She doesn’t have security guards, she has acolytes.
The last time I was dimly aware of Chris Matthews he was fawning over Bush’s masculinity. Did he change his man crush to Obama?
Dude “fawns” over every-last-fucker that comes on his show. His blatant phoniess is nauseating. I swear, every reporter or journalist or politician featured on his show is “the absolute best” in the business; regardless of party affliation. Puke.
Let me add, I can’t stand Rachel Maddow smugness either. Though, at least she’s not Olbermann, which isn’t really that high of a bar to clear. Though I dislike smugness more than overtalking and general obnoxiousness, so YMMV.
Matthews seems determined to out-Olbermann Olbermann. Getting worse and worse.
Never cared for him, but I generally dislike all the analysts because they don’t do the work. I like Jon Stewart’s bits because he actually has someone do the research and compare the previous statements and positions. Other than that, I find them all boring or aggravating. I especially dislike the water carriers who are out there to simply promote their side. The worst is Charles Krauthhammer. If I want a tool, I’ve got several in a drawer in the kitchen.
You do know that Liberal (as in, Capital L) in Australia means conservative? However, the Liberal Party is probably more aligned to your Democrat Party than the Republican version. Our** Labor Party** is the liberal (small l) political party. Once upon a time they were accused of being socialists, but nowadays they too have merged right and can’t be differentiated too much from your Democrats either.
So, are you Liberal, or liberal? 
I’m an FDR liberal. Conservative in America nowadays means putting a thin veneer of “crypto” over general racism and bigotry, wrapped in flag, dipped in the kind of Christianity that thinks that poor people shouldn’t eat if they don’t work and blatant militarism. Edmund Burke would just give up turning in his grave if he knew.
You didn’t hear? Back in the 2008 election, Matthews said that Obama made a tingle go up his leg.
I think even the ghost of Oscar Wilde raised an eyebrow.
And he drools. A lot.
Not a big fan of CM. He’s vastly better as a writer than a host and as all the brains of Tip O’Neil with none of the charm, but comparing him to O’Reilly is just wrong .
He’s not remotely as arrogant or obnoxious nor does he have nearly the Manichean view of the world.
Olbermann would be a vastly better comparison to O’Reilly.
As for Maddow, I also don’t get the hate for her. I do find it interesting how she seems to have joined one of the smallest most elite clubs in Washington, founded by Michael Kinsley.
Liberal Jewish reporters who are good friends with Pat Buchanan.
Olbermann was the only one I regularly watched because he was actually entertaining. Comparing him to O’Reilly is apt.
Matthews was fine for when I wanted to just mindlessly zone out with political blather that meant nothing.
Maddow is a smug, smarmy, snarky host. I feel like every time she is talking with anyone, whether she agrees with them or not, she is talking down to them. She sits in an ivory tower and even when she’s apologizing for getting things wrong she still comes off as smug and insincere.
I consider myself a liberal but Maddow is not an ally. I’m glad she’s on the air and fighting the good fight against conservatism, but yeah… not a fan.
Matthews is much more tolerable.
You leave Rachel Maddow ALONE!..(sob)…She tries so hard, she gives and gives (whimper), and you bastards just want to tear her down!..(snivel)…
I used to watch Matthews faithfully. Even SO, a pretty conservative guy, watched with me. CM is not the same guy I used to love. I can’t pinpoint exactly when the change happened, but we haven’t watched for at least 3 or 4 years. It may have been gradual, like my Reasonably Republican Dad getting old and watching Glenn Beck and O’Reilly. At least Dad doesn’t drool, talk over people, and try to find ways to reference JFK in every conversation.
I think the change started about the time Tim Russert died. I remember enjoying his show back then.
I quit watching Matthews because of the reasons stated. I quit watching Maddow because she belabors a point like nobody I’ve ever heard. Repeating the same information ad nauseum doesn’t make her sound intelligent, it just makes her sound patronizing. I do like her forthrightness with people, and she has latched on to issues before they blew up in the media. But that constant pedantry just wastes time and is NOT good reporting. Her male clone, Chris Hayes, sounds just like her. Whenever he subbed for her, he used her exact style, right down to the inflections, pauses, and lecturing style. Colbert is my only refuge at this point.
To be fair to RM, I think it’s really hard to have your own show and be likable. Too much temptation to make it “The ME Show”. As I said above, I think she’s excellent when she’s on someone else’s show. Same with O’Reilly. Well, not excellent, but he can be a completely different person.
Bound to be a huge improvement, just that alone.
That kind of behavior makes someone an asshole regardless of politics.
I concur. I don’t care if he might vote the exact same way I do. He’s still a dick.
I don’t mind passionate, I don’t mind combative. But he won’t even allow for the other person to have a say.
What’s wrong with him is exactly why I can’t stand right-wing talk radio. I don’t mind the contrary point of view, in fact, I’d rather expose myself to that than simply have a bunch of parrots repeating everything I believe back to me unchallenged.
But it’s not civil. It’s disrespectful. And once you show no respect for your opponents, you deserve none.
Ed is the left’s version of Rush. I cannot stand him either.
Rachel Maddow, my god, but she is a shining example of what it should be, to be a political commentator. She frequently conducts the most civilized and fair interviews with some of the worst people imaginable. The ex-gay interview was absolutely mind-blowing. If I was there I’d have trouble controlling my temper, and I’m straight. The fact that Rachel can sit there and allow that person to have his say, and respond to all of her points, means that she’s capable of showing her opponents more respect than they’d ever really and truly deserve.
And that’s why she’s awesome. It’s not because I agree with her. It’s because I know, she’s *better *than me. And she’s better than just about anyone I’ve seen out there.