Chris Matthews: How Will The GOP Exploit Massa’s Mess?

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by Drew Grant | 7:56 pm, March 10th, 2010

» 11 comments

If Eric Massa had been able to deal with the matter of his leaving office quietly, he might not have taken down half the Democratic House with him. This is just a fact. But by going on about Rahm Emanuel in the showers, talking about Navy tickle-fights with Glenn Beck, and generally just trying to shovel his way out of any scrutiny, he’s given the GOP enormous leverage. As Chris Matthews points out on Hardball tonight, so far Republicans have been happy to watch Massa hang himself and his party by his own rope, but going forward they could use this scandal to besmirch the entire Democratic House for not addressing the problem sooner.

Matthew brings up for a moment the Pat Kennedy argument: Keeping Massa in the news cycle might be great for a headline, but forgoing all other issues right now to talk about whether or not this one representative (who even Ann Coulter had never heard of before last week) stepped out of line is a diversion from talking about more pressing issues facing the nation. But ratings are ratings, and even for hardcore liberals like Matthews, watching the train-wreck that is Eric Massa…well, that’s a’show business.

timzank

To answer Tingles question, the GOP doesn’t need to exploit the Massa mess, it’s a real doozie all on it’s own.
MichelleF

Matthews has become an absolute joke! No one would have known what he said if you hadn’t posted it hear. He’s still trying to be relevant, poor guy.
Azarkhan

” Keeping Massa in the news cycle might be great for a headline, but…[is] a diversion from talking about more pressing issues facing the nation.”

So when does Mediaite ever cover the “the more pressing issues facing the nation”? Let’s see, today was about Pat Kennedy’s temper tantrum, some Mexican billionaire, something about Levi somebody, and this silly Chris Matthews video.

How about covering “pressing issues” like, oh, what the heck, how about the deficit?

“The government ran up the largest monthly deficit in history in February, keeping the flood of red ink on track to top last year’s record for the full year.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the February deficit totaled $220.9 billion, 14 percent higher than the previous record set in February of last year.

The deficit through the first five months of this budget year totals $651.6 billion, 10.5 percent higher than a year ago.

The Obama administration is projecting that the deficit for the 2010 budget year will hit an all-time high of $1.56 trillion, surpassing last year’s $1.4 trillion total. The administration is forecasting that the deficit will remain above $1 trillion in 2011, giving the country thrree straight years of $1 trillion-plus deficits.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g-YziTsAJw1ofv-BiXk2MoSXknwQD9EBVD6G0
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Massa might have been a Democrat negative until, for a very short while, he was a Beck positive. Beck and the right embraced Massa and now Massa is exposed as a liar and a fraud. BTW, Democrats will likely point out exactly how much longer Massa was a Republican than a Democrat.
MichelleF

Nice try bill. Beck never embraced him, he just thought that even though he’s a scumbag, doesn’t mean he’s lying.
ChrisNH

Say what you want about Massa (and plenty has), but the blood really is on Pelosi’s hands. Recall that this woman beat whatever she has for a chest about ‘most ethical’ and ‘draining the swamp.’ But as House Leader, she’s gone entirely in the other direction with proof now that she KNEW about Massa’s transgressions months beforehand yet chose to do nothing. This woman cannot be sleeping well at night; I sure hope she isn’t. She epitomizes everything we hate about politics, after she promised us just the opposite.
marigrace

Aw-aw-aw poor Chris Matthews and the liberal lamestream Democratic sympathizers. Funny Matthews and his ilk have no qualms exploiting everything concerning Palin, and her actions are lily white in comparison to Massa’s “tickle fests”. Now that it is one of their guys is in the limelight due to indiscretions, they fear exploitation. Oh boo-hoo, cry me a bucket of tears, idiot Matthews.
The Real Royal King

Marigrace: I’m not sure Palin’s misappropriation of campaign funds, her pay-to-play policies in Alaska or her having botched the raising of her children make her “lily white”.

More to the point, I think the Beck debacle with Massa has had the effect of sealing the Democratic party from the fall-out. Beck generously gave Massa an hour of national air time, a luxury Massa had never enjoyed before and will not enjoy again, to show to the world that Massa is simply and purely a complete nut, without any tangible tie to either party. I hope DNC Chairman Kaine is sending Beck a very nicely worded thank you note as I write.
writer

Massa is a Democrat, yet when he becomes an embarrassment, he has no ties to either party. Yet if someone has ever even heard of Glenn Beck, then all things can be tied back directly to him. See how it works?
ImNotBlue

If the Republicans were smart, in every media story, in every article, commentary, public appearance, etc. they would say, “DEMOCRAT” every single time before they said, “Massa.”

The attempts to pawn him off are laughable… the guy was an elected Democrat, served under Pelosi’s leadership… and now she thinks he’s “sick.” Shows that either she’s out of touch with her members… or she’s a fraud. Or, because who needs to be so limiting… both.
Nachi

Duh. All sorts of “laughable” waste here today.