Wow, who spiked Chris Matthew's coffee this morning? Tweety was in feisty form, and not taking any prisoners while discussing Obama's re-election chances with Chris Jansing and former Bush 43 Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto.
While generally agreeing that the direction the unemployment rate is going by October will either make or break his election chances, Matthews barreled over Fratto's talking points on the economy:
Matthews continued with a fiery admonition of President Obama’s reelection strategy thus far:
He’s got to be aggressive. He’s got to be big time. Stop this nickel and dime – a couple bucks for the teachers. A couple bucks for the firefighters. I’m going to reduce the payroll tax. This is pissant. You can’t get reelected with tactics. He needs a strategy. Which is, we’re different from the Republicans. They’re basically free-marketers who sit around and wait for business to deliver this country from hell. Business has let us down.
At this point, former Deputy Press Secretary to President George W. Bush, Tony Fratto, interjected and said that he says the American people want the public sector to take the lead on the economic recovery.
Matthews interrupted, “it has failed, and it keeps failing.” Matthews said that the private sector is conspicuously keeping money on the sidelines. Fratto retorted that the private sector will invest when they are certain there will be a return on that investment.
“Okay, here’s the idiot Republican argument,” said Matthews. “If you just give them a bigger tax cut than Bush gave them.”
Fratto responded that he was not talking about tax cuts, but Matthews continued to attack Fratto while he refined his thought. Matthews said that he should travel to Asia and take a look at their high speed rail trains, “while we have Amtrak.”
“I feel like I’m teaching first grade here,” Matthews continued. “Business and the Republican party are the same thing.”
“That’s crazy,” said Fratto.
“I don’t know how you can deny the obvious,” Matthews replied.
Seriously, Chris? They've been denying the obvious (as well as facts, science and empathy) for decades. Where've you been?
