How Sleazy Is Chris Matthews?
He interviewed his own daughter on camera and pretended she was an ordinary college student
Viewers had no idea.
But that wasn’t a set-up, right? That’s part of The Integrity Of The Profession Of Journalism.
On Friday’s “Hardball,” Chris Matthews interviewed a number of student members of the group Concerned Youth of America.
One of those students — Caroline — is his daughter, a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Did Matthews disclose that fact as he interviewed her?
Not so much.
One tipster tells FishbowlDC that “Matthews, at the asking of his daughter, instructed the producers not to name her.”
Here is what Matthews asked his daughter, and how she answered (bolds are mine):
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Chris Matthews: And what happens after the bailout. (The national debt is) $11 trillion, right?
Caroline Matthews: If you keep on spending like this, our generation, in like 20 to 30 years, the debt will get to like 53 trillion dollars.
(at the 1:00 mark)
Chris Matthews: How come politicians don’t talk about this?
Caroline Mathews (away from camera, causing Chris Matthews and cameraman to hastily move to her): Because people aren’t - because it’s not an attractive issue. People want to say - Politicians worry about being voted for, and you know, the people want taxes to be cut, and they want entitlement programs. And that’s how a politician gets elected. They’re not going to get elected by saying we’re going to have to make sacrifices, which is what we’re going to have to do.
We all know that journalists are fair and balanced and only want to get the voice of the ordinary person out there, right? Because they would never try to influence the debate, right?
Give me a used car salesman any day. They smell better.
- Aggie
Martino said,
September 30, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
…and dress better…
Curious said,
December 17, 2008 @ 10:16 pm
I’m not sure that’s fair, in fact, I’m pretty sure that’s not fair at all. Because in the next commercial break he came back smiling and telling the audience that was his daughter and that he was so proud of her. Perhaps not great journalism, but seems like an okay father.
Yes, the action is debatable, but giving only sliced bits of the truth seems far more sleazy than what Matthews did.
Bloodthirsty Liberal said,
December 17, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
Look, this post was written two and a half months ago, so no one is going to read this—but here goes.
If one is a journalist, how is it not sleazy to give an impression that is dishonest with the viewer/reader? I don’t care if Matthews came back later with a confession; he pulled a stunt.
More recent events in Matthews career (”I need to do my best to make this administration a success.”) have only proved that he’s practicing journalism without a license. Please try to stay current. What kind of father he is doesn’t interest me; he’s a hack, a partisan, a PR flack for the Democratic Party. The only good thing you can say about him is that Keith Olbermann is worse.
Sorry if that’s unfair.
BTL