Doug Ross @ Journal

Matthews Squeezes Dean

Howard Dean was on Hardball with Chris Matthews a couple of nights ago, attempting to defend the Democratic party's attack on Alito.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "[I]'m Sitting Here Holding In My Hands, A Pretty Disgusting Document, This Is Put Out Not For Attribution. But It Comes From The Democrats, They're Circulating It. I Can Say That." (MSNBC's "MSNBC Live," 10/31/05)

When you're the head of the DNC and even Chris Matthews is hammering you like a nail into plywood, you know it's time to change course. Of course, I'm not sure that's clear to someone with the vast intellect of, say, Howard Dean.

MATTHEWS: Somebody in the Democratic Party is putting out an attack sheet on this new justice nominee for the Supreme Court, and the first attack is that he was lenient on the mob back in an '88 case. He let the Lucchese family get off, said he was an embarrassment to the government. Here's a guy that's been tough on crime. Why start off on that issue, Dean? DEAN: I didn't put it out, but somebody did so I'll be responsible for it. MATTHEWS: It was put out by the Democrats, but go on. DEAN: All right. The president put out a sheet this morning, Republican talking points. One of the things he said was that judge Alito was a spectacular prosecutor. Well, it turns out he wasn't quite so spectacular, and he lost some important cases, and one is which that those guys, in that particular case, those guys all got off, 20 of them without even putting up a defense witness. So at least in that particular case, that's an example... DEAN: I think it's great. All I'm trying to say is, you know, this guy is not the best prosecutor since sliced bed. Look, here's -- MATTHEWS: You don't sense a little ethnic aspect to this? The fact he's Italian American, they nailed the #1 issue against this guy is mob, that he's weak on the mob. You don't see that? DEAN: No. MATTHEWS: You don't see it? I think everybody else does. I see it.

When even Chris Matthews is spitting mad, you know your strategy is going over as well as a pregnant pole-vaulter.

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