Chris Matthews' 'enemy camp' flub

Chris Matthews gave more fodder Tuesday night to right-wing bloggers on the perpetual hunt for proof of a “liberal media bias.” Talking about President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan at the West Point military academy, Matthews remarked that Obama “went to maybe the enemy camp tonight to make his case.” He backtracked, but not before the quote hit the blogosphere. Was the comment unintentionally revealing, or just another Matthews gaffe? (Watch Chris Matthews' comment.)

Matthews is just speaking for the 'Obamedia': "If West Point is the 'enemy camp,' what does Chris Matthews call Gitmo?" asks conservative blogger Michelle Malkin. Unfortunately, his comment isn't surprising—"we already knew which side he was on." What's galling is that he wants the cadets to share his and his colleagues' "warmth" for the president, going so far as to smear them for "behaving properly and not showing overt political preferences for Obama."

"Obama on Afghanistan: 'Resolve unwavering' ... or something"

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Matthews has a point: Chris Matthews "saying mildly stupid things in his stream-of-consciousness analysis is hardly news," says James Joyner in Outside the Beltway. "It's what he does." And besides, Matthews didn't mean "enemy" in any "literal sense." He was simply expressing a well-known sentiment that the U.S. military—and "West Point in particular"—is "naturally hostile to Democratic presidents."

"Chris Matthews: West Point 'enemy camp'"

If only all our enemies were so polite: Chris Matthews is "180-degrees off" the mark on this one, says a West Point graduate, to Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review. In fact, the cadets at West Point, where courtesy is "enforced," are "the most polite audience" a commander in chief could have. It's the "only place in America" where Obama could "simultaneously trash George W. Bush" and announce a new troop deployment, and "not be booed."

"Re: Enemy camp"