Chris Matthews apparently misses moderating Republican debates and
hectoring the candidates with bizarre questions. On Thursday's Hardball,
hours before the first GOP face-off, the cable anchor dreamed up
hypothetical queries he would like to see: "
Question to Mr.
Candidate, do you believe in evolution? Are you a fundamentalist who
believes in the Bible as written? Has man been around millions of years
or, say, just about 6000?"
Apparently this question is crucial as it determines "whether you
believe in science or not." On the week Osama bin Laden was killed,
Matthews added this relevant inquiry: "A question for the
fundamentalists who give that answer, why do we conduct health
experiments for people on animals if there's no relation?"
The liberal anchor also wondered, "Do you wish to outlaw abortion and
if so what should be the punishment? If having an abortion doesn't
deserve punishment, why are you pushing to outlaw it?" [
MP3 audio here.]Matthews mocked the contenders who haven't yet announced, saying they're
worried about the "buzzsaw" that separates "the wackos in the
Republican Party from the serious candidates to lead America."
Matthews did moderate a GOP debate
in 2007.
He hyperventilated about Karl Rove and Scooter Libby. The journalist
asked then-candidate Jim Gilmore if he would even allow Rove into the
White House.
A transcript of the May 5 segment, which aired at 5:59pm EDT, follows:
Donald Trump. Well, let's watch and see. He's the guy that says he
deserves credit for the birther craze. Well, he reports, you decide.
Four years ago this year, this week, rather, I moderated a debate at the
Reagan library. Look at the candidates back then, some name brands in
that room, America's mayor, Rudy Giuliani Governor Mitt Romney, Senator
John McCain. A couple things impressed me about this year's list. No
office holders, really. Only one hopeful is even serving in public
office. That's Ron Paul, who I'm convinced is running to get out his
message, not actually become president. I think I know why the real
candidates might not be out there in the field right now. They're wary
of getting into the buzzsaw that separates the wackos in the Republican
Party from the serious candidates to lead America.
Here are a set of questions I would put to them tonight if I were in
the debate, moderating it. Call them the buzzsaw, but they tell you
precisely why the Republican Party has a problem right now. Question
to Mr. Candidate, do you believe in evolution? Are you a fundamentalist
who believes in the Bible as written? Has man been around millions of
years or, say, just about 6,000? It's a key question, because it raises
the matter of whether you believe in science or not. A question for the
fundamentalists who give that answer, why do we conduct health
experiments for people on animals if there's no relation? Do you believe
man affects climate change? There's a good one. Do you wish to outlaw
abortion and if so what should be the punishment? If having an abortion
doesn't deserve punishment, why are you pushing to outlaw it? Do you
support a return to Don't Ask, Don't Tell? There's a good one. Do you
support removing Medicare from existence and replacing it with a
subsidy? I'm just guessing, but you probably know the Tea Party approved
answers to all those questions. If you're not prepared to give those
Tea Party answers, if you're one of those Republican moderates out
there, don't bother to bring your toothbrush, you won't be at this
jamboree for long.
- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
