Chris Matthews on Hillary: "How Many Times is She Going to Be Confused by Men?"

Another week and another unfiltered and erroneous commentary by MSNBC's Chris Matthews. Taking a momentarily break from gushing praise on Rudy Giuliani, the right-leaning host of Hardball returns to another favorite subject: sexist attacks on Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

Media Matters documents a clip from the February 15 edition of Hardball, where Matthews was engaged National Review Washington editor Kate O'Beirne and Democratic strategist Steve McMahon. Up for discussion was Clinton's (D-NY) vote for the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq was. Unlike the other Senate Democrats running for president, Clinton has refused to call her vote a "mistake.' More on that in a moment, but first, these pearls of wisdom from Matthews.

MATTHEWS: Everybody in America knew we were going to war with Bush. He made it pretty clear from day one we were going to war. How come she still pretends that she didn't know he was going to war?

It's like she didn't know anything about Bill and his behavior? How many times is she going to be confused by men?

Same show, same topic, the previous day, February 14th.

MATTHEWS: The current phrase used by the partisans on the right is: She will be guilty of Kerry-oke -- I voted for the $87 million before I voted against it. I voted for the war before I voted against it.

She will be pilloried, not just as a candidate, but as a female candidate, for changing her mind. The Republicans will kill her, saying, a woman's right is to change her mind, but presidential candidates can't. Am I not right about that, Ben? Won't your side kill her, if she does?

Hindsight is 20-20 and Hillary Clinton's war authorization vote is no exception. As a New Yorker with the horrific memory of September 11th still fresh in mind, she voted exactly as her constituents expected. To complicate matters, the Bush Administration manipulated intelligence to advance the war, and, since then, our mission (?) has changed numerous times. She did what she thought was best at the time.

Back to Chris Matthews and his Hillary-hating: Media Matters notes the host's comments as "a pattern" of his pointing to Clinton's and Nancy Pelosi's gender as a "basis for criticism." Last year you may remember our series on Matthews' obsession with Bill and Hillary Clinton's sex life, when he "asked at least 90 questions about the Clintons' marriage on the two programs he hosts."

Some Background ...

Matthews on Giuliani: The Country "Wants a Little Bit of Fascism" (Rod 2.0) Chris Matthews is Obsessed with Hillary's Sex Life (Rod 2.0)

Comments

[Joseph]

I like Chris Matthews. He needs to keep taking Clinton to task about her less than honest statements and her politically expedient decisions.

[sm]

wow. chris matthews is liberal, not right leaning. But why bother with facts right?

second, the entire summary of Hillary's vote is almost comical. talk about re-writing history.
Hillary only repeated what she knew when her husband (cinton) was president. amazing, folks want to sya Bush altered intelligence. Clinton came to the same conclusions. Its not like Bush came into office, and suddenly there was a change in intelligence. Hell, Bush even kept clinton's CIA director!
also, senators have access and oversight over intelligence. They can find out info and make an informed decision fo their own.
then to imply since her constituents wanted a vote for the war, Hillary is justified? HUH!
looks like somebody is trying way too hard to defend Hillary. sorry, she is telling flat out lies now.