That's correct. FOX targeted its programming to capture the conservatives. Otherwise, it would just be another news agency serving vanilla ice cream. MSNBC then decided to target the liberals as the 'left answer to FOX.'

It's the opposite. MSNBC's move actually made its ratings explode when before it was dragging as just another vanilla ice cream reporting agency.

Fox News and MSNBC enjoy ratings gains, but CNN drops | Show Tracker | Los Angeles Times

It's CNN and other old fashioned reporting agencies that are lagging. And IMO, that is a big problem as I cited before. It's breeding partisanship as well as a public lack of actual fact gathering and examining in neutral contexts. Instead of wanting to hear a 'boring news report' people are getting doped out on their own predispositions instead and 'news programming' and related shows designed to entertain and fuel them. It's turning news and discussing programming into the political equivalents of WWF and other rigged wrestling matches where those favouring one side have programming and reporting designed to feed it.

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This to me is another thing why I think the GOP needs to look in the mirror and accept some personal responsibility instead of trying to blame others for its own errors, especially since it destroys the credibility of the GOP to assert the 'personal responsibility' talking point that the GOP has long sung.

Chris Matthews is a registered Dem. He's also an Obama fan, and admits it. However, he's actually moderate given his overall issue positions and he is often critical wherever he sees faults in his opinion.

That is part of his family background. His brother, Jim Matthews, is a moderate GOP politician in my state and actually ran for Lt Governor on the GOP's gubernatorial ticket in our last election here in PA. In fact, if PA let citizens vote for Governor and Lt Governor independently as some other states do, he probably would have won the Lt Governor seat (I would have voted for him for that position) given public polling opinion clearly favoured him over the Dem's Lt Governor choice. However, PA only allows one ticket for the Governor/Lt Governor executive positions, and Lynn Swann, a total political novice with very poor understandings of issues, laws, etc, was chosen to run for Governor for the GOP against the policy wonk Ed Rendell who is popular and had incumbency, so the Rendell ticket won.

Again, I fault the GOP for that because it was a shallow gimmick (Swann was a Steelers Hall of Fame football player) that had no political justifications for picking him as qualified. The party turned down popular and qualified former GOP Lt Governors to pick Swann. So, IMO, it deserved the loss for insulting the voters with that stunt.

So, IMO, the GOP just has to start looking into the mirror on so many things instead of whinging about the so-called 'bias' of others pointing out their gaffes.

That includes the Jindal debacle. Yes, Matthews said that remark. He got caught on the mike. But he also explained why:

Matthews let it slip out his immediate impression of the lousy stagecrafting entrance of Jindal.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews explains 'Oh God' remark - Forbes.com

And it's fair comment by Matthews, much like the guffawings over McCain's infamous 'green backdrop' speech. McCain and his GOP handlers did that, not the media or public.

Whinging that people are biased about reporting lousy stagecraft is just that: whinging and not taking any personal responsibility for what is indeed lousy stagecraft.

In fact, to me, how Jindal entered appeared even worse that Matthews' perception. To me, his long nimble and tight walk with the stoneface smile actually even invoked stereotypical images of Indians at a 7-11 or Quick-E Mart. By the time he reached the podium, it almost felt natural to say to him before he even spoke: "Turn on Pump No. 1, and I'll get a pack of Marlboro reds, a Slim Jim and one of your skin mags." Other formed similarly unflattering caricatures such as Kenneth the Page, etc.

Nobody in charge of the stagecraft bothered to work on him properly to pull off a good performance on his camera appearance, never mind the speech that likewise shot him and its whole purpose in the foot. That is the fault of the GOP, not the public and media.

So, IMO, the GOP has to stop complaining about people pointing out its screwups and start correcting them instead, namely get it's shit together.

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This to me is another thing why I think the GOP needs to look in the mirror and accept some personal responsibility instead of trying to blame others for its own errors, especially since it destroys the credibility of the GOP to assert the 'personal responsibility' talking point that the GOP has long sung.

Chris Matthews is a registered Dem. He's also an Obama fan, and admits it. However, he's actually moderate given his overall issue positions and he is often critical wherever he sees faults or disagrees with something a Dem or the Dems do.

That is part of his family background. His brother, Jim Matthews, is a moderate GOP politician in my state and actually ran for Lt Governor on the GOP's gubernatorial ticket in our last election here in PA. In fact, if PA let citizens vote for Governor and Lt Governor independently as some other states do, he probably would have won the Lt Governor seat (I would have voted for him for that position) given public polling opinion clearly favoured him over the Dem's Lt Governor choice. However, PA only allows one ticket for the Governor/Lt Governor executive positions, and Lynn Swann, a total political novice with very poor understandings of issues, laws, etc, was chosen to run for Governor for the GOP against the policy wonk Ed Rendell who is popular and had incumbency, so the Rendell ticket won.

Again, I fault the GOP for that because it was a shallow gimmick (Swann was a Steelers Hall of Fame football player) that had no political justifications for picking him as qualified. The party turned down popular and qualified former GOP Lt Governors to pick Swann. So, IMO, it deserved the loss for insulting the voters with that stunt.

So, IMO, the GOP just has to start looking into the mirror on so many things instead of whinging about the so-called 'bias' of others pointing out their gaffes.

That includes the Jindal debacle. Yes, Matthews said that remark. He got caught on the mike. But Matthews also explained why: he let his immediate impression slip out about the lousy stagecrafting entrance of Jindal.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews explains 'Oh God' remark - Forbes.com

And it's fair comment by Matthews, much like the guffawings over McCain's infamous 'green backdrop' speech. McCain and his GOP handlers did that, not the media or public.

Whinging that people are biased about reporting lousy stagecraft is just that: whinging and not taking any personal responsibility for what is lousy stagecraft.

In fact, to me, how Jindal entered appeared even worse than Matthews' perception. To me, his long nimble and tight walk with the stoneface smile actually even invoked stereotypical images of Indians at a 7-11 or Kwik-E-Mart. By the time he reached the podium, it almost felt natural to say to him before he even spoke: "Turn on Pump No. 1, and I'll get a pack of Marlboro reds, a Slim Jim and one of your skin mags." Others formed similarly unflattering caricatures such as Kenneth the Page, etc.

Nobody in charge of the stagecraft bothered to work on him properly to pull off a good performance on his camera appearance, never mind the speech that likewise shot him and its whole purpose in the foot. That is the fault of the GOP, not the public and media.

So, IMO, the GOP has to stop complaining about people pointing out its screwups and start correcting them instead, namely get its shit together.

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Screw the performance. If you want a great performance hire "Prince".

You think style is more important then substance? Perhaps that's why you like Obama.

I guess when you get down to it Abraham Lincoln was ugly & skinny and didn't perform like Elvis on the stage. I'm sure if he were alive today Chris Matthews would have plenty to say about his appearance and how fucked up he walked.



You seriously need to get your priorities in order.

There's more to being a great President then a great performance.

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It's hard to stay mad at someone who makes you laugh - Jay Leno

Nice strawman. My priorities are where they should be. Overall substance is more important than style but style is important and even can be substance (leadership quality and asset). Stick to the issues instead of sticking BS attributions on me in avoidance of the issues.

Moreover, your example of Lincoln is a terrible citation and shows the opposite of your points. Whilst he wasn't a pinup physically, Lincoln was a brilliant and inspiring speaker and writer of his points. You know, all the "four score and seven years ago..." stuff. Communication skills was one of his strongest assets and people still quote and model themselves all the time on him.

And if you really don't think performance matters then get used to seeing the Dems have plenty of fun utilising each memorial performance and strategic screwup into attacks:

YouTube - Anti Rush Limbaugh TV Ad Released 03/03/09

It's time for the GOP to call the plumber--a real plumber and not Joe--and stop dumping paper in the overflowing GOP john. The party is both playing right into the Dems' hands and sabotaging itself.

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aye...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeJYT...eature=related

'tis all very, very strange stuff to me. what an unusual matey he be.

*bows*

-MeadHallPirate

You totally missed the point.

Chris Matthews would tear Lincoln a new asshole just because he wasn't pretty, his delivery wasn't up to snuff, and because he's a Republican.

He wouldn't care how brilliant he was. These types don't care what the message is, the message is secondary. Tearing down the opposition is what is important.

I think you're the one trying to avoid the issues currently at hand.

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It's hard to stay mad at someone who makes you laugh - Jay Leno

Oh yes, of course!

Republicans are all about the message.

Poor little babies.

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Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

Guess who?

Some seem quite obsessed with this. Just look at some of the threads started.

And the Democrats claim the GOP is full of racists.

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It's hard to stay mad at someone who makes you laugh - Jay Leno

It was printed in the USAToday last week but I can't find it online ether.

One of my co-workers had a copy of it and I was shocked when I saw it. Then later I tried to find the article online and was unsuccessful.

My guess is someone alerted them to the fact that the headline was an overreach and they pulled it.

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It's hard to stay mad at someone who makes you laugh - Jay Leno

Its true I have little regard for the GOP or conservatives. They do fascinate me though.

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Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

Guess who?

Quelle surprise.

Brother Bere, you're point is completely on mark, however the "Quick-E Mart" comparison and stereotype is pushing it a bit.

Seems to me that both Chris and Keith are only getting more popular and more viewers.

I believe that Rachel Maddow is singlehandedly responsible for the rise of of MSNBC.

I watch both FOXNews (mostly to see what the kooks are saying and thinking) and MSNBC and for a long time I watched FOX predonominantly. I remember when Rachel first started appearing on Olberman, it was a pleasure to see and hear her talk, she was great, then she started hosting it when Keith was out, and that seemed to happen often, it was no surprise when she got her own show and they canned the other dude.

I believe Rachel is even more popular than Keith now, although I like them both, I favor Rachel more. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone.