Chris Matthews misunderestimated former Bush press secretary Ari Fleisher last night on “Hardball.” When the MSNBC host attacked, Fleischer gave him a lesson in verbal pugalistics.
The “Hardball” host had barely said hello when he went on the attack.
“What brings you back?” Matthews challenged. “Is this the return from Elba? Is this the 100 days of Napoleon’s return from Crawford? What is going on with this network of former Bushies — current Bushies, I should say — singing the old song?”
“Well, Chris,” Fleischer responded coolly, “I’m here because you invited me to be here.”
“Oh, yes,” Matthews stammered. “OK.”
It went downhill from there. Every time Matthews attempted to land a body blow, Fleischer dodged it and delivered a stinging punch of his own. He never backed down.
At one point, Fleischer said, “Chris, do you ever not interrupt your guests, or is that all you’d like to do?” Even Matthews’ off-camera crew cracked up.
At various times in the interview, Fleisher called Matthews “disingenuous” and “shameful,” accused him of twisting people’s words, and said “How dare you?”
Enjoy the video, because we don’t think Matthews will invite Fleischer back on Hardball very soon.
Source: MSNBC.COM, NewsBusters.com
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Chris Matthews the armchair liberal shouldn’t be debating someone from the real world. Fleischer’s articulation makes Robert Gibbs look like a child.
Wow, go Ari. You make Crissy look like the partisan buffoon liberal shill that he is. What a moron. I actually felt sorry for the guy. When he found out his “talking points” didn’t hold up against someone with a grasp of the facts he was, thankfully, speechless.
every time I hear “Bush was informed Al Qayeda would attack and we were hit on his watch!”, I know the person’s stupid.
I always want to ask “And, how long would YOU have grounded every single plane in this country IF you know it would be planes?” HOW COULD THEY HAVE DONE ANYTHING with so little intel?
MSNBC’s people are HACKS.
Matthews is a non stop loudmouth, knee jerk, self serving,truth denying, misinformed left wing, stupidly sophomoric ratings destroyer. Other than that I’m sure his mom thinks he’s brilliant.
I’m very impressed with Ari. Far too often we have seen leaders on the right just slide by the “the administration lied” claims without challenge. Ari stood his ground and pointed out the fundamental difference between a lie and simply being wrong.
I’m still for giving Michael Steel a chance, but if he ever leaves the chairman position, might we see if Ari is interested?
At right around the 10:16 mark here is what Chris Matthews says, “Let me ask you about the financial crisis, which we inherited.” Exactly who is the “we” he’s referring to?
Earlier in the interview both Chris Matthews and Ari Fleischer were making big points about which crises each administration had inherited from the previous one (Bush administration via Clinton – the dot.com bubble burst and the subsequent recession; Obama administration via Bush – the current economic troubles).
Then suddenly Chris Matthews pops out with his “the financial crisis that we inherited.” Yes, I know he’s in the tank for the Democrats, but doesn’t he have to at least pretend to be an objective newsman to do an interview like that? Is his career that far gone? Is MSNBC that far gone? Watching the interview, I guess the answer is embarrassingly obvious. I don’t watch Matthews much (really at all) these days so I hadn’t realized how far and how fast he’s fallen. The best way I can describe his performance in this clip is to say that it’s simply juvenile, in the worst possible sense of the word, and ought to be an embarrassment to him and MSNBC and news reporting in general.
Chris Matthers is a horses butt
I DESPISE Crissie. Seriously DESPISE his stupid ass…
As I remember those terrorists that attack on 9-11 all sneaked in this country on clinton’s watch.
Saddam did have wmds because he used mustard gas and nerve gas to kill the Kurds in his country with.
Chris is an idiot. I can’t believe more than 11 people are still watching msnbc. And the way he keeps sniffing, what’s he been blowing up his nose?
I half expected the camera crew to cut back to the split screen only to see Chris with his thumbs in his temples mocking Ari like a child who caught in flagrante delicto, scolded, and is consequently upset. What a baby.
This is why I couldn’t do this. I hate being interrupted. I would probably have to shut down so I wouldn’t flip out. Ari was calm and looked like a champ, though!
Poor dim-wit Chris. “…Leave the campfire better than the way you found it.” One can only imagine what the heck that means. I’m sure Chris didn’t have a shiver going up his leg in this interview. He was too busy, and unsuccessfully, trying to evade the roundhouses and uppercuts Fleischer was delivering. This is good entertainment.
Wow, Ari (or should I say Ali?) was fantastic! Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee!
This is my second favorite smack down of that boorish, loudmouth, mindless zombie Matthews! Naturally, the first being none other than Zell Miller at the 2004 RNC….I just wish Chissy would’ve man-up’d and taken Miller up on the duel, ‘cuz my money would’ve been on the then 72 year old! Ah, wishful thinking!
i wonder how long it took matthews to get that knot out of his tongue.