Matthews Jokes About Larry Craig, Bridge Collapse as GOP Embarrassments

June 4th, 2008 3:48 AM

During MSNBC's live coverage of Tuesday's Democratic primaries, co-anchor Chris Matthews poked fun at Larry Craig's bathroom arrest during an interview with Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar as he referred to Republican plans to hold their presidential convention in St. Paul, and joked that Craig would be starting his book tour at the airport. Moments later during an interview with Clinton campaign advisor Lisa Caputo, he joked about the Minnesota bridge collapse as an embarrassment Republicans would have to face when they come to the state: "We're having a little bit of fun here tonight with the opportunity of Republican conventioneers to arrive at the airport out there and immediately go to the Larry Craig Memorial Bathroom and check in and let everybody know they know some history. Then go to the bridge that fell down in St. Paul. There's a lot to celebrate for the Republican conventioneers as they get together." (Transcript follows)

Below is a transcript of the relevant comments from Matthews, which aired at about 8:09 p.m. during MSNBC's Tuesday coverage of the presidential primaries:

CHRIS MATTHEWS, TO MINNESOTA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR: I hear, Senator, that Larry Craig is going to start his book tour out at the airport out there, at the Republican Convention this summer. Is that true? Ha!
...

MATTHEWS, TO CLINTON CAMPAIGN ADVISOR LISA CAPUTO: Well, we're having a little bit of fun here tonight with the opportunity of Republican conventioneers to arrive at the airport out there and immediately go to the Larry Craig Memorial Bathroom and check in and let everybody know they know some history. Then go to the bridge that fell down in St. Paul. There's a lot to celebrate for the Republican conventioneers as they get together.