Friday, November 21, 2008

Matthews too Much

bill rap and lthe rappers

No Longer Objective

so a lot of response to the question of whether Chris Matthews crossed the line when he said his job is to support President-elect Obama’s administration…rappers sounded off, starting with a criticism of our newscasters….

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black !
WJAR 10 wouldn’t recognize impartial journalism if they tripped over it !!  The sarcasm in the way you and your fellow reporters present news about the state budget crisis (always implying that state employees, teachers, and the poor are to blame for all the ills of the state) is so obvious it would be laughable except people take what you say at face value.  Methinks your conservative slip is showing, Mr Rappleye.  The only journalist on your station who reported the news without inserting their personal political bias was the late Doug White.
If you don’t like what Chris Matthews has to say, why don’t you change the channel to Fox, the home of ‘balanced journalism’ and watch Bill O’Rielly?
Dora A

No. Do Fox News folks’ biases disqualify them? I like Chris Mathews because he’s honest. I don’t always agree with him, but at least I clearly understand what he’s thinking. That’s the whole premise behind the show, after all.
Kalula

Chris Matthews should be fired….
I am disgusted! This country has been hi-jacked by the left wing. Remember when journalists and the news media actually reported unbiased facts? Now everyone has an agenda. “make this presidency work”? Is he kidding me? I am so sick of the double standard.
Anakin

As I had “rapped” about previously, the liberal media has indeed gone
> too far.  It has become evident that President-elect Obama not only
> had the advantage of a treasure-trove of cash from Hollywood and other
> business leaders, but also the blatant support of many journalists,
> Chris Matthews included.  While I think it’s clear he’s not objective,
> demanding his resignation would beg the question should half the media
> resign as many others, including Gwen Ifil (debate moderator) clearly
> favored Obama during the campaign.  Last night Lester Holt made it
> clear during the evening news that “while this economic crisis did not
> happen on his watch, President-elect Obama will attempt to address
> this problem”.  I rest my case!
> Mary Beth,  Swansea

Matthews best failed to hold the Bush presidency “accountable”
He’s paid by Wall Street sponsored media to Cheerlead in upturns, downplay the risks and hide the truth.
It’s business as usual. The subterfuge of the electoral process itself, by candidates who know full well that, once in office, their polices will be determined not by election promises but by the demands of the ruling elite and the exigencies of securing the world market for wall street with working class children.
Americans had to hold the Republicans accountable for their crimes against the Constitution and human rights, for their violations of US and international laws, for their lies and deceptions, for their financial chicanery, for acts of war on multiple nations and appalled the world with concentration camps, torture, mass murder and utter disrespect for international law and the world community.
Unfortunately Obama’s actions since Election Day have been calculated to signal to the ruling elite his readiness to defend their interests and not be swayed by the will of the electorate. Hi’s advisers are drawn from the same gang of Washington thugs and Wall Street bankers. Unlimited taxpayer funds available for the banks, but no money to address the increasingly desperate economic situation facing the working stiff.
Obama’s been on the phone about economic matters with foreign leaders of - England, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea.
What of Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, India, South Asia, South America, Africa, etc.
Looks like WW3 is brewing between a US-UK dominated speculative derivative monetized scheme -live forever in debt die before you pay - bloc and a
Russia-China-India- Middle Eastern anti-derivatives, resource and production based economy.
The Wall Street derivatives merchants and war profiteers win. Graft, usury and the money lenders stay in the Temple.
Zuke

Mr Matthews has to make a decision. Does he want to be a
News Reporter? or a
News Commentator?
If the latter, I suspect a spot awaits him on the Comedy Channel
Peter in Providence

Send Chris back to politics….He loves to talk, and is always butting in after he asks a question, with his own comments. It was never hard, during the primaries, to see where his agliaince lay.
Charlie

Chris Matthews should NOT be a news commentator -  because his BIAS is promoting a candidate and that is a free unpaid advertising and an endorsement not news worthy or informative or most of all democratic.  Joyce
He does a far better job than you, dear…
kalula

Chris Mathews AND the whole crew of fox news ought to be
gone!!!!
I am a news junkie.  I had to shut the tv off tonight because mathews is way far over the top on several subjects tonight.
He needs to be gone.
Judith

Chris Mathews should be ashamed of calling himself a journalist. he is a left wing collaborator and if that’s what he wants to be, he should join the DNC and stay there. A journalist should be objective, not partisan, and Mathews is far from being objective. He is not alone, The likes of Leno, Winfrey and sorry to say Degeneros are no different. I realize that they have talk shows, but to use their forum to promote one party over another is disgraceful. They, the latter three do it in such a way as to slowly de-senstise the audience so we are not aware of what is happening, I however was not de-sensitized.
Al, Johnston

Of course, Chris Matthews should keep his job. For years we have been subjected to “fair & impartial” comments by the commentators at Fox News plus the likes of Rush Limbaugh who trash any politicians who don’t agree with their right wing agenda. Now after the recent election results, we have a counterpoint in Chris Matthews. It’s about time!
Bob, East Greenwich

When it comes to journalism, this person isn’t a journalist he is
transparently and grotesquely biased - we see that every day, along with MSNBC: Mika Brezhinski (obviously the dumbest human being ever to appear on television, including animal stories), Chris Matthews and the undisputed king of cable TV whackos, Keith Olberwellian have long-abandoned any pretense of objectivity, professional bearing, fairness and, with it, Journalism.
He is mad - mad with media power No, I mean stark, raving mad. I mean when like watching a car wreck. Like you can’t believe what you’ve just seen.
Such was the case back in August (Friday Aug 29 as I know longer support MSNBC and very rarely do I support NBC, there is only 1 exception and that is channel 10 news morning noon and night you guys are the only local news I will watch) when on MSNBC Chris Matthews gave Olberman a real run for the Joe McCarthy/Howard Beal award by becoming literally apoplectic at the news of Sarah Palin.
Viewers must earnestly have thought Matthews was almost surely suffering a stroke: his eyes were popping out of his fat head, his face was not just red but impurpled, spittle was forming in the corners of his mouth, and there wasn’t a trace of irony or humor in his vindictive tirade.
I mean, I know Matthews has just said “to hell with my critics” (for admitting to his being totally in the bag for Obama)...but Chris Matthews acted like a crazy man.
  And I believe within my heart its people like him and Oberman that got the democrats in office
the republicans didn’t get fair air time at all ..
Then it got worse (i.e. Really Good).
After wildly screeching his objections to Sarah Palin’s resume, John McCain’s nefarious motives and the general evilness of Republicans, Matthews spewed at his GUEST AND COLLEAGUE (and a man superior to Matthews in terms of intellect, expertise, political knowledge and, now obviously, breeding) Pat Buchanan the single most ugly, personal, insulting attack on another person I have ever witnessed on television. (And I am a veteran TV talking head, having made hundreds of appearances with friend and mostly foe, mostly on MSNBC.)
The thesis, as it were, of Matthews’ rant was “how is it POSSIBLE someone could be even CONSIDERED for high office if she had once SUPPORTED PAT BUCHANAN?!“ (Full disclosure: I workred for Pat Buchanan off and on for years, including his Presidential campaigns.)
Matthews, glowering at an incredulous Buchanan - who could clearly see the host had vacated his faculties - said “YOU MEAN SARAH PALIN COULD BE PICKED EVEN AFTER SUPPORTING THE WORST OF PAT BUCHANAN?!“ (A reference to PB’s controversial and magnificent convention speech.) This to Mr. Buchanan’s face - again, a day-to-day MSNBC colleague, respected author, political figure and former candidate for President of the United States.
Matthews’ seizure continued for the entirety of the show. When at the end Pat Buchanan asserted that Sarah Palin’s pro-life postion would be a political asset in many areas of the country (this issue and statement seeming to drive Matthews to a glorious new level of screaming, wild-eyed, foaming madness) the host responded like a troubled child “OH YEAH?! YOU JUST GO AND TRY THAT UP WHERE I LIVE AND SEE WHERE IT GETS YOU!“
Maybe poor Chris - whom I’ve met, and whose work I once admired - simply cannot withstand the mental strain of being dominated and punched around like a skinny cousin on-air by the paranoid bully Olberman.
But let the record show - and the timeless video prove - that on Friday night, August 29, 7-8 p.m., with his hideously inappropriate and ugly personal attack on a colleague, Chris Matthews achieved the truly impressive: he sunk to the lowest level of any host in cable television history.
Perfect for who Chris Matthews - and MSBNC - has become.
Brenda Lee

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

history

bill rappleye

the floor of the ballroom at the biltmore is crammed with voters…young voters.  who have only read about the civil rights struggle in history books.  but the pandemonium that broke out when obama was called the winner of the presidential race would have been appropriate for those who endured waterhoses, attack dogs, and jim crow laws in their fight for equal rights for all americans.  these kids believe, as fervently as if they’d personally ridden the freedom busses to the south in the ‘60’s.  one veteran of those rides told me tonight…now the work begins.  now america has a chance to fulfill its promise.  history was made tonight by people who might not even know what they’ve accomplished.  it’s up to them, as much as it is to the president elect, to make that history positive.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

election night

bill rappleye

after twenty years at the statehouse..senate president joe montalbano has lost his seat to newcomer ed oneill.  this was a contest that snuck up on the longtime north providence lawmaker…he realized he was in trouble the last couple of weeks, and made time to walk in his district…the phrase for going door to door speaking with constituents.  but it was too late.  oneill had been walking since june, traversing the district twice,  oneill told me tonight this will open some doors in the senate for good people, and should loosen up the body to allow good people to do their best.  with finance chairman stephen alves also turned out of his seat by voters….there is going to be a scramble to fill the leadership positions in the rhode island senate.  phone calls surely have already begun as senators begin trying to cobble together support for those vacant positions. it’s the biggest political story in rhode island tonight.
though in the House, the longest serving rep, bruce long, was bounced by newcomer deb ruggeiro, of jamestown.  one republican loss there, in a body that has so few.  i’ve also heard nick gorham is losing.  another republican stalwart, and a constant thorn in the side of leadership, he was one of two republicans who brought suit to try and end the practice of the leadership handing out legislative grants to compliant representatives.  his vociferous arguments will be missed on the floor.

election night

bill rappleye

now patrick kennedy’s on the stage…his first acknowledgement his 102 year old friend frank…i can’t spell his last name, but we know him as buddy…his brother teddy, neices and nephewsw…and his mom are on stage with him…he says america is embarking tonite on a new journey..with a new president…americans are ready to take back our government.  people have suffereedd too long under republicans and americans want to restore this country’s opportunity..opportunity for education go to college under pell grants and stafford loans…he’s still on…but we have to go on now.

election night

bill rappleye

at the biltmore…mayor david cicilline just took the stage…he’s telling lthe growing crowd here how mayors across the country that he’s spoken with today said voters have been wiating 5,6,and 7 hours to vote…so eager to bring lchange to this country.  he says he knows people in providence who were sao excited about voting today they couldn’t even go to sleep.  that’s about all…he just left the podium.

election night

bill rappleye

we just ran over to the obama headquarters on south main street…what a scene!  there are more than a hundred volunteers on telephones…and they’re calling iowa…they started off the day calling virginia, and they’ll move to other states as the polls close.  i heard one of the callers telling someone in iowa, ‘yes, i’m in rhode island’.  the chair of the rhode island campaign, ray sullivan, told me they’ll stay on the phones until this thing is over…hope to send that video back to the station soon…

election night

bill rappleye

democrat headquarters

we have set up in the ballroom at the biltmore hotel in providence where the state democratic party is holding its election night celebration…i spoke on television just a second ago with party chariman bill lynch…he’s very encouraged by the reported high turnouts at polling places, and along with NBC10 analyst bob weygand, is pretty confident the congressional candidates will win handily…which is hardly a bold prediction…locally, we’ll be keeping an eye on the senate president’s race in district 17 where joe montalbano is facing a valid challenge from independent ed oneill.  i hope at some point during the evening to get out of the ballroom, but we’re going to be on the air every thirty minutes or so, which will restrict much outside news gathering.  to set the stage here, there are tv cameras set up on a riser across the room from the podium where we’ll hear, in succession, kennedy, langevin, and reed after the polls close.  currently only a few staffers are present, adjusting lights, bringing in refreshments for private parties in the rooms rented by some of the campaigns… and generally milling around, wiating for the room to fill with people, and energy.  signs are up on the walls, balloons attached to a few of the small tables scatterred around the edges of the room.  and as the night progresses, we’ll be bringing the sights and sounds, and analysis of results, to viewers until the races are all settled.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Something from Nothing

bill rappleye

Fenway at Xcel

Drill baby, drill.  It seems like every convention comes up with a new chant.  Sometimes contrived, sometimes spontaneous.  The drill, baby, drill phrase appears to have been written to be mimicked.  But one that might have come from the screaming fans without a speechwriter’s contribution, is reminiscent of Fenway fans with their mocking lilt of the name of Yankee’s captain, Derek Jeter. Jee-der, jee-der…we’ve heard that echo through Fenway Park.  Last night it sounded familiar when the 45,000 delegates and guests began ringing the halls of the Xcel Center with Zee-roh, zee-roh.  As in, how much executive experience does Barack Obama have?  Zee-roh.  Zee-roh.

Electrifying

bill rappleye

Lighting up the Xcel

I was at Hillary’s speech in Denver, which was the best speech there.  I heard the longest ovation at the Pepsi Center as the crowd welcomed Bill Clinton.  Barack’s extravaganza at Invesco field was untoppable.  But for raw enthusiasm, Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech in St. Paul last night was far and away the most exciting of this convention season.  You’ve heard the phrase red meat, as in throwing out tasty phrases that the crowd eats up.  She delivered a banquet to this Republican crowd, hungry for a charismatic leader who sems like them.  Bragging about her family, proud of her small town, challenging the establishment press; there was much that this roaring crowd swallowed down whole.  And when she combined a swat at Michelle Obama with her own lifelong pride in America, the chants of U-S-A seemed like they’d been unwillingly stifled for ages.  Sarah Palin let this gang loose, and they felt their own power, and are ready to follow her and her running mate into battle: anywhere, anytime.

Wanna Fight?

bill rappleye

I’m here, what’s it to ya.

If you thought the new kid was going to quietly come onto the playground and try and fit in, you were wrong.  If you thought Sarah Palin was going to shy away from having a teenage daughter with child,  she sure smacked you down.  This lady was looking for a fight and she wanted everyone to know it.  Between ridiculing Obama for speaking differently in Scranton than he does in San Francisco and reminding him that being mayor is like being a community organizer, but with responsibility, this self-described pit bull with lipstick bared her fangs tonight.  This fighter showed her fierce love too, winning in one line, the votes of everybody who has a special needs child like she does.  She challenged the elite, left-wing media, and told them to keep their big city opinions to themselves.  She’s small town, and what’s it to you.  Small towns, she said, are where the people who grow our food, work in our factories, and fight in out wars live.  And they’ve always been proud to be Americans.  A lilne that brought the night’s biggest applause, and was an in your face slap at Michelle Obama’s famous quote about her husband’s campaign making her proud of America for the first time in her adult life.  Governor Palin brought it tonight, like a school girl meeting a rival in the parking lot.  Obama seeks the Presidency as a continuation of his journey of personal discovery.  Obama’s cloud of rhetoric will blow away, along with his Styrofoam Greek columns, and self-desinged Presidential seals.  She was dirt under your nails blue collar, versus book learned smooth talking lawyers.  She satisfied the men by displaying her loyalty.  First, to the high school sweetheart who, twenty years and five kids later is ‘still her guy.’  And then to the former POW hero candidate, who she idolized.  Family values, mean even a gun toting, corruption fighting hunter, is not going to upstage her male partner.  And watch out if you try to mess with her man. 

Of the speeches I saw in Denver, and so far here, this was the best received.  The audience most primed, the anticipation the highest, and the reception the most enthusiastic yet of the two weeks.  Maybe missing a day here wasn’t so bad.  And John McCain has a high bar to clear.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cancelling Monday’s Convention Good News

bill rappleye

No Bush, Not Bad, says delegate

Delegate Steve Kass, the former radio host and current state employee, says of the cancellation of speeches tomorrow, “It’s a blessing.  It certainly doesn’t hurt the McCain campaign that both Bush and Cheney will not be speaking.“  What organizers plan to do for the rest of the week will be decided as the storm in News Orleans plays out.  Kass did say he hopes some of the speakers, like Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Senator Joe Lieberman, will get a chance later in the week to speak in prime time.  But he said cutting out all the speeches on Monday isn’t all bad.  “Have you ever heard some of these people?“, he quipped.  When asked if he thought the party would suffer from reduced television coverage, he said, “ If we get Tuesday and Wednesday in, it won’t make that much of a difference.“  The RNC has said it is considering making one of the days of the convention a fundraiser for potential victims of the hurricane.  So there may be little political speechmaking here in St. Paul, other than the acceptance speeches by the two candidates.  Given the millions of dollars, 18 months of preparation, the scheduling smack up against the Democrats;  all intended to counteract the positive impression the speakers in Denver projected across the country, it must be a huge disappointment to the party strategists.  At least an unexpected development.  Perhaps it plays into their hands, as they scramble to come up with a Plan B.  No Bush, as Kass pointed out.  A chance to show how much they care about poor people.  Show real disaster management expertise.  And what says concern more than money, and the party is talking about turning the political fundraising masters into relief agents.  And if McCain-Palin are on TV in Louisiana, it makes the contrast with the unpopular incumbent even more dramatic, and more real to the voters.  The more circumstances are played up as inconvenience, the more credit the ticket gets for compassion.

Wipe Out

bill rappleye

Gustav throws a wet blanket over the convention

i sat with the Rhode Island delegation as they watched the news conference announcing the grand kick-off of the Grand Old Party’s quadrennial campaign showcase will be cancelled.  No George W Bush.  No Demkocrat turned Independent Joe Lieberman. No bodybuilder turned Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger.  That’s a lot of star power wiped off the slate.  And no saying whether they’ll be rescheduled later in the week.  But tomorrow is business only.  Delegates reporting in, establishing a quorum, and doing the procedural stuff that is part of the nominating process, which is what the convention is ostensibly about.  This has to be a hit for the party’s plans to bounce back after the hugely watched Denver display by the Democrats.  The delegates are disappointed, but not complaining, because of the sensitive issue of the hardships coming towards New Orleans.  And who knows, they may find these multi-million dollar stageshows called modern conventions, may be overrated.  Maybe McCain-Palin will do betterl by showiong up on the Gulf Coast.  Maybe this will be the end of lthe corporate sponsored week long adult camps with liquor that these conventions have become.  Would that be a loss?

Friday, August 29, 2008

workman

bill rappleye

building a case for President

Remember when Hillary Clinton was at RIC and delivered her memorable criticism of Barack Obama…“Celestial choirs will sing,the skies will open up…“  Mocking the soaring lyricism of her primary opponent.  You couldn’t say that about his speech tonight.  Instead, Barack Obama stepped out onto the stage wearing his tool belt.  Like a demoliton expert, he tore down, one by one, the criticisms that have been pinned on him by the Republicans.  Not patriotic.? He scolded McCain by name and said we all put this country first.  Weak on defense?  It was McCain who claimed he’d follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell, but didn’t even have the wisdom to follow him to the cave where he lives.  Encouraging dependence on government?  Obama said it’s not Big Brother, but parents who have to turn off their children’s television and make them do homework.  This was not a night of lofty reach.  It was a gritty, methodical construction of a refutation of the charges that have been plastered on him.  A far different speech than the one he used during his victorious primary season.  He didn’t try to elevate, he stayed right on the ground.  And shied away from nothing.  He dove headfirst onto the three charged rails of American politics: abortion, guns, and gay marriage.  And displayed the secret of his politics by staking out the common ground that none of us can deny.  We all want to avoid unwanted pregnancy.  Even gun owners don’t approve of
AK47’s in the hands of urban thugs.  And who would deny a lifelong partner’s right to console a dying lover on their sickbed.  It was not ethereal; it was sturdy. 

Thursday, August 28, 2008

it’s all about the party

bill rappleye

convention, what convention

the problem with working at these national conventions, is that i have missed the main part of the occasion.  The parties!  i arrive at these delegate breakfasts all bright eyed, sitting with slow moving and heavy lidded delegates and guests.  Sure they want to discuss the speeches from the day before, and yes, there’s quite a bit of chatter about how the strategy of the campaign is reflected in the show at the Pepsi Center…but the good stuff is the huddled conversations about who saw who at which party…“oh Harold Ford was at the club..did you see James Taylor?...we went to the Massachusetts party, but it was a dud…did you get into the sold out concert?“  We’re out of town.  The delegates are away from their jobs.  During the day, they’re lining up what they’ll be doing at night.  No deadlines for these folks.  Now I’ve got that off my chest, I’m going up to the delegates’ breakfast.  To find out what I missed again last night. 

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bottled Pepsi

bill rappleye

filled to the brim

I’ve heard a lot of complaints about the delays in getting into the Pepsi Center…so I was prepared on the four block long walk into the building last night for the Hillary speech.  I groaned internally when I saw the line outside the security gate backed up with hundreds of people, and despaired that I had no chance to get in for the start, scheduled for twenty minutes from then.  Then I heard a cop say the busses lined up on the adjacent road would take us to another checkpoint.  Big choice…take a chance on whether that unknown entrance would be a quicker option…plus the bus ride.  I made the decision, got in line, and waited anxiously to board a bus, while watching the other line, and second guessing myself.  But the bus came, drove about three minutes to the other side of the Pepsi Center where there must have been twelve rows of metal detectors and attendants, and bang bang, I was through, inside the perimeter, and walking briskly toward the Center.  I’d heard it was tight going into the front door…but I stepped right in with the crowd, climbed on an elevator, and next thing I knew, I’d found a seat on a stair in a jammed stadium in time to hear Governor Deval Patrick and Montana’s Brian Schweitzer before the Clinton introductory film, and then her speech.  It was actually easier than getting into the conventions in New York and Boston four years ago, when hundreds or more were locked out hours before the main speeches.  So give the organizers here in Denver kudos for getting the crowds into the building.