Friday, August 20, 2004

You don't need to have seen last night's Hardball with Chris Matthews to get the sense the show's host had it in for columnist Michelle Malkin, one of the guests, who thought she was on to talk about her book Defense of Interment as well as the swift boat controversy. All you need to do is read MSNBC's transcript and see for yourself. In particular, when Malkin mentions certain allegations in Unfit for Command, Matthews blows a fuse, trying to get the conservative columnist to admit she is the one who's making the charges.

A brief excerpt:

MATTHEWS: What do you mean by self-inflicted? Are you saying he shot himself on purpose? Is that what you're saying?

MALKIN: Did you read the book...

MATTHEWS: I'm asking a simple question. Are you saying that he shot himself on purpose.

MALKIN: I'm saying some of these soldiers...

MATTHEWS: And I'm asking question.

MALKIN: And I'm answering it.

MATTHEWS: Did he shoot himself on purpose.

MALKIN: Some of the soldiers have made allegations that these were self-inflicted wounds.

MATTHEWS: No one has ever accused him of shooting himself on purpose.

MALKIN: That these were self-inflicted wounds.

MATTHEWS: Your saying there are--he shot himself on purpose, that's a criminal act?

MALKIN: I'm saying that I've read the book and some of the...

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: I want an answer yes or no, Michelle.

Thankfully Malkin has her own blog where she lays out her defense (and lays into Matthews too).

8 comments:

steve said...

this is par for MSNBC, as well as the rest of the media. Challenge the conservative, give the liberal an open mic.

for more, http://thoughtsonline.blogspot.com/2004/08/ive-figured-out-another-way-media-will.html and http://thoughtsonline.blogspot.com/2004/08/its-funny-but-not-surprising-at-all.html

Anonymous said...

Malkin was on Bill Maher's show (on HBO) recently. It was disquasting. They interrupted her in mid sentence, and the audience would just laugh at her.

Stan LS
www.logicandsanity.com

Anonymous said...

Hi guys,

I like your stuff in the print and on-line editions of the magazine, and this site looks promising as well. One quick comment on this item, however -- please correct the title of Michelle's book (it's not ready for burial).

Anonymous said...

Are you suggesting that it is totally fine to repeat a preposterous allegation during your 15 minutes of fame on network TV, when you don't even believe it, just in hopes that someone hears it and believes it and votes for GW? Or perhaps, do you think it's fine that she might believe that crazy idea?

Are YOU saying that John Kerry spoke out against the vietnam war, then volunteered, went to vietnam, and shot himself so he could go home?

People say the most idiotic things on TV these days, and I'm very very pleased when they get called on it. It was embarrassing to her and that is appropriate.

I admit I don't like CM's style. I would have preferred if he let her talk and then when she finished or reached a reasonable pause, pointed out the preposterousness of the self-inflicted-wounds theory. His shouting really distracted from the fact that she was talking out her ass. We were cheated out of a truly comedic moment.

There's plenty of bad things to say about Kerry without making up stupid stories.

-Jack

Anonymous said...

"Are YOU saying that John Kerry spoke out against the vietnam war, then volunteered, went to vietnam, and shot himself so he could go home?"

A self-inflicted wound is not synonymous with “deliberately shooting oneself.” The book in questions, Michelle Malkin and now, in response to the allegation from the SBVFT, the Kerry campaign itself have said that Kerry’s first Purple Heart was awarded for a wound that was *inadvertently* self-inflicted, IIRC a piece of shrapnel from a grenade.

Anonymous said...

The "self-inflicted" wound was confirmed 28 August by Kerry's commanding officer in a letter published on NRO.com.

The now retired Rear Admiral states in writing:

(1) He was only feet from Kerry during the incident.
(2) There was no enemy fire.
(3) Kerry fired a RPG to near the shoreline and was struck in the shoulder by a tiny piece of shrapnal.
(4) That he (the Commanding Officer) refused Kerry's request for a Purple Heart and was astonished to learn, years later, that Kerry had received on.

Anonymous said...

Here's the URL for the retired Admiral's NRO.com letter.

http://www.nationalreview.com/document/document200408280010.asp

I can't believe this is not being talked about on the Web!

Anonymous said...

I started posting some pictures I had taken in 1968 while in Vietnam and added some captions. I'm not selling anything and came to your site for some ideas. Nice job and unique to say the least. Take a look if you get a chance. ---Jack--- vietnam war information