Friday, August 20, 2004
Michelle Malkin discovered what a hyperactive cheap-shot artist Chris Matthews is (and Keith Olbermann, too?), and how much the SwiftVets issue is getting under some people's skin. It's also an interesting behind the scenes glimpse of how things go on cable TV.
Michelle Malkin: AMBUSH JOURNALISM...OR MY EVENING WITH CAVEMAN CHRIS MATTHEWS
So, my publicist arranges for me to go on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews on Thursday night to talk about my recent columns on the FBI and national security profiling and my new book. Despite the show's basement ratings, we figure it's a good opportunity to reach out to a new audience. FOX News, with whom I have a contract, has generously allowed me to appear on some competing networks to talk about the book. Thursday was the second to the last day that I could make such appearances.
A few hours before the show, a producer calls to tell me I will be on for two segments--the first topic will be the Swift Boat Veterans, the second topic will be related to the book. Fine. This is the news business. I understand the need to go with the flow and cover the hot issues of the day. I am prepared to discuss both topics.
In a pre-interview, the producer goes over general questions about Kerry's response to the Swift Boat vets, whether the charges will be an issue in the presidential debates, and the basic themes of my book and its implications for the current War on Terror. I am originally scheduled to be on with the Washington Post's Dana Milbank. This was scratched and I am informed at the last minute that the other guest will be former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.
As I am seated at the table with Matthews, who I am meeting for the first time, he cracks a joke--and not in a well-meaning way--about how I look. (There are quite a few people who are hung up on this.) "Are you sure you are old enough to be on the show? What are you? 28?" I grit my teeth. He badgers me again with the same question. I politely answer his question and supply my age.
(I wonder how Matthews' wife, the respected TV journalist Kathleen Matthews, who hosts a show about working women, would react if informed about her husband's treatment of a fellow female journalist. I've been in the business a dozen years and would be happy to talk to Mrs. Matthews about my firsthand experience with Neanderthal chauvinism in the workplace.)
Needless to say, things went downhill, fast and loud, from there...
I was lucky enough to be surfing channels Thursday, during commercials, and luckily found Ms. Malkin speaking.
Matthews had pursed lips( so I thought 'what the heck is THIS??') then within 15 seconds of my viewing(so I don't know what occurred previously) Matthews figuratively JUMPED on her ass with the phrase "did he deliberately shoot himself, yes or no?" - REPEATEDLY. Matthews was browbeating.
A background voice(musta been former SF Mayor Willy Brown) said "Chris, that's ridiculous" - - I don't know if he was referring to Matthews or to Malkin's claim of "self inflicted wound."
I taped Friday's show, and Ms Mitchel showed the encounter right after Matthews started his browbeating. If we're lucky it'll be shown Monday(is Matthews typically ON VACATION on Friday night, or could he have been lying low until Monday?)