limbaugh's bicycle bell

chris matthews began tonight's hardball with these words:

"A bipartisan Minnesota appeals court has ruled that, quote, the overwhelming weight of the evidence is that Al Franken, author of 'Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot,' was elected senator, quote, fairly, impartially, and accurately.

So what does this mean to a congress that one Republican member has just called 'stacked with seventeen socialists?' Will the pink lists and the red scares grow louder? Will Rush now have to cover the legislating of man that now sits where Eugene McCarthy, Walter Mondale, and Hubert Humphrey once sat?

I'm talking about a guy who stands for everything Rush hates getting to vote on matters that old Rush can only ring his bicycle bell over."

in other words, franken won. again. (i'm not sure the appeals court actually credited franken with having written the limbaugh book.)

"the democrat party"

it's usage can be traced back to the 1890's, but it was a favorite of republican party all-stars herbert hoover and joseph mccarthy. grammatical arguments aside, it's a dig, plain and simple. tonight, chris matthews gave a republican congressmen a tongue lashing on the subject. matthews's simple reasoning is one of the most honest, logical reasons why the phrase "the democrat party" is incorrect:

the inspiration that is chris matthews

on hardball tonight, some beautiful (and ultimately inspiring) chris matthews reporting.

first, he continually referred to what happened to us airways flight 1549 as "a bird attack" (not a "bird strike" which is what aviation experts call it.)

and then there's this: in an attempt to understand exactly what happened, matthews asked this question of a bird strike expert (my emphasis) –

"so tell me how the birds hit the plane. there's two vectors, the birds are going in one direction, as a flock. together. and the plane's going in the other direction. the birds are not aware the plane is moving, or...you know. dogs jump outta the way, deer jump outta the way. birds can't do that, right?"

thursday over the hudson

Mid-afternoon, high over Manhattan,
a flock of Canadian Geese head south.
Two Geese are flying far back on the left side of the "V".

There is a general sense of unease.

GOOSE A
How's the wife?

GOOSE B
Fine.

GOOSE A
Flying on the right today, I see.

GOOSE B
She needed a little space is all.

GOOSE A
Sure, sure.

(Beat)

Colder than it's been.

GOOSE B
(Suddenly irritated)
She needed space, I said.

GOOSE A
The weather, featherhead.

(B shoots A a look.)

(Uncomfortable beat)

GOOSE B
I hate New York.

GOOSE A
That's a strong word, hate.

GOOSE B
Too many tourists. And you can never get good parking.

GOOSE A
I love a Grey's Papaya.

GOOSE B
Oh sure, who doesn't?

(Beat)

GOOSE A
See that thing up there?

GOOSE B
That giant silver thing.

GOOSE A
Yeah.

GOOSE B
Sure. I see it.
It's giant and silver how could you miss it?

(Beat)

GOOSE A
(Hesitant to ask)
You, ah...you think it's...moving?

GOOSE B
Moving?

GOOSE A
Yeah, moving. Like us. Moving.

GOOSE B
Do I think it's –

GOOSE A
Silly question, I suppose.

GOOSE B
– moving.
I don't think so, no. Moving? No.

GOOSE A
Good. I don't think so either.

(Tiny beat. Then to himself, under his breath)
Moving. Stupid.

(Beat)

GOOSE A
We are headed right for the damn thing, you know?

GOOSE B
Seems that way, doesn't it?

GOOSE A
If it's not moving...and we're...can we...?

GOOSE B
Can we what?

GOOSE A
Can we, uh...jump out of the way or something?
Before we hit it?

GOOSE B
Jump out of the way?

GOOSE A
Yeah.

GOOSE B
Jump out of the way?

GOOSE A
(Sheepishly)
I don't know.

GOOSE B
Do a lot of jumping, do you?

GOOSE A
I just meant –

GOOSE B
When is the last time you jumped?

GOOSE A
I just don't wanna hit it, or –

GOOSE B
You idiot. "Jump out of the way," he says.
What do you think I am, a dog?
______________________

matthews hearts blago

does msnbc's chris matthews have a man-crush on crazytown rod blagojevich? matthews even has a little pet-name for the embattled governor: b-rod.

i enjoy matthews now and then, but watching him salivate over blagojevich (the way he salivates over the clintons) can be downright oogy!

a matthews moment

an interesting moment on "the chris matthews show" this morning. matthews went around the room with this question: who does (john) mccain want to run against (for president)?

the answers from the guests were varied. chrystia freeland, managing editor of the financial times answered simply "hillary clinton".

"provacative" david gregory, nbc's chief white house correspondent, said he thinks mccain would rather "run a generational campaign where he can make an experience arguement sharper against obama and a left/right argument stronger against obama than (clinton)."

the new york times' elisabeth bumiller added "he wanted to run against hillary clinton but right now his camp is divided. they always thought that hillary clinton would be easier to beat than obama but there's some people there who think obama's gonna be a...they think they can make a really good case against him on national security...he's weak on these things...you know, "the messiah", that whole argument. that's what they're doing right now anyway, that's their best shot."

and then matthews and the panel turned to the new york times' david broder, who calmly stated "(mccain would) rather run against (clinton) because he respects her."

there was a beat of silence. a beat of silence where matthews made a decision. david broder had to be joking.

suddenly, "ha!" came matthews goatish trademark bleat. "you are so dry! you're like...ray milland sitting here!" he yelled.

bumiller turned to matthews and said "he's telling you the truth."

"i'm being sincere!" said broder.

matthews quickly tried to pull it together. "he'd rather run against her because he respects her and would rather have her beat him..." he said.

but it was too late. matthews showed his true colors in that split second. he couldn't, in the moment, believe for a second that john mccain might actually respect hillary clinton.

UPDATE 2/18/08 -- CORRECTION: it was another david -- of the brooks persuasion -- who was the guest on matthews' show this morning. david brooks; who is actually quite different from david broder. thanks to jimmy james for the clarification.