As I'm sure many of you who have not yet gotten sick enough to have stopped watching Hardball, Chris Matthews has gotten more and more sycophantic to the right. He's never been a good spokesperson for the left, but at least he was a bit more critical of both sides, until the last year or so.
I stopped watching Matthews after he said Bush had a "Sunny Nobililty", because that was just too over the top for me.
And NYCEE points out and I copy NYCEE's post with permission (below) a couple of other equally disgusting things:
Matthews outright said on his show that he voted for Bush in 2000. He also blurted out, "I LOVE this guy as commander in chief" the day of Mission Accomplished (glimmery, sunny nobility was so bright that day).
More recently he gushed over guest Steven Hadley, who "explained" Bush's lack of synchronicity in response to Katrina's devastation (those tapes). Matthews not only helped him muddle thru it, but he also gave him a big backslappy gush about how great he is and how he should come on more because he clears everything up so marvelously. He has been inviting on a rightwing Philly radio host and he just happens to let slip that he and everyone in his family always listens to him. He told a recent Republican guest (cant remember who) that he sees the guest's book on his hall table every day as he goes out ...
Now RAW story has released a report on it's site which may indeed explain why Matthews is starting to resemble a Manchurian candidate pundit...They posit that "the star of the Sunday talk show circuit's Hardball, has accepted hefty speaking fees from an array of conservative trade associations."
A brief investigation of Matthews' speaking engagements shows a pattern of appearing before, and likely receiving hefty fees from, trade associations that make hard- and softmoney donations predominantly to Republican candidates and Republican Party. This pattern of donations is consistent with the allegations of conservative-movement control of K-Street organizations. While it is not possible to prove a negative, we have been unable to locate records indicating that Matthews has spoken before Democratic-leaning organizations.
Questions
Chris Matthews is a media figure in a position of great influence. Does it break trust with the viewers he has cultivated to "harvest" them for big money? Is it ethical? Why is Chris Matthews getting this kind of money, and who is it from? And what does he have to do or say to keep it coming? The question arises: Are these trade associations
paying Matthews to purchase influence? Is Matthews only providing, as his All American Speakers Talent and Celebrity Network web-pagei title says, "Other corporate
entertainment?"
Other Questions:
*In light of the "K Street Project," why is Chris Matthews speaking at so many events with Republican-associated trade associations?
- How much does Matthews get paid for these engagements?
- What is NBC policy on speaking engagements and why does NBC keep it hidden? (CBS policy is completely open.)
- Are Matthews' speaking engagements a conflict of interest?
The Problems with "Buckraking"
The problem of journalists collecting speaking fees has come up before, but now we have new information. We know from investigations into the Jack Abramoff/Tom DeLay scandals that trade associations are deeply involved in the corrupt "K-street Project," with many now controlled outright - being told who to hire and fire, and where to send money - by the conservative movement. Lobbyist money can be, as the Washington Post editors are fond of saying about Indian tribe contributions received by Senator Harry Reid,"directed" by Republican operatives.
This issue keeps coming up and it is not going away. It is time for the major media organizations to examine whether their reporting is being influenced by payments or other consideration from corporate or ideological interests.
This is a 39 page report. It's probably worth a few emails to MSNBC to ask them what their speaking engagement policy is.
No wonder Tweety is getting so sickening lately! I thought maybe he had been "programmed" while he had malaria.
It seems the only honest voice on ANY cable news now is Keith Olbermann.