Al Franken says Matthew Dowd (Bush pollster) is Shameless

[Eric J in MN]

Even when Matthew Dowd and other Bush-people are caught red-handed, they just keep lying, says Franken.

Franken was discussing a recent appearance by Matthew Dowd on "Hardabll with Chris Matthews."

A Bush campaign video takes a clip of "Hardball" out of context to imply that Kerry called himself the anti-war candidate, when Kerry's full answer was that he's the anti-war candidate in the sense that he thinks Bush went about the Iraq situation wrong.

Dowd refused to admit any wrongdoing, and said Bush will continue to declare that Kerry called himself "the anti-war candidate."

Matthews first used the term and had asked Kerry if he was "one of the anti-war candidates."

In the recent interview with Matthew Dowd, Chris Matthews seemed frustrated by Dowd's deceitfulness.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Tad Devine: 'it‘s pathetic'

I agree.

MATTHEWS: Well, Matt, let me get back to what the president said in Sioux City, Iowa, last week. He said that 220 days ago, it seems to me referring to what John Kerry said on our program, that John Kerry declared himself the anti-war candidate. The question to John Kerry was about whether—let‘s listen to him again. Let‘s get his words now, John Kerry‘s.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Do you think you belong in that category of candidates who more or less are unhappy with this war? The way it‘s been fought? Along with General Clark, along with Howard Dean, and not necessarily in companionship politically on the issue of the war with people like Lieberman, Edwards and Gephardt? Are you one of the anti-war candidates?

KERRY: I am. Yes. In the sense that I don‘t believe the president took to us war as he should have, yes. Absolutely. Do I think this president violated his promises to America? Yes, I do, Chris. Was there a way to hold Saddam Hussein accountable? You bet there was and we should have done it right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Let me go back to Matt, again, do you think that was a fair representation, what the president said about what John Kerry said to me?

DOWD: You asked John Kerry a yes or no question. You said, are you the anti-war candidate? And at...

MATTHEWS: No. I said are you one of those—are you one of the anti-war candidates?

DOWD: Yes. And he said, yes, absolutely.

MATTHEWS: No. He said, I am, yes, in the sense that I don‘t believe the president took to us war as he should have.

DOWD: Chris, Chris when you‘re...

MATTHEWS: Do you think that‘s—let me go back to what‘s—let me -

· Matt. I want to be perfectly fair here. Let‘s go back to what you guys have. Eight million supporters of the president received a videotape. Now let‘s take look at the part of it. Here‘s a clip from a video posted on Kerryoniraq.com and produced by the Republican National Committee. Let‘s take a look at it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Are you one of the anti-war candidates?

KERRY: I am. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW: Do you think that was a fair cropping of what he had to say? You cut him off after he said, yes. And you did not let him continue on to say: “in the sense that I don‘t believe the president took to us war as he should have.”

DOWD: Yes. Senator Kerry said, yes, absolutely, he was the anti-war candidate. So yes, of course it‘s fair.

DEVINE: Chris, it‘s pathetic. OK? And the reason that they‘re doing this is they‘ve got nothing to say about creating jobs, providing health care or dealing with any of the issues that the voters want dealt with in this election.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5733661

[RobertSeattle]

2. Poor Matthew Dowd

Every few days he bust brief Bush/Rove that the numbers don't look good. That can't be too fun.

[poliguru]

3. Wait for the next trick

Pretty soon they're just going to take single words from Kerry, said in different places and speeches, and paste them together to say "I am a Nazi."