Lois Romano Won't Be Invited Back On Hardball Again

[babylonsister]

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/lois-romano-wont-be-invited-back-on.html

Lois Romano Won't Be Invited Back On Hardball Again

by dday


Chris Matthews unsurprisingly opened his maw and had Betsy McCaughey spoonfed bullshit into it today, repeating almost word-for-word McCaughey's argument about end-of-life care in the health care bill.

MATTHEWS: Lois, your thoughts about this debate, it's a provision in the Energy and Commerce version of the health care bill, Energy and Commerce Committee. It was put in, this provision by Earl Blumenauer from Oregon, there it stands, it's a provision which allows you to get counseling every five years or so. I wonder what the hell this provision's doing in a bill that's aimed at people who are younger. It's not about Medicare recipients, people over 65. Why are you going to be visited every five years by somebody to talk about how you want to die. I think it's crazy this is in there, but your thoughts.

ROMANO: But it's not in there. I mean basically-

MATTHEWS: It is in there!

(crosstalk)

MATTHEWS: It's in the bill, it's in the-

ROMANO: It's a benefit! First of all, Chris, Chris. First of all, it's an extension of a 1999 bill that was enacted during the Bush Administration, and it's a self-determination, a patient's rights bill. And all it really says is that Medicare will pay if someone wants to go in and have a consultation. It doesn't say you have to have a consultation.

MATTHEWS: It's not about Medicare, Lois, this is, we already have that in Medicare. This is about people under 65, younger people. This is not about Medicare, we've got it in that coverage, you're saying that. This is about a health care bill to help people in their middle years, in their younger years. Why would you have this conversation with them?

snip//

He did the same thing in the role of abortion policy in the health insurance exchanges, where he stumbled into something he knew absolutely nothing about, decided that offering the same reproductive coverage on a public option as is offered in 90% of all private plans was illegal under the Hyde Amendment, even though the public plan is self-sufficient and doesn't access public funds, and decided that dirty liberals were ruining a good bill by throwing a "lefty wish list" into it and driving good solid moderates like him crazy.

Chris Matthews is a deeply stupid person. He knows absolutely nothing about policy, and picks up scraps from The Weekly Standard and people from the Hudson Institute and cocktail parties and fits it into his dishonest everyman pose. For every day he takes down a Birther there are 20 or 30 instances like this where he actively works to deny progress for America.

If most of our media didn't exist, I'd have to say at this point people would be better informed.

[madokie]

1. "If most of our media didn't exist, I'd have to say at this point people would be better informed."

Very true words

[WeDidIt]

2. Tweety's a conservative dude

HE's more of a Rockefeller Republican than a Blue Dog Democrat.

[AlinPA]

3. Matthews is a slobbering loudmouthed fool. nt

[BlooInBloo]

4. It was one of the shittier tweety moments.

[Orsino]

5. Matthews is an assclown.

Every time I forget this, or give him credit for the occasional usefulness of his clownery, he pulls shit like this.

Matthews may not be stupid, but he is paid very handsomely to shill for very rich men.

[eleny]

6. As if younger people don't ever have terminal health issues

And characterizing Joan Walsh's assessment of how corporations split the American public using race as a "Marxist analysis" - that was another not-so-subtle Tweety move to color cogent analysis as something dangerous. He's pressing hot buttons all over the place.

[PCIntern]

12. that "Marxist" remark made me start talking to the TV...

pissed me off...

Nazi Bastard...

How'd he like that???

[eleny]

16. Sometimes I view Tweety as Glenn Beck's more subtle brother

Btw, I talk to the tv, too.
......... ..........

[havocmom]

20. I talk to it. I scream at it.

Hell, I've threatened it with a rolled up magazine ;)

I expect protesters from PETTV outside any day.

Somedays, Tweety and my blood pressure just don't mix.

[BanzaiBonnie]

7. Right, because no one younger than 65 EVER gets sick enough

TO

DIE

[handmade34]

8. thank you for posting this...

I was just watching in amazement and got the proposed bill out. Here it is. Read pp. 424-432

http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090714/aahca.pdf

[malaise]

9. Good post

He sure doesn't understand the issues around healthcare

[kirby]

10. I watched that...

Matthews was pathetic. And Lois Romano didnt do a good job either. Both he and she made it sound like a 'Living Will' is something for old people who are already sick. That is the exact opposite of the need. People, young people, need to have a conversation about a living will. It can save their families a lot of grief if something happens to you.

[csziggy]

14. Yes, the two people in my family who had to deal with having living wills

To make sure their choices would/could be followed were 46 (my oldest sister) and 49 (my BIL).

It is far more likely to be needed by young people - old people have probably already discussed their wishes and their long term companions are more likely to be listened to, though they really need to have it in writing. Just look at the Terry Shiavo care and we can all see how writing down your wishes if the worst came is important, even for very young people.

[cayanne]

11. Terri Schiavo comes to mind

.

[Uzybone]

13. We are back to the classic Tweety

the blabbering, spittle-flying fool who lies every other sentence.


This is the Tweety I know so well from the 2000 and 2004 elections.

[KharmaTrain]

15. So Tweety Doesn't Have A Living Will or Trust?

That's what this is about...it's to make sensible choices now that are difficult when a catastrphoic and/or fatal situation occurs. I'm 53 and already have a living will...I made sure to get one after the Schaivo circus. My parents were smart enough to have one that made their wishes known to all and their final days as comfortable as possible. It also gave me piece of mind as I knew their wishes were followed. I arranged a living will for my mother-in-law who wanted to know that she wasn't going to lose her house...she feared the government might take it.

Nobody wants to die but reality is a bitch...we all will and the last thing I want is the government or some religious zealots making choices for me or my family...having it in writing not only makes sense it's a way to avoid a lot of problems.

But leave it to the rushpublicans to spin up into down and Tweety to swallow the talking points. His can be so naive and arrogant...he's been sucking down those beltway cocktail weenie too long.

[mzmolly]

17. At times he plays devils advocate,

though I'm not sure if this exchange is an example of that or not.

[Cha]

18. That's a good way to put it..

"If most of our media didn't exist, I'd have to say at this point people would be better informed."

[flyarm]

19. Tweety is the guy who genuflected to Arnulddddd and drooled all over Arnuld stealing an election

from a duly elected governor in Calif..he has about as much credibility with me as a dead mouse in a mouse trap!

The only question is ..what is he drooling about today and who is he owned by now??????

Why is Tweety silent about Arnuld now that he has fucked Calif way more than Gray Davis ever dreamed of ..oh and remember many many of us wrote and emailed Tweety begging him to mention Arnuld was in the Enron Energy meetings done in hiding in Calif ..that screwed the state and pooch..But Tweety kept the media Cheney secrets!!..Quite well I will say, as he wet his pants with all his loving drool for Arnuld.

Some of us have good memories .........and never forget the traitors to this nation.