Conffederate
Confederate

May 09, 2008

So When Will Chris Matthews Get Fired?

A Fox News staffer was fired this morning. Why? She told John McCain that she voted for him in a primary because her father was a Vietnam veteran.

I kid you not:

A 24-year-old Fox News Channel production assistant was fired this morning for something she said during the red carpet arrivals at the Time 100 Gala last night.

Insiders tell us the assistant, identified as Jennifer Locke, was on assignment with a camera crew to cover the entertainment angle of the event. When Sen. John McCain walked by, the assistant said, "I voted for you in the primary, you're going to win."

McCain was overheard saying to her, "You're not supposed to reveal that." Locke apparently continued to explain that she is the daughter of Vietnam veteran.

McCain is correct. Such disclosures are journalistically unacceptable, and Fox was right to release the staffer on those grounds.

So when is MSNBC going to step up to those same standards and dismiss Chris Matthews for his on-air announcement that Barack Obama caused a"thrill" up his leg? Is telling a candidate that you voted for him unacceptable, but blurting out a homo-erotic reaction to a candidate's speech not a level of disclosure that is forbidden, even if that disclosure is merely hyperbole making the journalist's personal attraction to the candidate equally strong? Should it matter that this is the second time Matthews has related his "man-crush" on the air?

Yes, I know better... MSNBC doesn't have journalistic standards. It would be nice, however, if they'd fake it every one in a while.

Posted by Confederate Yankee at May 9, 2008 01:26 PM
Comments

So conservatives insist on fighting with one hand tied behind our backs. Libral journo's fellate the liberal candidates: they get access.
A conservative expresses their opinion, they get canned.

Posted by: Smarty at May 9, 2008 02:32 PM

I imagine this is a better example of Chris Matthews "blurting out a homo-erotic reaction" toward a politician.

Posted by: cactus at May 9, 2008 03:37 PM

If you have been paying attention, you will notice that Chris' crush has moved to Hillary since Pennsylvania.

If you want homo-erotic, look for Leibermann's comment about checking McCain's bearings. Yukkkk!

Posted by: JOHN K at May 9, 2008 03:53 PM

So...I get it. Racism and sexism are off the table, but AGEISM is just fine, thank you. sir!

Posted by: Marybel at May 9, 2008 07:09 PM

Why are you wasting your time on Matthews? He has little credibility, professionally speaking, and that is a big reason why he rotates through the same handful of guests--no one else wants to go on that odious show of his. He's off MSNBC in a few months, and then he becomes some other news outlet's public relations nightmare. Just ignore him.

Posted by: CasualObserver at May 9, 2008 07:28 PM

She was supposedly an unbiased journalist

Matthews is a liberal political hack

Hannity and Colmes could say essentially the same thing.

Steponallofus is supposed to be a ahem "journalist"

Posted by: Typical Whte Person at May 9, 2008 08:12 PM

Hannity doesn't make any pretense of being a journalist. He's a commentator, and has said so on any number of occasions.

Posted by: C-C-G at May 9, 2008 08:18 PM

Chris Who?

Posted by: Reed at May 9, 2008 08:55 PM

If revealing your political bias is a basis for firing, then the whole bunch at MSNBC should be fired including Tim Russert. They have been frothing over Obama from Day 1 and so disrespectful and vicious, not to mention sexist, in their attacks against Hillary Clinton, a former first lady, that I'm ashamed for them. The way they have treated her is absolutely despicable and totally unwarranted. No other candidate in this entire election process has been so brutally and maliciously maligned. Where is the NOW organization? Are there no ethical standards governing journalists and pundits?

Posted by: dwilson at May 9, 2008 11:08 PM

RE Confederate Re:
1) McCain is correct. Such disclosures are journalistically unacceptable, and Fox was right to release the staffer on those grounds.
2) If revealing your political bias is a basis for firing...

Why these politically correct things at Fox? (And here?) Amd since when revealing one's lineage IS "revealing one's political bias"?

Since we're talking about media impartiality, I write these just one hour after watching a KCET/LA (PBS) Washington Week Blah-Blah-Blah which was from the beginning to the end a crass, a'capella Obama lovein, moderated by an inanely beaming Iffel - and KCET/PBS are living on our taxes!
Why is inappropiate (if not criminal) for someone to mention that she/he is (remotely!) related with someone who seved this country in the Vietnam War?
Gee - isn't this a topsy-turvy world? Reverend Wright is acclaimed, and this girl at Fox is fired! And McCain agrees with this idiocy!
I voted for ever Republican, I plan to vote for McCain, but since his tantrum over the NC TV add, I started having serious doubts about him. Maverrick, my ass! Remember Talleyrand's saying: "This is not a crime, it is much worse, it is stupid thing!"
One more Maverick, and in November I'll be out, flying the kite - and I'll have lots of Republican company, I assure you.


Posted by: Misanthropicus at May 10, 2008 12:38 AM

Chris Matthews a liberal? He once said on air that he voted for George W. He keeps mentioning that his brother is a Republican organizer in Pennsylvania. He says he's going to run for political office (Specter's Senate seat?). When he runs on the GOP line, will that prove finally that he's a great liberal?
Get real.

Posted by: Ted at May 10, 2008 12:58 AM

Chris Matthews, hell he is a lightweight, Kieth Olbermann is the biggest joke on tv. talk about metrosexual, the man is vicious, i have never seen so much animosity towards hillary clinton. He must hate women or something. I think he should be fired, MSNBC is the naional enquirer of journalism

Posted by: cavalier at May 10, 2008 01:45 AM

Chris Matthews, and for that matter all of the MSNBC crowd, are irrelevant. They are all anti Clinton and you can't get an objective viewpoint on anything. Viewers are leaving in favor of CNN or Fox. Just a matter of time before they are all gone, but for me they are gone already.

Posted by: ncjack at May 10, 2008 01:51 AM

Wouldn't it be nice to have a Tom Brokaw or a Walter Cronkite whose political orientation you don't even know to this day? What we now have are Jack Cafferty, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer at CNN who just get giddy when speaking of Obama. Then there are those guys at MSNBC. I don't know that there are any who AREN'T enamored with Obama. When can the American public expect the media to do their job and give an unbiased report???? When the best we can do is look at FOX NEWS for fair and balanced news, that is getting pretty sad.

Posted by: Gorgegirl at May 10, 2008 03:39 AM

Tried to 'explain that she is the daughter of Vietnam veteran'? Most Vietnam veterans I know, including my father and most of his friends, wouldn't vote for McCain if you stuck a gun to their heads after what he did with the POW/MIA issue (and he was a POW himself!). McCain might win among the WWII vets, and Vietnam era REMFs but not combat veterans.

Posted by: jack brown at May 10, 2008 03:43 AM

Goregirl, your name alone should indicate what side of the fence you're on, so it should be no surprise to find out how clueless you are about Mr. Cronkite's views.

I give you this article to show just how clear it is where Cronkite stands:

Former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, whose 1968 conclusion that the Vietnam War was unwinnable keenly influenced public opinion then, said Sunday he'd say the same thing today about Iraq.

"It's my belief that we should get out now," Cronkite said in a meeting with reporters.

Cronkite's views unknown to this day? Only if you have nice thick blinders on.

Posted by: C-C-G at May 10, 2008 07:56 AM


Like Ron White said,"You can't fix stupid"!!!

Posted by: Gator at May 10, 2008 08:27 AM

Actually, it would be a very *welcome* thing for journalists to acknowledge their political persuasion. If honestly stated, they might strive to overcome their natural bias, and certainly people can keep a grain of salt on hand if they don't.

Cordially...

Posted by: Rick at May 10, 2008 12:07 PM

I agree, Rick. That's why I trust Fox News.

Posted by: C-C-G at May 10, 2008 12:56 PM

Talk about a double standard, look at the story from hotair.com
Article

"Video: Press corps swoons at sight of Obama in jeans"

If ABC, CBS, CNN, etc, fired all their leftist employees, there would not be enough employees to put on a single newscast.

It is an insult to every American to tell them the people bringing them the news everyday are neutral; just like it was an insult to every member of the US military to have John Kerry, Jane Fonda and Walter Cronkite leading the fight for the North Vietnamese in America's living rooms. There is no chance the North Vietnamese could have defeated America and destroyed South Vietnam with out the American leftists.

Posted by: Pagar at May 10, 2008 03:02 PM