Liberal MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews on Monday revealed his favorite
campaign ad of 2012: The outrageous commercial that features Congressman
Paul Ryan murdering an elderly woman by throwing her off a cliff. Before
playing a portion, Matthews enthused, "Let me show you the ad that I have to like the most in this campaign." [MP3 audio here [1].]
Spinning the philosophy of the presumptive Republican vice presidential
nominee as "screw the poor," Matthews opined on the broader message:
"But here is a party that believes this stuff...It is true. It's not
just party rhetoric. It is true."
Again, the commercial shows a Ryan stand-in sending a grandmother to her screaming death.
Matthews gushed: "That ad reflects what the Ryan
budget is all about. If you're rich, we take care of you. If you're
poor, off the cliff."
The Hardball anchor even lectured Steve Israel, the Chairman
of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on strategy,
directing, "I would give every member of Congress who is running, every
challenger who is running on your side, get them all on the phone and
sing the words together. Just get used to singing in unison: They're out
to get rid of Medicare."
Matthews' argument is completely false [2]. Ryan's plan, over a decade, would increase spending from $3.6 trillion to $4.9.
In an unintentionally funny moment, Matthews felt the need to explain that the old woman in the ad didn't really
die: "Well, I assume the people who put that ad out used a dummy to
throw grandma off the cliff. They didn't actually throw that actor of
the cliff."
Matthews first made his accusation that Ryan wants to "screw [3]" poor people on Saturday.
A transcript of the August 13 exchange is below:
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me show you the ad that I have to like the most in this campaign. It's an ad that has a familiar look to it. Let's take a look at the granny off the cliff ad for a second.
[Video of "Paul Ryan" murdering the elderly woman by throwing her off the cliff.]
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Well, I assume the people who put that ad out used a dummy to throw grandma off the cliff. They didn't actually throw that actor of the cliff, the older actor or at least the one looking old. This ad basically makes the point that we're going into a society, if the Republicans win with Ryan, that basically makes sure we don't waste any money on people who need money and we make sure that people who get rich have a little more incentive to be rich. This is an amazing- I mean, I read Fountainhead growing up. I know it was a nice story. But here is a party that believes this stuff. Incentivize the rich. Screw the poor, and screw older people who don't have much to defend themselves with. It is true. It's not just party rhetoric. It is true.
REP. STEVE ISRAEL (Chairman, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) : It is true. No, no. Look, a budget is a statement of our priorities and values. The Ryan budget statement is if you're a senior citizen, we end the Medicare benefit for you and it costs you up to an additional $6,300. But if you're a millionaire, you get a bigger tax cut. That ad reflects what the Ryan budget is all about. If you're rich, we take care of you. If you're poor, off the cliff.
MATTHEWS: What I would do with you, and you're an expert, as an amateur I used to work in your business of politics, I would give every member of Congress who is running, every challenger who is running on your side, get them all on the phone and sing the words together. Just get used to singing in unison: They're out to get rid of Medicare. They're giving all the money to the rich. Say that every minute of your life.
