Keep it Classy, Chris Matthews: Tingles Uses Chilean Miner Rescue as Occasion to Bash Tea Party

By Doug Powers  •  October 13, 2010 10:09 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

As the great news of the last of the trapped miners in Chile being lifted to the surface spread around the world, Chris Matthews had as a guest the president of the AFL/CIO Richard Trumka. Naturally, the pair had to use the occasion of the year’s greatest tribute to ingenuity, endurance and teamwork to… slam the Tea Party.

Transcript via Newsbusters:

After Trumka initially recounted his joy at watching the miners being rescued, he quickly veered into his standard rhetoric of the need for more regulation. Matthews then picked up on Trumka’s cue to launch into an attack on the Tea Party, as he distorted their limited government view as one of total anarchy that would mean “no more government, no more everything,” as seen in the following exchange:

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Okay let’s talk about what the…message to a lot of the people was. The message coming out of the Tea Party people, and lot of them are good people, is every man for himself, basically. “No more taxes, no more government, no more everything. No more safety net. No more health care for everybody. Everybody just get out there, make your buck, save it, screw the government, move on.” Right?

The rest of the transcript (and video) is here if you can stand it.

It’s worth noting that the president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, who aggressively pursued a rescue of the trapped men, put his reputation and even presidency on the line, and refused to give up hope, is not a politican who would give Chris Matthews a thrill up his leg:

The win for Piñera ended the 20-year hold on the presidency exercised by the center-left Concertación coalition and made Piñera Chile’s first elected conservative president in 52 years.
[...]
The new Chilean president vows to become an “entrepreneurial” leader and has already set his sights on restoring a healthy six per cent growth rate, lowering taxes, and improving government efficiency while pursuing programs to reduce poverty and inequality. Unlike countries under populist’s presidents offering promises rather than performance, Chile has significantly reduced poverty, lowering it in the last two decades from 40 percent to 13.7 percent.

The election of Piñera was in fact a sort of Chilean Tea Party.

One action taken by Piñera that is being credited with helping getting these miners out alive is the fact that he did not wait to ask for and accept help from other nations with expertise in the disciplines required for this complex rescue.

I won’t mention the name of another nation’s president who was slow to accept outside assistance during a disaster, and who didn’t act to waive insane bureaucratic regulations, except to offer this clue: He’s not a Tea Partier, and his mere aura used to turn Chris Matthews’ trousers into a pup tent.

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

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Comments


  1. #1
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:22 pm, thejim said:

    I suspect Matthews won’t be on air at CNN much longer. There are major changes in the works at good ole CNN.

  2. #2
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:30 pm, sbw999 said:

    Everybody just get out there, make your buck, save it, screw the government, move on.” Right?

    Uh, well…yeah Chris ole boy, somewhat dramatic, but generally that is right.

  3. #3
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:30 pm, plymouthacclaim said:

    “No more taxes, no more government, no more everything…

    Tingles can’t make his point except by lying. We’re NOT anarchists. Government is a necessary evil, emphasis on necessary.

  4. #4
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:42 pm, havok said:

    Chris is just a good little drone…

  5. #5
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:51 pm, beenthere said:

    One action taken by Piñera that is being credited with helping getting these miners out alive is the fact that he did not wait to ask for and accept help from other nations with expertise in the disciplines required for this complex rescue.

    The perfect example of a nation’s leader who waited and did not seek help from other nations with the expertise required was the loathsome Putin during the Kursk submarine disaster. No doubt Matthews will remind viewers of that tragedy in a later broadcast.

  6. #6
    On October 13th, 2010 at 10:55 pm, WarEagle82 said:

    Chris WHO?

  7. #7
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:02 pm, bjc said:

    BJC Dictionary:

    Trumpka: a dog log!
    Chris Matthews: A rectal orafice from which a dog log appears!
    MSNBC: snow on a television screen!
    *Night all! ;)

  8. #8
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:08 pm, right_on said:

    Spoken like a true moron. This guy cannot argue a simple point honestly without throwing in a mischaracterization, lie, or exaggeration or two…or three.

    Once the “Rust Age” of Obama cones to an end, no one should offer Matthews a thread of credibility. He’s not a very good liar.

  9. #9
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:17 pm, rambler said:

    If we were in it for ourselves we would get in the gimmie line and wait for our government handout.

  10. #10
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:30 pm, thutmose18 said:

    Most people here yesterday took the joyful news as reason to bash Pres Obama. Why can’t people just be happy and keep politics out of the non-political arena?

  11. #11
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:31 pm, tiefelj said:

    I see the Chilean President stayed on site until the last rescuer was pulled out. That is a class act.

  12. #12
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:32 pm, vsatt said:

    The Chilean president was there as each miner was pulled to safety. If that were here, Obama would be there for a photo opp with the first and maybe the last. How many rounds of golf do you think he’d fit in between?

  13. #13
    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:47 pm, vickisoup said:

    “pup tent”..heh.
    Little one.
    8)

  14. #14
    On October 14th, 2010 at 12:03 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Can people really be as stoooopid as Chrissy? Redundant, I know.

  15. #15
    On October 14th, 2010 at 12:25 am, June said:

    Chrissy is just another POS. The President of Chili a real class act.

  16. #16
    On October 14th, 2010 at 12:37 am, ThunderHawkk said:

    Our President sucks. I hate our President. Hey, obama – see what a President who loves his country looks like?

    You lame Marxist pansy.

  17. #17
    On October 14th, 2010 at 1:31 am, stoptheinvasion said:

    leftists never stop lying. the truth is like light to those cockroaches. it’s amazing to see this behavior, just making bald lies up to smear us, slamming us with made-up strawmen grotesqueries of our actual positions, and then crying when we win with facts.

    if you think they are lying now, wait until they are devastated on 11/2, it will be full whining season from these infantile freaks and wannabe communists. I can’t wait to repeal all their disgusting obamunism.

  18. #18
    On October 14th, 2010 at 2:19 am, txvet2 said:

    On October 13th, 2010 at 11:30 pm, thutmose18 said:

    Most people here yesterday took the joyful news as reason to bash Pres Obama. Why can’t people just be happy and keep politics out of the non-political arena?

    With the left, everything is political – as witness the subject of the thread. Turnabout, as they say, is fair play.

  19. #19
    On October 14th, 2010 at 2:39 am, ThunderHawkk said:

    thutmose18 – BECAUSE OBAMA WANTS TO KILL MY GRANDMOTHER THAT’S WHY! GET IT? SHE MAY BE TOO OLD TO QUALIFY FOR THE OPERATION SHE NEEDS AND SOME GOVT. BUREAUCRAT WILL DENY HER!

    GET IT YET? DO I NEED TO REPEAT MYSELF?

    HEY! LISTEN UP thutmose18! IT’S ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH!!

  20. #20
    On October 14th, 2010 at 4:55 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    If the disaster had happened here under Obama’s watch it’s a no-brainer – they all would have been dead by now. Homeland Security would put all foreign equipment donation shipments into quarantine storage awaiting Congressinal oversight to allow them to ‘expedite’ their passage. The FDA would have demanded that the food being fed to the trapped miners had no transfats and it wouldn’t have mattered because the EPA and OSHA would have stopped drilling on the grounds that harmful gases would be released, a full safety evaluation was needed and the proper permits had to be obtained. All that and more followed lastly by Obama telling us that it would have been even worse if he hadn’t gotten involved.

    And ya know? There are still people out there who voted for him who’d believe him! Matthews is one….

  21. #21
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:08 am, Beukeboom said:

    Chris Matthews = clueless, classless liberal shill-hack

    I hope that once Comcast takes over, Matthews will be released ASAP.

    I am beginning to think the tingle he felt up and down his let and later felt all over might be strokes.

  22. #22
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:10 am, CO2 Producer said:

    No more taxes, no more government, no more everything. No more safety net. No more health care…

    Apparently he forgot to tell everyone that “no more” is the new “less” and the new “be responsible for your own.”

  23. #23
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:26 am, CO2 Producer said:

    “be responsible for your own.”

    Maybe that should be “I shouldn’t have to pay for your.”

  24. #24
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:50 am, Ron said:

    If it hadn’t been for the Chilean miners, no one would be watching MSNBC, so he had to go for broke (intellectually) while he had the audience.

  25. #25
    On October 14th, 2010 at 9:03 am, corkie said:

    The message coming out of the Tea Party people…is every man for himself, basically. “No more taxes, no more government, no more everything….”

    This type of hyperbole helps the Tea Party, and the general public knows this is hyperbole.

  26. #26
    On October 14th, 2010 at 9:09 am, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah, Not that I watch but; Chris Matthews is on MSLSD, not CNN. BTW, Larry King had the Chilean miners footage on last night when he came on. I heard him ask his producer if she thought his coffin could fit down that hole!!

  27. #27
    On October 14th, 2010 at 9:43 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    he quickly veered into his standard rhetoric of the need for more regulation.

    Well, he’s right on one thing. If those miners were TEA Partiers, they would be dead… because they’d still be doing the environmental impact study for the rescue shafts, and shutting down the mining industry, and putting other bureaucratic obstacles in the way of private sector help.

  28. #28
    On October 14th, 2010 at 10:04 am, babiesgrandma said:

    I wonder if Prez oblame-o thinks the el Presidente de Chile, Pinera, acted STUPIDLY for being there the entire time, along with his lovely wife who escorted the families out to watch their loved ones come up from their would-be tomb.

    What Would O Do? nothing, as evidenced by the devastating floods in North Dakota and Minnesota this past year. He didn’t approve the request from Gov. Perry for a federal declaration of disaster for funds when hurricane Hermine passed through Texas recently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Ny77lEm24

    Who cares? “The arugula is a little wilted, Meeschellllee, please speak to your staff.”

  29. #29
    On October 14th, 2010 at 11:11 am, Mister P said:

    I can’t understand Matthews. My ears can’t pick up high whiney voices.

  30. #30
    On October 14th, 2010 at 11:22 am, reshas1 said:

    Have you had it with Chris Matthews, call MSNBC and let them know your not going to tolerate his hate speech against the Tea party! 212 664 6935.

  31. #31
    On October 14th, 2010 at 11:55 am, cheapseat said:

    This was truly another in a long line of WTF is he babbling about. He talks so fast, his electrons in the helmet can’t catch up to his mouth, and as he gets older, it is becoming more and more obvious. I suggest old Chrissy needs to either talk less, or think more, and if he does both, he may get a show on Fox instead of that failure known as MSNBC.

  32. #32
    On October 14th, 2010 at 12:11 pm, plymouthacclaim said:

    On October 14th, 2010 at 10:04 am, babiesgrandma said:

    He didn’t approve the request from Gov. Perry for a federal declaration of disaster for funds when hurricane Hermine passed through Texas recently.

    Of course not, teh 0ne hates Texas and hates Perry. For zer0bama, it’s personal. Chicago/Alinski politics are always personal.

  33. #33
    On October 14th, 2010 at 12:49 pm, spaceycakes said:

    Everybody just get out there, make your buck, save it, screw the government

    hooray. he finally gets it.

    Yes.

  34. #34
    On October 14th, 2010 at 1:03 pm, J S Ragman said:

    Speaking of clueless liberals, I heard that Democrat strategist Paul Begala on Imus the other day, spouting off the new Dem talking points for this fall’s election. They go something like; “The only alternatives the Republicans have offered is for Wall Street to take over Social Security, and for insurance companies to take over health care. Now there’s a recipe for disaster.”

    I kept thinking, how typically Democratic to disparage the very people who can make investments and health care work, without huge amounts of fraud, waste, and abuse. Keep talking Paul. The voters really want to hear what a great job the government will do on those massive entitlement programs.

  35. #35
    On October 14th, 2010 at 2:00 pm, T-Bone said:

    CNN can be the Democrat propaganda cable station. I have choices on cable. I am more concerned about the antenna networks, ABC, CBS, NBC.

    If you look at where the vast majority of liberal votes come from, it is the inner cities. LA, San Fran, New York, Chicago, Detroit et al. I get the impression these people don’t have cable and watch the regular network news that spew liberal philosophy on a daily basis. There is no alternative choice.

    I wish there was at least one of the big 3 that showed the other side to keep it fair and balanced. Based on Foxs ratings, that channel would probably be #1 in the ratings immediately but not a one of them has made the plunge. I think they know they would be more successful but refuse to give up their Dem propagandizing.

  36. #36
    On October 14th, 2010 at 2:16 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    I get the impression these people don’t have cable and watch the regular network news that spew liberal philosophy on a daily basis. There is no alternative choice.

    Hmm. What’s preventing Fox News from licensing broadcast channels in big cities? Does a certain percentage of broadcast programming have to be ‘local’ content?

  37. #37
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:35 pm, Dandapani said:

    And it was the ingenuity of a private USA company that drilled the shaft to free the miners. Not, NOT the USA government. (Ok, NASA helped out in the end, but Obama’s admin., not so much.)

  38. #38
    On October 14th, 2010 at 8:38 pm, txvet2 said:

    On October 14th, 2010 at 2:16 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    What planet do you live on?

  39. #39
    On October 15th, 2010 at 1:32 pm, NJ-Aviator said:

    Chris Matthews is a #$%^@#ing idiot.

    And that’s the NICEST thing I can say about him.

  40. #40
    On October 17th, 2010 at 11:27 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    NJ-Aviator said:

    I think you’re being too kind.

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