Hardball May 24, 2005
Matthews: But isn‘t this a defeat of the leaders? I mean, you had Harry Reid working in league with the People for the American Way, the most pro-choice, most fanatical liberal groups in the country, who are pestering all members like yourself with this absolutism.
Washington Post 1982:
The administrative assistant to House Speaker Tip O'Neill, Chris Matthews, has told staff members not to bother with Times reporters. "The Rev. Moon can buy a newspaper, but I can't buy the idea he's a newspaperman," says Matthews. "We work hard enough responding to legitimate press inquiries."
Chris now seems to like Tony Blankley and the Washington Times and has him on the show all the time. Reid and the Democrats were never lead around by "fanatical" groups like Bill Frist is with Focus on the Family and the FRC. It was the far right that pushed for this fight. PFAW got involved to help protect minority rights. That's a big difference. Trying to defend against the "nuclear option" that is instituted by a fanatical right wing group is very different then trying to set the agenda for a country. Harry Reid was fighting on principle not on theology.
