Matthews: 'Fantastic' if Dems Win, 'Damn' Rich Getting All the Money

Brad Wilmouth
November 8th, 2006 3:25 AM
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A Freudian slip from Chris Matthews? About 7:36 pm EST during MSNBC's election night coverage, Matthews was interviewing Chuck Todd of the National Journal, who predicted that if Democrats gained 25 to 30 House seats, it would also mean a Democratic Senate takeover. As Matthews began his response, he proclaimed "that'll be fantastic news. It'll be huge news, I should say," as he went on to say President Bush would have to negotiate his policies with Congress. Matthews: "President George W. Bush, having to actually negotiate every aspect of national policy, including the war in Iraq."

A few minutes later, Matthews chose the words "the damn rich" as he described some of the "populist" sentiments of some Americans angry about the rich making too much money. Matthews: "Every time you ask people questions now, they don't just say I'd like to make more money at work, I'd like to have a higher salary, I'd like to have some break on tuition for the kids, they're saying the damn rich are getting all the money." Matthews went on to mention "Halliburton" and "the rich grabbing it" as reasons some Americans say "we're not doing so well." (Transcript follows)

Video clip of Matthews making his "fantastic" outburst (30 secs): Real (900 KB) or Windows Media (1.1 MB), plus MP3 audio (175 KB)

Below are transcripts of the two relevant portions from MSNBC's November 7 election night coverage:

Chuck Todd, National Journal: "I'm still believing, and I think our line here is about 25 or 30 House seats. If it gets over 25 or 30 House seats, you're going to see six Senate seats. I don't think you're going to see four Senate seats and 30 House seats for the Democrats."

Chris Matthews, about 7:36 pm: "Well, that'll be fantastic news. It'll be huge news, I should say, because if that happens, then we have a government run by the Democrats and executive branch run by the Republicans, President George W. Bush, having to actually negotiate every aspect of national policy, including the war in Iraq, right Chuck?"
...

Matthews, about 7:39 pm: "And it could be that populist instinct I keep finding in the polling, Howard. I want you to check Gene and I on that, which is every time you ask people questions now, they don't just say I'd like to make more money at work, I'd like to have a higher salary, I'd like to have some break on tuition for the kids, they're saying the damn rich are getting all the money. There's a real anger out there you're seeing, it shows up in discussions of foreign trade, all kinds of ways, the rich are grabbing it, Halliburton, the big shot insider taking the money away from us, that's why we're not doing so well."