In the years I've been here (only 4 or so) I've often defended Tweety...

[Harper_is_Bush]

..and for that I've been flamed. Many here think he's a bi-polar closet Bush-lover.

..I know he's a little screwy, says some strange things sometimes, and he's in bed with everyone, but he's very often HONEST and can cut to the core of things.

Take this recent video, for example: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/25/webb-lieberman-and-kyl-bring-cheney-element-to-senate/

Democrats thrive on honest media that is willing to level harsh critisism in a bi-partisan manner.

Tweety does that, imo.

[bbgrunt]

1. he sure did a great interview with Valerie--but his

need to analyze everything in terms of the horse race really gets annoying.

[robinlynne]

2. I was so surprised at that interview. HE was actually to the left of the party.

first time I've ever seen him take a real progressive position.

[Harper_is_Bush]

3. Then you've missed a few of his, I think. He's really railed against Bush incompetance before...

...do a search on crooksandliars or thinkprogress and spend an afternoon watching all his old vids, you'll see!

[still_one]

14. Then why did he vote for bush in 2000. The bush record was pretty clear back then

When the sob said that he would appoint judges in the mold of thomas and scalia, what did matthews think he would do?

[still_one]

4. boy do I disagree with your assessment. Where were you during the 2000 and 2004 campaign

He gave bush a free ride

Only when the war turned South, and he visited the wounded vets did he start to turn negative toward bush

Besides, interupting people, and spitting in their faces, in my view he is one of the worst interviewers around

[Harper_is_Bush]

6. I wonder if you're not complaining because he wasn't partisan?

Consider it.

[hfojvt]

7. He was very partisan

search the Daily Howler for examples.

He's madly in love with Schwarzenegger, for one, and I personally saw him on the tonight show say that he hopes Giuliani becomes President in 2009 (although he may have cooled on Rudy as he gushes over Freddie).

You are not non-partisan when you openly endorse Giuliani.

[still_one]

13. Matthews also voted for bush in 2000, what does that say? /nt

[still_one]

9. I considered it. The questions he asked bush verses Gore or Kerry

were night and day.

Softball for bush, and a kick in the ribs for Gore and Kerry

There was no fairness about it.

Incidently, Matthews himself has said, "I'm more conservative than people think I am. ... I voted for George W. Bush in 2000." Media Matters for America, a liberal media watchdog group, named Matthews "Misinformer of the Year" in 2005.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603090013?offset=20&show=1

[AdHocSolver]

10. Give the guy some credit for finally coming to his senses.

What really irks me about DU are the holier-than-thou types who will castigate someone for something they did or said years ago that disagrees with the poster's most cherished point of view (or fantasy).

Even Russ Feingold, our most progressive Senator with a spine, has been viciously, and often unfairly, attacked for something he said that did not measure up to some poster's level of vitriol.

People who can't get over hostility towards someone who once disagreed with them, but now could be an ally, are the reason that the Democrats win few elections and are frequently the minority party. This insistence on total purity is self-defeating, and doesn't win elections.

The need to cooperate with others for a common purpose, even when you disagree with them, is a strategy the Republicans have exploited well for many years. The Democrats better start learning to make peace with the opposition in those cases where we can win their support for our most important causes, for example, ending the Iraq war and preventing a war with Iran, or this party will become the irrelevant party.

[still_one]

the guy voted for bush in 2000 over Gore, that tells me everything about him /nt

[AdHocSolver]

15. Your comment tells me that you didn't understand anything I said. n/t

[still_one]

16. I understood what you said, I just don't think he has come to his senes

I think that he sees the popularity of the guy he voted for is not so good, so he is shifting

When he voted for bush in 2000, he knew that bush would appoint supreme court justices like scalia and thomas, because bush said so.

The man has flawed judgements in my view, I trust anything that comes out of his mouth. John Stewart put him in his place pretty good when reviewing his book.

[Audio_Al]

5. Just got a chance to hear Matthews with Bill Maher on his show on HBO.

He didn't mince any words with Maher. He sounded like a progressive. Don't think he cares for this administration much anymore.

We have to welcome late adopters, even if they are in the media.

[EST]

8. The real problem of Tweety, I think,

is that he really is giggingly, hero-worshippingly in love with anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to achieve high office and he lets them know that. The problem comes when he has gotten the memo-he said this himself-to be nice to pukes and hell on dems.

He makes a point that he was opposed to the war but, of course, that was invisible in his rants when he owed his future to the republican party.

Joe Scabbyrow is just a bald faced liar when he claims to have resisted the "war" effort.

Tweety is not someone i'd want to have as a friend. Probably wind up doing him some bodily harm out of sheer frustratiin, anger, and betrayal abut the third time he cuts you off at the knees.

[still_one]

11. matthews knows which way the wind is blowing, and adapts accordingly /nt

[DURHAM D]

17. You gotta be kidding.

On that show he said the only reason people are supporting Hillary is because they want to see Bill back in the W.H. Could he be more of a sexist pig? and an idiot analyst as well.

He is upset with the current administration only because he is one of them. He does not like that they are making him look like a bozo.

[gateley]

12. I thought I stood alone in my positive feelings toward Matthews. I've always

liked him and pretty much haven't agreed with all the criticism of him here. I think he's just really ernest.

[DURHAM D]

19. He is a non-evolved socially inept altar boy

who acts like he is just crawled out from under the bleachers after looking up the girl's skirts.

On the other hand, I guess he is okay if you are comfortable with a 7 year old child who drools having a national forum.

[gateley]

20. I guess I must be comfortable with it because I still like Matthews. nt

[Indi Guy]

18. What many folks don't get is that Tweety often plays the Devil's advocate

in order to elicit the response he wants.

I love his passion for politics, and his agile mind.

[still_one]

21. Your entitled to your opinion, I just don't think his mind is that agile

anyone who voted in 2000 for someone who said he would appoint judges in the mold of scalia and thomas, more so with thomas, shows me what kind of critical thinker Tweety is

[Indi Guy]

22. I've been following Tweety for years,

Are you sure he advocated for Scalia & Thomas?