Chris Matthews appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Wednesday, accusing President Obama of putting Democratic leaders in a “wicked position.” Matthews argued that politicians would be forced to support the president as he wages war, or shun their party loyalty by acting on principle.
“You’re watching [Republican House Speaker John] Boehner there dribbling out a few votes here and there, as the clock ticks down to zero, and [House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi] has to make up the difference. … She’s going to have to come in with a supermajority of Democrats to support their Democratic president. This is a wicked position they have put her in. Maybe she can meet the standard. But I don’t know whether [Chief of Staff Denis] McDonough and the president walking along the south lawn the other day were thinking about the endgame.”
The “Hardball” host argued that Democrats will be “forced to sacrifice” party members “who really, really don’t want to vote for” a military strike against Syria, the Blaze reported.
“They’re going to have to vote for it to save the president’s hide,” he added. “That’s a bad position to put your party in. … When you hear Barbara Boxer, when you hear Jim Moran, you have to wonder what they would have said had it been a Republican president.”
“Clearly people are changing sides. Just like the Democrats who supported Lyndon Johnson after the Vietnam war, after it was over they turned on Nixon. The same exact people. So partisanship shows its ugly head here,” he added.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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