Matthews vs. Scarborough? Not so fast…
NewsBusters’ Mark Finkelstein writes about Chris Matthews seeing Joe Scarborough on the House floor this afternoon and getting kinda huffy about it. Or at least that’s the way Finkelstein portrays it…
Kvetched Chris: “What do you think of the rule that allows former members like Joe Scarborough to walk around the floor with such impunity, John Harris? We’re looking at him on camera here . . . I’ve never seen such casualness.”
Except it’s pretty obvious that Matthews was just ribbing Joe. Watch the video. Finkelstein makes the worst interpretation possible based on scant evidence while ignoring contradictory evidence…like Matthews’ jovial tongue in cheek tone during the whole exchange. If you just read the transcript you might come away with a different opinion but tone and phrasing are far better indicators than simple text. I was going to originally write this up the way Finkelstein had but then I played the video and I had no choice but to go in the exact opposite direction because the video is the best argument against Finkelstein’s theory.
There are people MSNBC who would definitely stick it to Scarborough on the air such as Keith “Get a shovel!” Olbermann. But Matthews is too much a wonk and hasn’t shown much public desire to take on the only conservative on MSNBC.
Inside Cable News 
January 5, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Yeah, I saw that and didn’t think much of it either. I love newsbusters but sometimes they find something out of nothing.
As for describing Mathews as a “conservative”, well I guess at MSNBC he qualifies.
January 5, 2011 at 3:39 pm
I saw it, too. It was just Matthews commiserating about activity on the House floor, with a wink and a nod to how happy Joe “when I was in Congress” Scarborough was to be there. Silly article.
January 5, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Oops, I meant as for describing Scarborough as a conservative…
January 5, 2011 at 4:59 pm
There’s so much backstabbing at MSNBC it’s hard to tell what’s really just joking around or serious infighting.
January 5, 2011 at 5:26 pm
^ Yep. Good point, Mlong.
January 5, 2011 at 5:29 pm
As opposed to the butt-kissing between Fox News personalities, MSNBC will have their people hating on one another. This is obviously not one of those examples. As usual, NewsBusters being paranoid. Finkelstein is the best at that, too… he always produces the most hilarious conspiracies.
By the way, I really don’t see how lonestar can love NewsBusters, especially when they have postings like this. It would seem like a reason to not read them, because than every posting could possibly be the same kind of paranoia. If Media Matters ever pulled anything like this, I’d be embarrassed for them. They don’t.
January 5, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Because, Proglib, I can tell the difference between “nothing” & “something”.
January 5, 2011 at 6:47 pm
[…] Chris Matthews was obviously just joshin around at Joe Scarborough’s expense when he “complained” about Scarborough being on the […]
January 5, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Come on ProgLib, we all know that’s not true. If (when) MM makes judgement errors like this, you defend them tooth and nail. We all saw how you got goofy over the Cavuto/”Fat” non-issue, doing your best to defy logic and keep attacking FNC.
If you’re going to call out Newsbusters when they make an error, correctly (apparently), you don’t have to add in a lie to make the attack seem bigger. Enjoy your piece of the pie… don’t try to take the whole thing.
January 5, 2011 at 7:27 pm
These so-called ‘watchdog’-groups all make a good point now-and-then. In Mediamatters case it’s the ‘blind-dog’ analogy. The problem with MM is that they exist to destroy certain people, so you can’t believe most of what they say. Newbusters/MRC overshoots constantly, particularly by going after people whose job it is to express an opinion. Ooh, Michael Moore said a naughty thing. Who gives a crap?
January 5, 2011 at 10:12 pm
They were up in arms over FNC hiring John Roberts.
January 5, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Like even if he’s a screaming lib, so what? Is he gonna be the wave that shifts the tanker? Doubt it.
January 5, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Exactly. I know the following people I list aren’t reporters at FNC, but John will join left-leaning contributors like Alan Colmes, Bob Beckel, Ellis Henican, Juan Williams, Mara Liasson, Kirsten Powers, Joe Trippi, Judith Miller, Bill Schulz, Tamara Holder, Lis Wiehl, and Leslie Marshall.
As for the subject of this post, Chris isn’t the first to joke around with a contributor guest. Bill O’Reilly does it all the time.
January 5, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Y’all presume that Roberts is a lib. I believe you’re wrong.
January 5, 2011 at 10:29 pm
I think he’s taken a shot-or-two at KO, but even those were rare. Scarborough isn’t offensive enough on a normal day, let alone in a ceremonial-situation such as this. Dopey story.
January 5, 2011 at 10:34 pm
I was just going along with the NB premise, JoeR. You’re probably right.
My only problems with Joe came in the past when he took shots at O’Reilly or FNC. Otherwise, I have nothing against him.
January 5, 2011 at 10:36 pm
In the second paragraph, I was referring to Scarborough, not you, JoeRemi.
January 5, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Got it, mate. My radar on this site for which Joe is being discussed is pretty good. I’m rarely referred to as a RINO. 😉