QOTD: Chris Matthews
by digby
Today on Chris Christie:
I sort of liked his style in the beginning before I realized it was for real, you know this Jilly Rizzo thing, this tough guy thing. Not exactly attractive when you realize it’s for real it’s not a feint.
Huh. He liked him until he found out that he wasn’t putting on an act. And here I thought “authenticity” is supposed to be the most important characteristic any politician can possess.
For some reason that brought this conversation from long ago to mind, although it could have been one of dozens over the years with similar themes:
MATTHEWS: [Hillary Clinton’s] got to be challenged, ultimately, by one person. Three guys aren’t going to beat her, one has to beat her. Is John Edwards now get the advantage — he’s leading in the Iowa poll, the most recent Des Moines Register poll.
BORGER: Came in second in Iowa last time around.
MATTHEWS: He’s also got — apparently, there’s labor support out there in Nevada. If he can make it to South Carolina, can he beat Hillary Clinton?
BORGER: I think that’s a possibility, and it’s not just because he’s talking an awful lot about poverty now. It’s not just because South Carolina is his home turf. But what it really is is that, Chris, I think he’s a more authentic person than Hillary Clinton. On that likability scale we all talk about —
MATTHEWS: No, no, no — don’t step back from what you just said.
BORGER: No, no, no.
MATTHEWS: No, no, Gloria, you said “genuine person,” meaning —
BORGER: Genuine.
MATTHEWS: — he honestly says what he feels and thinks. He doesn’t go to his calculating consultants. So, in other words, he’s a more sincere candidate than Hillary Clinton. That’s a strong statement by you.
BORGER: It is a strong statement, but I meant it.
O’DONNELL: It’s a powerful narrative.
SULLIVAN: Who is less authentic than Hillary? I mean, isn’t she the least authentic person in America?
MATTHEWS: Kelly.
FINEMAN: She’s authentically unauthentic.
Villagers …
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