Flashback 2004: Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell Think Raising Debt Ceiling ‘Big Embarrassment for Republicans’
MSNBC's Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell have been telling viewers in recent days that Republicans considering blocking an increase in the debt ceiling could be creating a financial crisis. Seven years ago after George W. Bush was re-elected and the debt ceiling had been raised in November 2004, the perilously liberal couple felt Republicans should be “embarrassed” for having done so (transcripts follow with commentary): ANDREA MITCHELL: But what is looking over his shoulder is history. He wants a legacy. He wants to be able to do something about Social Security. He knows he's got to do something about deficit reduction. That is the big embarrassment for Republicans. They ought to be ashamed of themselves, what the Hill Republicans have done. They've been worse than Democrats. CHRIS MATTHEWS: They just increased the debt ceiling. MITCHELL: Exactly. This exchange occurred on the November 21, 2004, installment of “The Chris Matthews Show.” Yet as NewsBusters has been reporting , Matthews has in the past several days twice referred to Republicans as terrorists because they're refusing to support a raise in the debt ceiling if it includes tax increases. For her part, Mitchell on Tuesday, during an interview with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx.) said, “You did say that some revenue — tax reform couldn`t be done obviously by August 2nd, but some future tax reform that would close loopholes would be acceptable. But you want it to be revenue neutral, so that means that it would not add any money to the pot for any negotiation that could resolve this crisis.” So, not raising the debt ceiling is a “crisis” and the act of “terrorists” in 2011. But in 2004, when there was a Republican in the White House, doing so was a “big embarrassment” for the GOP. With this hapless duo, Republicans are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
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Flashback 2004: Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell Think Raising Debt Ceiling ‘Big Embarrassment for Republicans’
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on July 7, 2011. Filed under