Being the mobstress that  I am, I took some advice last night from one of the greatest characters ever created, Michael Corleone.  That advice was "keep your friends close but your enemies closer".  On that note, I decided to tune in to Hardball with Chris Matthews on MSNBC.  I had abandoned that network some time ago when they became the obvious cheering section for then candidate Barack Obama. So except for word from others I hadn't seen first hand what they have been doing of late.  Well, my expectations were met overwhelmingly. 

On a day when the health care bill is in total disarray, deficits are into numbers we can't even comprehend, and the economy continues to heave for more air this is what Chris Matthews decided to devote half of his first hour to: a statement in  former Attorney General John Ashcroft's new book about how he was asked by Bush Administration heavies to raise the terror alert level prior to the 2004 election to give President Bush the edge. OK...it's news...but half an hour? Unbelievable.  He only interviewed Democrats on the issue, of course, and just in case you got confused there was nice pic of GWB down in the corner.  I guess it shouldn't shock me and didn't but I have to say this default to George Bush mania as deflection from whatever President Obama is screwing up or tripping over has got to end. (You can stop holding your breath now.) Do you think instead of that item he could have stayed in the here-and-now?  Perhaps he could have opened with breaking news such as President Obama having just left for vacation and sliding in a little piece of news on a late Friday afternoon: The White House raises 10 year deficit projection from 7 to 9 trillion dollars.  Hmmmm....maybe Chris missed that while he was drooling over his autographed picture of Barack in his office.

 

My point would be tune in occasionally just to stay on top of things and gather ammo but whatever you suspect your enemy is doing, you're probably dead on. Get used to it on this network. When President Bush's time in office is too far back to blame maybe they can default to Bo, the First Dog for getting too cozy with a Republican poodle.