Matthews on McCain: MSNBC 10/16/08

Chris Matthews, et. al. on John McCain
"Hardball" 12:07am
Panel

TRANSCRIPTION
CHRIS MATTHEWS [does air quotes]: Well, 'health.' Did you see how he did health in the quote marks? That is gonna cause him more trouble because here we are, at a stage where women are being considered to have a good shot at the American presidency; certainly the vice presidency. Women are seen as equal to men in rights and respectability, and authority and all the good things in American life and here [John McCain] is, putting down women [as he does air quotes] who have a health concern, along with their doctors, for having an abortion. You can't impeach the right of a woman to have a health concern. You can't make a joke out of it like this [does air quotes again], 'health.'

ROGER SIMON: It's not an extreme pro-abortion position. It's the position of the United States Supreme Court.

MATTHEWS: And doctors.

SIMON: I mean, Barack Obama's not way off on the left on this one. He's supporting the law of the land.

HOWARD FINEMAN: So this is an example of how ideology can send you right over the cliff. McCain was trying to be ideologically perfect for his core constituency, [does air quotes] making fun of the health exception--it sounded cruel. I know what he was saying, as a matter of argumentation on the floor of the senate or when he's talking to a pro-life group. When you say that, in public, before a bunch of undecided voters, it sounds cruel.

[...]

MATTHEWS: Would he say [air quotes] health for a male? A male's [air quotes] health concerns? [...] Here's three guys that noticed it.

CM2 JM MSNBC 10-16-08 0.07 (JR#559)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• McCain
• abortion
• tracking
• health
• care
• women

[kewltony]

He wasn't doing air quotes, he was having a seizure

[pissjar]

VotingTips com

[Shellianne]

oh yeah. that stupid little thing - just a "picky detail" that's what "Women's HEALTH is!!? McCain has all the signs of dementia, I'm sure of it. If not, he should be drawn & quartered for these nasty & irresponsible statements.

[Guriman]

877.304.6769 . phone fun

HAYyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. I just saw ur video!!! msg me on MSN hD

[egcollins]

I thought Obama's comments were thoughtful, reflective, and respectful of women. His reasoning showed the care with which he takes his position on a difficult, divisive issue like choice, and I really respect him for it.

McCain, on the other hand, was dismissive, condescending, flippant, and rude.

Women's health is NOT an extreme position.

Consideration of the woman's health is the goddamn LAW in these United States.

It is your position Mr. McCain that is extreme.