Chris Matthews and Chris Hitchens: Misogyny Squared, Hypocrisy Cubed
By Anita Finlay ("Ani") on November 20, 2008 at 9:00 AM in Barack Obama, Chris Matthews, Hillary Clinton, Sexism
I had the supreme misfortune of watching the ever moronic, self-important Mr. Tingle-Up-His-Leg-Matthews interview Chris Hitchens of Vanity Fair, and Peter Beinart of Time Magazine in reference to the buzz about Senator Hillary Clinton being offered the position of Secretary of State in Barack Obama’s incoming administration.
Let’s put it this way, one should never watch Hardball while eating.
A little background, for those who may have tuned in late. Chris Matthews was recently ridiculed by his far more sane and sober compadre at MSNBC, Joe Scarborough, when Chris said he felt it was his job to try to “help the Obama administration succeed.” Funny, I thought he fancied himself a journalist, even a pundit – not a cheerleader.
But I have to hand it to Matthews, it was the first honest comment I have heard out of him in a very long time. He is indeed a cheerleader who has practically – forgive me – been sucking Obama toes on national television this entire year. His behavior has been nothing short of a disgrace.
Even more shameful than his fawning, sycophantic treatment of Barack Obama has been his misogyny and jealousy of Hillary Clinton. But his bravado in trashing her is only in evidence behind her back. Whenever he interviews her, he is totally flustered and out of his league. I guess we don’t need to wonder why he feels it necessary to constantly try to “cut her down to his small size.” He started on this path by saying the only reason she had been elected Senator of NY was that “people felt sorry for her because of her husband.” It went downhill from there.
Oddly, she was re-elected handily and has done an incredible job for her constituency and has many other accomplishments to boast of in the Senate, as first lady of the United States, and earlier, as first lady of Arkansas. Significantly, this is also a lady who has religiously stood up for the rights of women, LGBT, and children, education, first responders and veterans. I don’t think anyone needs to feel sorry for Hillary Clinton in order to vote for her.
Rather, let us take a moment to feel sorry for Chris Matthews, so intimidated by this woman’s intestinal fortitude, preparedness, and drive that he cannot live with himself unless he diminishes her at every turn.
Fast forward to this evening where he posed the question to both Hitchens and the far more reasonable and civilized Beinart of why Barack, a man of great “candle power” as Matthews put it – whatever that means, would want the “drama” of having Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. By reputation, deservedly, Senator Clinton is known as one of the hardest working Senators out there. She has built a reputation these past eight years for keeping her head down, being collegial and getting the job done. Even conservatives like Henry Kissinger and Senator Kyl are praising the idea of her appointment.
What ‘drama’?
Well, gee, Chris, not that I want Hillary to be subordinate to Barack Obama in any way, or give up her elected position and tie her fate to his, but here’s a little scenario for you:
It is more than likely that when Obama and Biden had their National Security briefing with President Bush just before the election, Senator Obama had a come to Jesus moment and realized just how much hot water we are in. Perhaps it stopped being a game to him. He realized the mess that is this country’s current foreign policy is all going to rest on his shoulders – and his name – so he figured he’d better hire a few adults to mind the mint.
Perhaps that is why three quarters of Obama’s hires thus far are Clintonistas.
Why would he want the drama, indeed, Chris? Perhaps he would rather have the ‘drama’ of competence and excellence versus the lunacy represented by people like Susan Rice, Samantha Powers or Zbignieu Brezinski – but that’s only my opinion.
Then Chris Hitchens chimed in with his rabid Clinton hatred. For those who may not be familiar with Hitchens, but as you can see for yourself when watching him, he basically vomits lie after lie, but because he recites them in a firm voice, drooling over his own pretentious, slightly slurred British accent, we are expected to take his idiotic pronouncements as the ‘sermon on the mount.’
He first accused Hillary Clinton of playing the race card on Barack Obama.
I. Will. Repeat. That. Slowly.
He first accused Hillary Clinton of playing the race card on Barack Obama.
This slug of a man has the nerve to say this on national television? Obama’s campaign, with the able help of Axelrod, Jesse Jackson, Jr. and countless other surrogates, played the race card with impunity every day since the end of January to mow down all comers. They used it as a defense against any and all legitimate criticism and created a whisper campaign against President Bill Clinton out of whole cloth, declaring him a racist, in order to render the ever popular and accomplished Clintons poisonous to the African American community.
I will never forgive this or forget it.
The inexcusable Hitchens goes on to declare the prospect of appointing Hillary Clinton to Secretary of State as a “ludicrous embarrassment.” Well, no, Mr. Hitchens, the only ludicrous embarrassment here is you, sir.
He further accuses Hillary of stopping Bill Clinton from dealing with the crisis in Bosnia because she wanted him to solely focus on her health plan. This accusation is so ridiculous that thankfully Mr. Beinart took him to school on that one. The crisis in Bosnia and Kosovo, as you may remember, was a victory accomplished under the leadership of Gen. Wesley Clark, without one allied casualty.
Hitchens and Matthews then go on a feverish bashing of Bill Clinton’s world travels for his foundation as a possible conflict of interest, complaining and worrying about foreign donors. I suppose the irony is totally lost of them that Obama’s highly questionable internet contributions have never been – and most likely – will never be reviewed. But as Mr. Matthews will not hesitate to inform you, Barack Obama is as close to perfection as one can hope to be and is beyond reproach, surely.
Thankfully, Peter Beinart correctly points out what President-elect Obama surely knows: Hillary is a very hard working, gifted, savvy politician, specializing in foreign affairs and defense and has a great reputation and respect around the world.
Obama may have attempted to belittle these very facts during the campaign to suit his own ends, but her being the frontrunner for Secretary of State has, in one fell swoop, validated every single concern held by those of us originally against his candidacy:
She is far more qualified on every front. And as much as Obama tried to diminish the accomplishments of her husband’s administration, his naming Rahm Emanuel Chief of Staff along with so many other former Clinton Administration operatives makes clear that what Lou Dobbs of CNN said was true : “The Clinton administration in the 90’s was as close to Camelot as we’ve ever had” – Republicans out gunning for them daily notwithstanding.
As Hillary put it: “what didn’t they like – the peace or the prosperity.”
Matthews continued his same rant on Page Six of the NY Post:
Matthews, who once opined that men who supported Clinton were “castratos in the eunuch chorus,” forgot the cardinal rule for those who are often mentioned on Page Six – he didn’t take a good look around on the Acela train from Philadelphia to Washington Saturday before he started bad-mouthing the New York senator.
“I don’t understand it,” Matthews bellowed. “Why would he pick her? I thought we were done with the Clintons. She’ll just use it to build her power base. It’s Machiavellian. And then we’ll have Bill Clinton, too. I thought Obama didn’t want drama. He’s already got [chief of staff Rahm] Emanuel and [transition team leader John] Podesta. He’ll have even more drama with her.
“She’s just a soap opera. If he doesn’t pick her, everyone will say she’s been dissed again, we’ll have to live through that again.”
Matthews seems to be playing both sides of the fence. The host, who apologized to Clinton last year for claiming she got where she was because “her husband messed around,” said on-air last Friday: “Look, I think that since she lost the fight for the nomination, [Clinton] has been not just a good soldier, she has sang the tune of [Obama]. She’s been illustrious, she’s been admirable . . . her spirit seems to be with him.”
It is clear, Chris Matthews is only able to be kind to Hillary when she is servile. But stand up tall and she must be beaten down. Oh, Chris, you are sad, sad, sad. What private fantasy does her humiliation fulfill for you, Mr. Matthews?
I do not know the advisability of Senator Clinton actually accepting this position. Beinart thinks she would be great, but in his article, Don’t Do It Hillary!, he advised her against taking it – fearing her likely Senator-for-life position would be preferable to the risk of being blamed for Obama’s mistakes and then terminated – left out in the cold politically. We certainly need her help and expertise, and as much as I selfishly want her out front and center, I am inclined to agree with Beinart, and do not trust Obama to treat her fairly, hand in hand with the interests of his administration as a whole.
We shall see.
More important at this moment is the fact that the disgusting sexism which reared its ugly head in this campaign against Senator Clinton, and then later, against Governor Palin, is not yet done. These ladies have exhibited great courage in the face of attacks no male politician would ever have been subjected to.
That Hillary is able to hold her head high and continue to do her job in the face of these petty tyrants nipping at her heels says plenty.
Significantly, back in the Spring, after the debacle of Obama’s 20 year attendance at Rev. Wright’s divisive and racist church was revealed, both Matthews and Hitchens floated the idea that his presence there was Michelle’s fault. So while Obama must remain exalted in their eyes, his wife is not so lucky. These misogynists really tried to tell the American people that a 47 year old millionaire, best selling author, US Senator and father, front-runner for the Presidency of the United States, did not have the courage or presence of mind to pick his behind up out of a church that didn’t suit him and leave – regardless of what his wife was doing.
I posit to you, if that is the case, perhaps these two men are projecting their own weakness onto Barack Obama, excusing him for lacking a courage they themselves do not possess. If indeed Obama could not be held responsible for his own actions, he has no business running for – or holding – the highest and most difficult office in the land. While I have no feelings for Michelle Obama one way or the other, at that moment, I felt sympathy for her, knowing that, in order to excuse the man, more blame will undoubtedly be coming her way.
Perhaps this is endemic in our society. If so, it is as sickening as it is unfair.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap. If it is true, as rumored, that Chris Matthews is seeking a Senate seat in the next election, I wager that if he had one tenth the vitriol leveled at him as Senator Clinton, he would be curled up in the fetal position, crying like a baby.
Hitchens, likewise, a bully, declared a while back that water boarding was not torture – that is until he experienced it himself – for all of one and one-half seconds – when he stopped the test by throwing a “safety switch”. I wonder if he were subjected to the kind of verbal ridicule and torture he bestows upon others, would he likewise be running for the “safety switch.”
I didn’t know that outright lying and name calling substituted for an actual discussion of the issues where women politicians are concerned. Truly I am sad that Messrs. Matthews and Hitchens have chosen to place themselves at the bottom of the food chain with this type of behavior.
Thankfully, in this interview, anyway, Mr. Beinart stood erect and left the Neanderthals in the dust. Here’s to all those who have evolved enough to address the issues and judge each candidate and prospective appointment on the merits, and leave the schoolboy insecurity out of it.
by Ronald Scott
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