Hardball Guest Claims — Arianna Huffington Revealing John McCain Didn’t Vote For Bush to a Hooker Outing a “John”

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Yesterday MSNBC’s ‘Hardball’ host with Chris Matthews welcomed radio talk show hosts Michael Smerconish and Ed Schultz to discuss the issue of John McCain’s admission of not voting for Bush in 2000, and what type of role, if any, it should play in the coverage of McCain (like the mainstream media would ever think of holding him on something he has said or done) and whether or not Ariana Huffington, who broke the story, was right in doing so.

Well the general consensus from Matthew’s and Smerconish the feeling was quite unanimous in the sense that this is really not much of a issue at all, if it is even in fact an issue. I would have to say I agree with that Matthew’s and Smerconish on this one, while I often find myself siding with Ed Schultz (the third guest, and the one holding a dissenting opinion from the the others) I have to say this time I think he is making a big deal out of virtually nothing. I mean you have to pick and choose your battles, and I really don’t think this is one worth fighting.

Schultz and his unwavering argument that this in fact is a “huge” deal, and that it may in some way damage McCain to the point of “political ruin” continues on and on until a visually aggravated Matthews finally stops Schultz and takes him to task somewhat on the issue and his overriding argument:

Smerconish: Hey Chris, I would think no less of him if he didn’t vote for Bush, given what the Bush folks put him through in the year 2000. If John McCain said, Hell no, I didn’t vote for him,” I don’t think any worse of the man. In fact, I think he’s more of the maverick that I hope that he is.

Matthews: So you think this might be brilliant positioning. John McCain did not vote for George Bush. Headline.

Smerconish: Could be.

Matthews: [unclear]Put it on a bumpersticker. This will make him a better ,it’s not four more years, it’s a break with the past. This is the change you’ve been waiting for. His name is John McCain.

Schultz: He’s still going to do Iraq the same way Bush did. He’s still going to do Iraq the same way Bush did, so there’s no change. That’s what the American people are going to look at.

Matthews: God. Damn it. Damn it, Ed Schultz. Here it is, Friday afternoon, and I’m trying to have some fun and every time you talk like you’re on National Public Radio. I don’t want another somber, serious thought out of you in the next 3 seconds, okay? My God, I’m talking about the most inconsequential story in the world and you’re turning it into something like This is Washington, the nation’s capitol”. Look, let me get back to someone who knows what a sense of humor is. Michael Smerconish, isn’t it funny that John McCain at the very moment he’s trying to prove his lovey dovey connections to George Bush gets outed as the guy who was bragging about voting against him? I think it’s pretty funny.

Smerconish: I think it’s hysterical and the net effect is that it helps John McCain and I think those who are spinning it are thinking it bodes poorly for him. It doesn’t. And if two people go out and have a cocktail and talk politics, it’s off limits. That’s the way it ought to be.

Now there are some who think Matthews was out of line here, they point out that stories like the flag pin lapel and the Jeremiah Wright incident were equally as “inconsequential”, yet Barack Obama faced hell and highwater for them both at the hands of the mainstream media. And to that, I agree with them, however it fails to change myview that this issue is nothing more then a “tabloid” moment in politics, that really bears no significant influence in either a good or bad way for anyone involved.

I mean you can’t argue that because Obama was dealt some brutal press coverage thanks to issues that were completely meaningless in terms of his political ability, and policy platform, now McCain should be as well. All that causes is a cyclical motion of reporting that does absolutely nothing to highlight the actual politics behind the the two competing for the presidency.. Hell, right now, we want as much focus on McCain’s plans and policy initiatives as possible, that way people will realize he is nothing more then an extension of George W. Bush, thus compelling even more people to jump ship and cast their votes for Obama in November.

Anyways here is video of the exchange, which has a hooker reference in the same sentence as a political bloggers breaking of a story. Man if that doesn’t just sound like a strectch I don’t know what would.

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