Proving once again that it's better karma to laugh at Chris Matthews rather than with him, The Observer's Felix Gillette captures the infamous Hillary Hater channeling New York's own glam punk godfather, David Johansen:
Mr. Matthews offered another musical anecdote about the Clintons. This one taken from closer to home. “Remember Buster Poindexter?” said Mr. Matthews. “His big song was ‘Hot, Hot, Hot.’ Not a great piece of music but it was all right. So Poindexter goes to a society party, east side or something. A very hoity-toity woman says, ‘Do you do private affairs?’ ‘Well, yeah,’ he says. ‘How much will that be?’ He says: $5,000. She calls at 7 o’clock the next morning. She’s says, ‘Oh, last night I forgot to tell you that there will be no mixing with the guests.’ He said, ‘Okay, in that case it’ll only be $3,000.’”
Mr. Matthews grinned.
“That’s sort of my view of the Clintons,” he said. “It’s better to have less than to have more.”
Ah yes, the Washington insiders and their class issue with the Clintons, going way back to '92. A hat tip here to Digby for the link, and for the spot-on commentary on MSNBC's embarassing performance yesterday:
Watching the returns last night I was once again struck by the rank lack of professionalism and complete abdication of journalistic ethics on MSNBC. I noted in my early post last night that if you wanted to see what the early exit polls were saying all you had to do was watch that channel. It was clear that the numbers were very bad for Clinton and excellent for Obama. They could barely contain themselves with broad hints and winks and nods that Clinton was toast. The sheer joy on their faces was a sight to behold.
Gene Robinson showed up before the returns were in claiming that the night was a repudiation of Bill Clinton. Prior to the polls closing Mike Barnicle said that Massachusetts was a clear sign that Clinton had lost her edge. Olbermann, Matthews, O'Donnell, all of them, looked feverish and excited at the beginning of the coverage only to end up dull and uninspired. Although their preferred candidate in the end did very well last night, it wasn't the total rout they had been expecting ans so they were unhappily left spinning excuses and robotically reciting vote counts by the end of the night.
I think I understand what's happened. They have rallied around Matthews, their colleague and friend, who they feel was unfairly forced to apologize publicly after New Hampshire by the Clinton campaign. They said as much outright. And in their desire to stand by their pal, they have become obsessively anti-Clinton and pro-Obama, nearly to the point of parody.
And oh yeah, for you Obamacans in the fold, the Digster has this advice about old Matthews:
Chris Matthews personally deplored Bill Clinton when he was president, loathed Al Gore in 2000, hated John Kerry in 2004 and right now despises Hillary Clinton. And there are huge hints of what's to come if Obama does get the nomination, particularly if McCain, the man who Matthews has already said "deserves to be president" becomes the Republican nominee.
Oh yeah, he's "hot, hot, hot!" for Mad Dog McCain.