An unhinged Chris Matthews on Thursday launched into a bewildering rant, lamenting the scandals swirling around the President and suggesting that Germany may have actually won World War II because the country has high speed rail. The Hardball anchor fumed, "You look at Germany, where I just was, and see state-of-the-art bridges and super modern rail system." Mentioning Germany's subway system, Matthews insisted, "You wonder, who won that war anyway? Looks like they did." [MP3 audio here [1].]
The MSNBC anchor doesn't appear to listen to himself speak. He asserted, "We've got a 7.5 percent unemployment rate right now. And let's be realistic, it's not going to go down a lot more over the next three years." Seconds later, Matthews praised, "The French have trains that go 300 miles an hour-plus and you think you're sitting still. And we've got the buckboard called Amtrak." So, France is the solution? Their unemployment rate in March of 2013 was 11 percent. [2] France's under age 25 unemployment rate is 26.5 percent.
Also, has Matthews not heard of the Marshall Plan and the economic assistance the United States poured into that country?
Right before this weird free thought exercise, Matthews lamented that Republicans are controlling the debate, sneering, "When they're not talking about the debt, we're talking about Benghazi or the IRS or here's the old standby, guns."
The host's connection between Benghazi, high speed rail and the Germans winning the second World War amounted to this question: "Why isn't the President, why aren't progressive people talking about something constructive, something that would be good for the country and at the same time, good politics? "
A transcript of the May 30 show open is below:
5:01
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me start tonight with this: Politics is what you're talking about. If you're talking about the national debt, bet on Republicans. Same with crime. That's another good issue for them. Benghazi. Better yet, think IRS. That will get you votes if you're a Republican. Or if nothing else is happening, say they're coming to get your guns. This is the conversation in this country right now. When they're not talking about the debt, we're talking about Benghazi or the IRS or here's the old standby, guns. They're coming to get your guns. Gonna take them right away from you and keep you from getting them back. Never more will you have a gun. Now, if you're President Obama or a fellow progressive, I'm thinking, why on earth would you sit around share in those conversations in how about we talk about how we're not quite as bad as the right-wing conservatives say you are? Sticking your chin out so they can pound you just one more time. Hmm. I have an idea. Why isn't the President, why aren't progressive people talking about something constructive, something that would be good for the country and at the same time, good politics?
We've got a 7.5 percent unemployment rate right now. And let's be realistic, it's not going to go down a lot more over the next three years. If left alone, it might even start rising again. That's reality. We have got practically zero percent interest rates out there. We've had a huge drop in public sector employment over the past several few years. So, everything is right to tackle the challenge of rebuilding this country. You look at Germany where I just was and see state-of-the-art bridges and super modern rail system and brand new subway system in Berlin and you wonder, who won that war anyway? Looks like they did. You go to France, they have got the shuttle running under the English Channel. You're on the continent of Europe in minutes. The French have trains to go 300 miles an hour-plus and you think you're sitting still. And we've got the buckboard called Amtrak. What's the matter with the Democrats? Why are they sitting on their duffs while the country is just raring to go? I am. Aren't you? Or could we have just one more chat about Benghazi?
-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here [3] to follow him on Twitter.