Chris Matthews Pollutes Royal Baby Coverage: Brits Like Us Even When We're the 'Bad Guy'

Scott Whitlock
July 23rd, 2013 11:37 AM
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Not even the birth of the royal baby could keep Chris Matthews from making a snide liberal attack. In a closing commentary, Monday night, the Hardball anchor touted the special relationship between Britain and America. But after nicely noting that "when it counts, we are with the Brits and they with us -- from the Falklands to Iraq and back to two world wars," he gratuitously played a clip from the left-leaning British film Love Actually.

After showing footage of the fictional prime minister, played by Hugh Grant, slamming a George W. Bush-esque actor, Matthews marveled, "wow." He added, "Yes, we're that close, to root for the other side, even, especially when it's our guy being the bad guy." [See video below. MP3 audio here.]

Up until that point, Matthews's closing remarks had been a fine tribute to the "special relationship." The anchor reminded, "When troubles come, our two flags fly as one, Tommy and G.I. Joe go to war together."

In a completely unnecessary turn, however, he lectured, "sometimes we even get the problems that arise between us to the point of rooting for the other side like in that great memorable scene from Love Actually." This prompted Matthews to play a clip of Grant in the 2003 film, living out some sort of liberal wish fulfillment about Tony Blair.

HUGH GRANT: [At a press conference with the American president.] I love that word relationship. It covers all manner of sins, doesn't it? I fear that this has become a bad relationship -- a relationship based on the president taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to Britain. We may be a small country, but we're a great one too. A country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter, David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot come to that matter. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now on, I will be prepared to be much stronger. And the President should be prepared for that.

Is no moment safe from Matthews's liberal politics and gratuitous movie references?  Where was the King Ralph comparison?

A transcript of the July 22 segment is below:

5:58

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with this: A hundred years ago, the most important fact in the world is that we, the United States and the United Kingdom, spoke the same language; 100 years from now, the same will hold true. We connect with England and she with us for the basic reason that both of us speak English. Neither of our countries likes learning other languages. We love the beauty and richness of our own, which increases in strength by the way globally year by year, even if we speak with different accents. Our actors, the best of them are often English or Australian. Our TV stars, Michael J. Fox, Dan Aykroyd and all the rest come from Canada, a country that remains even closer in history to London. We share the same movie stars, the same books, increasingly the same news people and commentators.

We sing and hum the same songs. And when it counts, we are with the Brits and they with us -- from the Falklands to Iraq and back to two world wars. When troubles come, our two flags fly as one, Tommy and G.I. Joe go to war together.

And sometimes we even get the problems that arise between us to the point of rooting for the other side, like in that great memorable scene from Love Actually.

[Begin clip from Love Actually.]

HUGH GRANT: I love that word relationship. It covers all manner of sins, doesn't it? I fear that this has become a bad relationship, a relationship based on the President taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to Britain.

We may be a small country, but we're a great one too, a country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter, David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot, come to that. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now on, I will be prepared to be much stronger. And the President should be prepared for that.

MATTHEWS: Wow. Yes, we're that close, to root for the other side, even, especially when it's our guy being the bad guy. The special relationship is for real, and now we have a new baby in the family. That's Hardball for now.