May 2007 - Posts
By Roland Woerner, Hardball producer
It was a rare public Reagan family reunion of sorts on Thursday’s edition of Hardball. Nancy joined son Ron to help Chris report on the release of the new book “The Reagan Diaries." (video) Joining them was presidential historian and Tulane University professor Douglas Brinkley who painstakingly edited the book over the last 3 years. Mrs. Reagan, who is doing very limited publicity for this book, agreed to join the conversation today when she heard Chris was dedicating time to it on Hardball. She told Chris how important it was to publish these diary entries and that the President never wrote them with the idea that they’d be published. She had forgotten how much he wrote about dealing with personal situations with his family in the diaries, including this excerpt about his son Ron:
Saturday, May 15 (1982)
Long call to Ron. He wants to Sign off Secret Svc. for a month. S.S. knows he’s a real target—lives in a N.Y.C. area where the Puerto Rican terrorist group is active. In fact he’s on a hit list. He thinks we’re interfering with his privacy. I can’t make him see that I can’t be put in a position of one day facing a ransom demand. I’d have to refuse for reasons for the Nation’s welfare.
Ron told Chris Matthews it is more than a little strange for him to read about family arguments 25 years after they happened. Mrs. Reagan was quick to point out that the president did write many good things about Ron in his diary, including how much he enjoyed watching him perform with the Joffrey Ballet in the 1980’s. Mrs. Reagan also responded to a question from Chris on how the President was embarrassed by some of the content in movies he screened at the White House. Here’s an entry from 1982.
Friday, August 13
We had a movie, “Officer and a Gentleman.” Good story, spoiled by nudity, language & sex.
Mrs. Reagan didn’t remember watching that movie specifically, but said the president didn’t like “crudeness of any kind”.
"The Reagan Diaries" is an important account of American and world history from 1981-1989 as seen through the eyes of an American president. Chris says it’s a must read for anyone interested in politics. Mrs. Reagan couldn’t agree more and she is thrilled that the world will get the chance to read the unfiltered personal thoughts of her husband, the 40th President of the United States.
That’s the great thing about working on this show. From First Ladies like Nancy Reagan, to policy makers, to world leaders, you just never know who wants to be part of the action on Hardball with Chris Matthews.
By Tammy Haddad and Shelby Poduch
If you walked by Cafe Milano last night and heard the laughter and saw the women leaning into the center of the table, then you should have leaned in yourself because the information was flying fast and furious. National Review’s Kate O’Beirne, looking very Italian in chocolate brown and wearing David Yurman jewelry, Meet the Press’ Betsy Fischer, Victoria Toensing and her photog daughter Amy (back from Tonga), Hilary Rosen (wow... a Democrat!), as well as the Romney campaign’s Barbara Comstock and Holland and Knight’s Kathryn Lehman on the manifest.
Here’s what you missed: the Vice President and the missus threw a “welcome to spring” party which some tablemates attended at the VP’s residence along with some others at their new Eastern Shore home. Among the guests, the Fred Barnes, the Krauthammers, Brit Hume, the Fred Thompsons. Hmmm... is an endorsement in the works? The table decided “not” since the Cheneys have also entertained the Romneys. With style and pizzazz, Mrs. Cheney takes the lead at these festive occasions and the Vice President ends the evening with this line: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
One of our usual girls’ night compradres, Jeri Thompson, has been busy somehow, but it will be at her own risk because she was talked about.
CONTINUED >>
Hillary’s new listening tour:
she asks her fans to give her a campaign jingle? If she’s got a song in her heart, why is she asking us to figure out one? What’s next? Do we have to think up her bumper stickers?
And is Obama now ready to go after Hillary?
He says the difference between the two is that she thought the Iraq war as a good idea; he didn’t.
And
Fred Thompson takes on movie-maker Michael Moore. Is Michael the new “Sister Soulja” - someone you whack to win your street cred?
And the sex lives of presidential candidates. Did Mike Wallace really need to ask Mitt Romney if he had marital relations with his wife before marriage? Did Mitt really have to answer?
And Rosie Scenario. Why do people who hate the war keep making the anti-war side so hard to take?
It was the “Hospital scene” from the Godfather. The only things missing were the black Marias and the turned-down fedoras. There was the target, Attorney General John Ashcroft, lying semi-conscious and vulnerable on the gurney. Heading toward him weren’t armed hoodlums but operatives Card and Gonzalez armed with the authority of a President. In the role of saving son, James Comey, the deputy attorney general standing up for Ashcroft.
The Godfather, Part Four... We’re talking about Comey’s sworn account of White House efforts to push their surveillance campaign past a seriously ill Attorney General.
WATCH VIDEO
The
Reverend Jerry Falwell was the major political voice of Christian evangelism. His was the rallying cry heard strongest against those secular forces -- removal of organized prayer from public schools in the 1960s, Supreme Court recognition of a constitutional right to abortion in the 1970s and the current advance of gay marriage and same-sex civil unions -- which have molded Christian conservatives into such an extraordinary voting power.
CONTINUED >>
A visit to 30 Rock is enough to send any hardworking Hardballer into happiness, but walking the red carpet into Rick Stengel’s Time 100 party at the Time Warner Center with NBC News Snr. V.P. Phil Griffin, Arianna Huffington and Ana Marie Cox and, excuse me, Cate (Blanchett) so nice to meet you, that’s a grand slam!
With Chris Matthews, Mayor Mike (Hey, I asked Kevin Sheekey if you could announce on Hardball’s 10th Anniversary show), John Mayer, Jeffrey Sachs, Matt Lauer, Dan Abrams, Page 6’s Richard Johnson, Richard Branson, and Brian Grazer among the notables….a killer time was had by all.
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| From left to right: Hardball's Tammy Haddad, Time's Anna Marie Cox, Elizabeth Edwards and ABC's Elizabeth Vargas. |
CONTINUED >>
(By Tammy Haddad, Hardball executive producer)
Senator John Sununu, R-NH, with his wife and three kids, and violinist Itzhak Perlman were right in front.
(By Tammy Haddad, Hardball executive producer)
I just saw former Secretary of State George Schultz and his wife by the VIP section. People are starting to leave.
(By Tammy Haddad, Hardball executive producer)
We are thousands strong lining up to watch history as the Queen of England greets the country and the world at a White House ceremony on the South Lawn. The air is filled with laughter and anticipation as many in hats (mine was so broad I had to tilt my head sideways to get through security) are waving Old Glory and Union Jack flags supplied by the White House.
Steve and Jean Case are here beneath the Truman Balcony, as is Dorothy Height, now 95, who has worked with every president since FDR. I can see David Gregory in the front of the line with his son Max in jacket and tie. (Dad has White Tails for tonight's State Dinner!). Does Zegna make kid's clothes? The U.S. Air Force Band is playing as a large color guard with flags from countless nations parades up the East Drive and circles the White House.
(Photo: Workers clean the red carpet ahead of the official welcome ceremony for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip/Getty Images)
I disagree with 90% of what was said on the stage tonight so take my review with that in mind. I am judging the performances by who made the best presentation of their beliefs, who looked most presidential and who articulated clear plans for his presidency.
I would have thought that Rudy Guliani would have been able to demonstrate more skill in this format. But Romney and McCain were the clear winners tonight.
Gov Jim Gilmore beat the pool of second tier candidates.
Credit to Romney, Brownbeck, Huckbee and McCain for responding to the question by focusing on on the Hillary Clinton as President rather than the spouse
I like how Chris is encouraging people who may disagree with an answer that someone just gave to speak up. It is a good way to realize that there are differences between these guys.
And I like the way he is trying to get them to actually answer questions they want to dodge. A gentler version of Hardball. Because he knows that if they really want to dodge a question, that is something the viewers should see.
(By MSNBC's Tucker Carlson)
Last year, Mitt Romney bragged about the mandatory health insurance bill he helped write in Massachusetts. Over the past several months, conservatives have criticized that legislation, so Romney has downplayed his role in it, telling one audience that the liberal Massachusetts legislature made changes to the law he didn’t agree with. Called on his flip-flop tonight, Romney flipped again. “I love it,” he said when asked about the health insurance bill. Romney is nothing if not flexible
Well John Chambers, Chairman of CISCO will get lots of attention tomorrow. He is also one of the most aggressive CEO lobbyists on behalf of favorable tech policies.
(By MSNBC's Tucker Carlson)
Tommy Thompson just declared that “several thousand" soldiers have been injured in Iraq so far. Try more than 24,000. Come on. That's pathetic.
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
Four guys seemed ready for this debate, the other six were, well, not ready for prime time. The "ready" candidates on this stage tonight: McCain, Hunter, Romney and Huckabee.
The other six... shaky at best.
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
Big story of the night: Giuliani's tentative performance. This is almost a carbon copy of last week. The hot buzz candidate (Obama vs. Rudy) is struggling in their debut while the old reliables (Clinton vs. McCain) showed experience in this format matters.
Is Guliani even in this deabte? This "I was a Governor and therefore I....." is very interesting. Lots of credential flashing tonight.
That didn't happen much in the Democratic debate. Here it has put Romney and Gilmore out front with more confidence.
McCain is keeping up. But Where is Rudy??
(By MSNBC's Tucker Carlson)
Would the day Roe v. Wade is repealed be a good day for America? It’s a simple enough question, and all the candidates responded to it simply. Nine of them agreed it would be a good day. Giuliani’s response: “It’d be OK.”
So the repeal of the single most controversial Supreme Court decision of the last 30 years is no big deal one way or another? You can support Roe or oppose it, but indifference is an odd response, especially for a presidential candidate.
Another weird moment: Giuliani is asked if the increased influence of evangelicals is a good thing for the Republican Party. His answer: “The increased influence of large groups of people is always good.” Notice the immediate shift from the specific (evangelicals) to the general (“large groups of people.”) That’s always a sure sign of a dodge, and in this case there was no reason for it. This isn’t New York City. It’s the Republican primary. In a Republican primary, evangelicals aren’t considered scary. They’re good. More than that, they’re politically necessary. There’s no reason not to say nice things about them in public. Why can’t Giuliani do it?
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
Did Rudy actually try and go to McCain's right on stem cells? Sure sounded that way to me.
(By MSNBC's Joe Scarborough)
Duncan Hunter believes in global warming and supports alternative energy sources. Wow. The Congressman's answer proves global warming is turning into a bi-partisan issue before our eyes.
(By MSNBC's Joe Scarborough)
Each presidential debate has its defining moments. So many Republicans are breaking through and speaking to their specific audiences. Tommy Thompson, Mike Huckabee, Jim Gilmore and Sam Brownback are having good moments. Mitt Romney looks like he owns the stage. But Rudy is having none of those breakthrough answers. Why? Who knows. But that leadership style we saw on the streets of New York after 9/11 is not translating on stage at the Reagan library.
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
McCain looks to be the most prepared tonight... His answers are crisp and ready for air. It's the difference between doing this before and doing this for the first time. Ask Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton from last week. Obama wasn't ready for the format, Edwards and Clinton were.
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
Rudy's sole goal tonight: prove electability. Analyze every answer he's given and it's all been framed thru the prism of "electability."
(By MSNBC's Joe Scarborough)
Gilmore is putting on a very strong performance.
(From NBC's Chuck Todd)
Here's a fun game... Compare how many times the candidates mention Reagan vs. Lieberman...Brownback just made the first mention; it won't be the last.
Moving to the halfway point of this Republican debate, it looks like Mitt Romney is trying his best to pull down the mantle of Ronald Reagan. He is off to a very strong start. The man who is best alligned to do that--John McCain is simply stumbling too much to strike voters as Reaganesque. He is clearly uncomfortable. Perhaps tomorrow, we'll find out why.
Jim Gilmore and Mike Huckabee are off to strong starts as is Sam Brownback. Giuliani may have Reagan's leadership qualities but he seems to lack Reagan's optimism. But Mitt Romney has it in spades. He is clearly winning this debate.
(By MSNBC's Tucker Carlson)
Both Giuliani and McCain seem nervous. Rudy, who may be the most fluent, natural speaker running for president, stumbles over his words at least twice in his first answer. He speaks too fast, rushing to squeeze every imaginable talking point – 9-11, Reagan’s legacy, the rebirth of New York City – into a single paragraph, if not sentence. McCain follows his pace. He explodes out of the box like a sprinter, then trips almost immediately. Weirdly, it’s Romney who seems most relaxed. He may not know who he is, but he’s good on stage. Actually, maybe that’s why he’s good on stage.
"He is going to pay and he is going to die."
What a breakthrough moment for Mitt Romney, talking about Osama Bin Laden. John McCain followed by promising to follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell.
Mitt Romney is doing very well, as is Giuliani. John McCain is off to an tentative, uneven start.
From my vantage point, I'm looking at the stage to my right and the candidates to my left, waiting behind the curtain. Mitt Romney is looking relaxed, chatting with other candidates. Brownback, Gilmore and Duncab Hunter are also smiling as if there political futures are NOT hanging in the balance.
They are.
I wish Chris would ask all the Republicans on stage who among them is willing to take a pledge to campaign frequently with George Bush. Side-by-side with George Bush during the general election. We know they like the ghost of Reagan, but how are they going to deal with the reality of Bush?
Poor Mitt Romney - actually he's anything but poor given the money he raised; he may never be commander in chief, but he's fundraiser in chief. Anyway, he has to flip on issues without the benefit of a safety net like 9/11 for Giuliani or McCain's national security record. In 1994, when he lost a senate race to Ted Kennedy, he said he was more strongly for gay rights than Kennedy was. Now he's against them. He said he was pro-choice; now he's pro-life. Kennedy was right during their debate: Romney isn't pro-choice -- he's "multiple choice."
Will Giuliani be held to account tonight on social issues? He's trying get right with the Right, but he's behind McCain in the new polls in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina - the only polls that count. As conservatives learn more about him, he will fade. So the maneuvers on social issues don't satisfy them and will damage his sense of strength with the broader electorate.
In 2004, Giuliani said he favored civil unions for gay couples. Now he's against them, artfully explaining that marriage is between one man and one woman - that's from someone who has been married three times, including to his cousin. And he said he didn't know it.
(By Tammy Haddad, Hardball Executive Producer)
I am sitting 40 feet away on the side of Air Force One at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library right above the debate stage. It's been a fantastic day for people who care about politics, a mix of history and hope for the future. You can feel it in the elevators. You can feel it in the make up rooms AND you can feel it in the cool breeze that rises up the sharp edges of the Santa Susannah Mountains. Some terrific old Washington hands, Alexe Glenn (Reagan Bush and former Crossfire producer), John Reed, now with the Chamber of Commerce, Susan Molinari, Alex Castellanos and Hardball fav Barbara Comstock. All the big stars behind the scenes of politics are here to help Nancy Reagan make this event a success.
Our friends and partners at Politico.com have been up since the crack of dawn going through those emails looking for great questions. And remember you can email a question in live to the candidates, register now at politico.com. John Harris is right behind me, I asked him who he was wearing and he said some Italian designer. Chris is in Brooks Brothers. Jim VandeHei was wearing jeans earlier but I forgot to ask him who he was going to wear tonight. Jonathan Martin thinks he wearing Joseph Abboud. Jeanne Cummings, a class act ALWAYS, is wearing Rizik's private label.
Did I tell you my guest for the debate is Desperate Housewives favorite plumber, James Denton. He told TV Guide his favorite show is Hardball. My kinda superstar. Sam and Mary Haskell, and The TODAY show's superstar Noah Oppenheim, and former Hardball Topper is here (He is wearing GUCCI, network guy!!!!!!). And NBC's man on the Hill, Bob Okun is also here.
We watched each of the candidates do their walk through (just like the Oscars). Right now Senator McCain is there.... We are all under the firm and fantastic hand of Joanne Drake. AND YOU know who she is.
Gotta run, Mike Murphy is here (remember when he lived on OUR Coast.) Governor Arnold is on his way, and Nancy Reagan is in the house. Is there anything better than this?
