Barnicle to WaPo, Newsweek Reporters: 'Regular People' Like Us Want Change

August 20th, 2007 5:56 PM

Looking to sample the political opinions of regular Americans? What better cross-section than the denizens of MSM newsrooms! That seems to be Mike Barnicle's attitude, at least. The former Boston Globe columnist-turned-MSNBC contributor is guest-hosting for Chris Matthews on this afternoon's "Hardball."

Chatting with guests Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post and Holly Bailey of Newsweek, talk turned to the topic of Americans' desire for political change. At one point Barnicle made this observation:

MIKE BARNICLE: The force for change that's out there, if you talk to regular people, people like me, people like you, the idea that they want a change is a very powerful force.

View video here.

Yes, good old regular people like the Washington-based MSM. Those folks 89% of whom famously voted for Bill Clinton in 1996. Why bother with expensive polls? Just run a focus group in say, the MSNBC newsroom. You know, those "regular people" who booed President Bush's 2003 State of the Union.