thing on political TV."

But Fineman's apology has come too late, and I hear that MSNBC president Rick Kaplan, "Hardball" executive producer Tammy Haddad and especially Matthews remain angry with him.

Yesterday, it wasn't clear whether Fineman would be punished with an unpaid suspension from the cable network.

(snip)

more (scroll past Teresa story)…
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/218419p-187836c.html

[ibegurpard]

1. Far be it from me to defend Fineman (who I think is a puke)

but Chris Matthews is a loudmouth boor. Anyone who watches the show knows that Fineman is right about this. And "the best political mind on TV"??? Please.

[Fenris]

2. Well, that knocks Howie up a point in my book

All the way from -35 to -34!

[yardwork]

5. They all deserve one another in my opinion

let them scream at each other. I can't stand any of them and never watch. Thank goodness for C-SPAN.

[On the Road]

3. Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Turd

:)

[Jacobin]

4. Does that mean we'll see less of Howie the Whore?????

YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[progressivebydesign]

6. "best political mind on TV"???

Gross... I think he's overstating the apology or something. Did he wake up with a horse head in his bed?

[ibegurpard]

10. yeah I had to snarf at that one as well.

Definitely his whore side is showing. Sucking up to anyone who might be in a position to better or worsen his career and image.

[kentuck]

7. I guess he forgot what they did to Donahue?

I still think Matthews was behind his getting canned...

[Manix]

8. ...this would be something as Mathews usually is slavering all over him

calling him "the best there is".

[Cocoa]

9. Tweety won't stay mad for long

the sex is too good. Who could replace Fineman in a three-way with Bush?

[Manix]

11. LOL!

[shrike]

12. Fineman's been in my doghouse for years

I don't know who is worse, him or Tweety.

[Moderator]

13. kskiska

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.

Thank you.

DU Moderator

[oasis]

14. Scratch one Rovebot.

:thumbsup: