Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Chris Matthews locates the enemy camp
I used to enjoy Chris Matthews, but at some point in the last couple of years he went insane. Here's the latest example.
The idea that it is somehow impressive for Barack Obama to make a speech at West Point in front of the troops he commands because it may not be the most receptive environment would be funny if it were not so serious. As K-Lo says, "Chris, he's commander-in-chief."
Turn it around: If Matthews is correct and West Point is the "enemy camp" to Barack Obama, is that not a simply massive failure of presidential leadership?
CWCID: Glenn Reynolds.
13 Comments:
By 
Georg Felis, at
Wed Dec 02, 12:34:00 AM:
I think that Chris Matthews perceiving Obama at West Point as being in enemy territory is an example of a dire weakness in Obama. I mean if the President cannot convince one of the most sniveling sycophantic worshipers of his that he supports our military, how is he expected to convince any of us skeptics, or the military, that he supports them?
By Purple Avenger, at
Wed Dec 02, 01:14:00 AM:
Yep, Matthews went buggo. That's the only logical explanation.
By 
, at
Wed Dec 02, 01:32:00 AM:
oh please, anybody who knows what a democrat and a republican is, also knows that ALL democrats are considered in "enemy territory"; at least in my lifetime.
Republicans have worked quite hard to make sure that sticks, and some Democrats have made it all too easy. At any rate, it just comes with being the party associated with the peace movement IMO.
Short version: big deal, this is not an interesting or surprising clip. I think you guys are over reacting to a chronic over reactor.
ps- insane is also overstated, I'd say neurotic, he's on the low end of the pundit/commentator scale, you can move up to demented with o'reilly and olbermann (sp?), right on to actual insanity with Beck.
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 05:29:00 AM:
" If Matthews is correct and West Point is the "enemy camp" to Barack Obama, is that not a simply massive failure of presidential leadership? " The answer is yes, if you presume that Obama has actually displayed any leadership. I don't. Matthews is just espousing the position that the libs have, and have had for decades, regarding our military. More importantly, name the last democrat administration that had a positive relationship with our military.
By Goldwater's Ghost, at
Wed Dec 02, 07:02:00 AM:
"If Matthews is correct and West Point is the "enemy camp" to Barack Obama, is that not a simply massive failure of presidential leadership?"
Snark on...
No, it's simply racism.
Snark off.
By JPMcT, at
Wed Dec 02, 07:08:00 AM:
Along those lines, I suspect Obama considers it a Foreign Policy goal to bring public health care to the United States.
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 09:44:00 AM:
"Republicans have worked quite hard to make sure that sticks"
I suppose these republicans would be the RHINOS who agree with Democratic foreign policy and defence spending cuts.
Davod
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 10:47:00 AM:
KayJay
"Republicans have worked quite hard to make sure that sticks"
I left the Democratic Party over disagreements with its McGovernite foreign policy, after McGovernite foreign policy had been shown to be ineffective. I Gave Peace a Chance quite literally as I was a Conscientious Objector: Pol Pot showed it didn't work. However the Republicans may have painted the Democrats regarding foreign policy had no effect on my move: contrary to what some current Democrats may think, I had functioning eyes and ears. After all, it wasn't a Republican who said "I voted for it before I voted against it." There were only five Senate Democrats who voted in favor of Gulf War I - a war the UN had endorsed.
Had the Democrats unequivocally abandoned their McGovernite foreign policy, I would most likely still be a Democrat.
By Dawnfire82, at
Wed Dec 02, 11:06:00 AM:
"name the last democrat administration that had a positive relationship with our military."
...
Kennedy? I think he was also the last Democratic President to have seen combat.
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 11:43:00 AM:
Kennedy? I think he was also the last Democratic President to have seen combat.
Memories grow short as the years grow on. Have you already forgotten the courage and tactical brilliance of our famous tank commander Michael Dukakis?
M.E.
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 11:48:00 AM:
Perhaps Matthews thinks he should have given the sppech in a more Obama friendly place, like Cairo or Brussels?
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 01:03:00 PM:
As former military, and in particular a former service academy cadet, I have a little insight. Matthews has hit on a truism but for the wrong reason. He seems to think Obama was in "enemy territory" because the military supports Republicans. While generally true on an individual basis, the US military is studiously non-partisan as a professional organization and our military members are the ultimate realists (little room for self-delusion when being wrong gets you or your brethren killed.) It is, however, very much an "Honor culture." A Commander-in-Chief starts out with a dose of respect simply because of his position, but anything beyond that must be earned. I assure you that the military will respect greatly any CinC who respects them, has a clear vision of who are and are not enemies of the United States, and the courage of his convictions to do what is needed to protect the US. The fact is that, as was pointed out above, we haven't had a Democrat in the white house that fit that bill since the 1960's.
By , at
Wed Dec 02, 01:50:00 PM:
Ouch. That last one left a mark.
