"I just talked to Dominic [Bellone, Hardball's producer] and he assures me that Chris is going to get into this again on tonight's Hardball show. I can't wait to see how [GOP and John McCain consultant] Rick Davis explains this one away.Here's how it works: Taking liberties with what Kerry says in a group or in public conversation is something the Bush campaign can easily manipulate and pull out of context. But once you take quotes from a show and try to pull the same nonsense, you're putting the host of said show on notice that they've become a party to your campaign. That doesn't sit well with a guy like Chris Matthews.
If it were Fox, it'd be reasonable to say that no host there would mind being in that position. But since it was Matthews - who, say what you will, is about as fair as they get in the talk show arena - this latest Bush talking point will not be easily accepted or dismissed.
Make no mistake - a line has indeed been crossed here. Heavy editing of one's comments on a non-Fox network's crown jewel discussion show is not just a slap at Kerry, but at that show's reputation. Matthews is quick to point out that "anti-war" came from his mouth, not Kerry's, and that Kerry's answer was horribly misconstrued by the RNC's editing. When you watch that Hardball segment at the MSNBC site, you can see the undercurrent of rage in Matthews - calling for the original Kerry clip to be played not once, not twice, but three times during the Matthew Dowd segment. And he did not let up on Dowd until time ran out. He's pissed. And he should be.
The upshot? One of two things: 1) It'll be totally forgotten by Thursday. 2) It finally sent up a bright red rocket into the mainstream media and SCLM that they are being abused and played by the Bush administration - and that whatever loyalty they've shown Bushco in the past is now being repaid with their work being mutilated by a deceitful campaign.
Let's see if this gets any traction. CBS, ABC and CNN should be taking notes, because they're next.
