Signs Of Panic In The White House?

I mean, Chris Matthews disclosed he was at a "recent briefing" at the White House, the substance of which he could not talk about but did so anyway. I forget what he said; it's not important. Still, it begs the question: Is Dylan Ratigan next?

We kid Chris, when he actually raised the good idea of singling out roads and bridges in need of repair in Republican districts, which we actually highlighted and credited him in case his producers missed it. And the President adopted Chris's idea. So I suppose Chris earned a White House briefing, although he might not want to publicize it lest Republicans interpret it as a sign of panic by the President's team.

But Chris is still Dean of the Idiot Punditocracy, and his reactionary habits haven't ceased. Some of it isn't his doing, like the imposition of slo-mo tailored suits trainwreck Michael Steele by the Move (i.e., Tip) Over suits. Called upon to defend the anti-science alchemists like Dr. Michele Bachmann in his party, Steele degenerated into a pot-meet-kettle shouting match, accusing Chris of being "arrogant" and elitist. But Chris himself lowers his own shaky standards by soliciting the GOP spin of a plagiarizing "dick" and a "blistering" charlatan.

Speaking of MSNBC funnies, Chuck Todd has a promo ad all of his own, which is a howler. It shows Chuckles driving into Washington from somewhere in suburbia. It's hard to tell from the closeups of his yuppie-mobile whether he's driving a beemer or a Lexus, or what. But then we get a tantalizing glimpse of the I-395 Exit "TO WASHINGTON" as Chuckie turns, heading into the Lion's Den. To access I-395 to Washington, one must either be on I-95 or ... I-495, aka the "Beltway." Is Chuckie trying to tell us he's not a member of the infamous "Beltway Media"... hey, he just works there? Chuckles intones importantly that his job is to "ask the tough questions" and (pass the barf bag) use his "access" for "a greater good," for people who can't get through to the White House.

Please. The "greater good," Chuckie, is the truth. Nothing more, nothing less. No matter where the chips may fall. For those who disclose the truth on a daily, or should I say, nightly basis on your network, the first of those chips to fall is "access." Chuck's show is a platform for partisan propaganda, a revolving door for politicians who blatantly lie, and the place for coalescing of Beltway Media "we are the establishment" opinion (per Chuck's MSNBC boss), derided as "Beltway wisdom." The number of "tough" questions Chuck has asked since gaining "access" to "no matter who's in power" can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Kicking Savannah Guthrie upstairs hasn't helped much. One-half Savannah equals twice and more of Chuckles Toddy.

Watching the MSNBC suits unravel what has been, for brief shining moments, a good product, CNN plunged into the fray with a much more journalistic Republican candidates debate than the circumspect offering sponsored by the Idiot Punditocracy's publication of record, POLITICO. Then not-so-much out of the blue, CNN's "Ragin' Cajun" James Carville, its pseudo-lib pundit married to CNN wingnut pundit Mary Matalyn (for those seeking a non-political explanation for Carville's outburst), launched into a cascading Democratic panic attack, inviting the White House to join him.

The President, Carville screeched, should FIRE someone, INDICT someone, FIGHT, he howled in this inspired passage:

As I watch the Republican debates, I realize that we are on the brink of a crazy person running our nation. I sit in front of the television and shudder at the thought of one of these creationism-loving, global-warming-denying, immigration-bashing, Social-Security-cutting, clean-air-hating, mortality-fascinated, Wall-Street-protecting Republicans running my country.

The course we are on is not working. The hour is late, and the need is great. Fire. Indict. Fight.

Relax, James, per Jason Linkins. I would simply add that the President has fired and retired his top general in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, in a manner not unlike the reluctant firing of General George McClellan by President Lincoln during the Civil War. Yes, he should have indicted the Wall Street ratbastards, except they've contributed to his campaign and because of the atrocious Citizens United decision the President cannot be competitive without Street mullah. Since they hate him so much, he should make indicting the criminals who tanked our economy a priority of his next four years. (Not holding my breath.)

What Eric Holder should focus on now is pressing civil rights and voting rights cases against Republican governors. Now, before the 2012 elections. Theirs is a conspiracy to restrict the vote of minorities, students, the poor, and the elderly poor, all of whom by happenstance are largely Democratic voters. The Justice Department has grounds to pursue violations of the Voting Rights Act, and should do so vigorously. If indictments follow, so much the better. It should be noted that the FBI recently raided the home of a top aide to infamous Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin. This could be just the beginning of a long overdue push by Justice to tip back the scales of justice from Republican abuse and overreach.

Besides, firing someone in times of high unemployment is hardly the right message to send. What the President needs is an attack dog, like Karl Rove was for Bush, to take the fight to the Republicans in tougher language. He had one in Chicago Mayor Rham Emanuel, but instead of turning Rhambo's ire against the Republicans he turned it against Democrats and Progressives. BIG MISTAKE, which led to the "lowest common denominator," as President Carter noted, in health care reform. No use now crying over spilled milk and historic "I-Told-You-So" mistakes.

There was a time James would fit the bill, if he weren't so keen on pushing the PANIC button. Rhambo never did push the panic button. And in this regard, he is missed. Who will be the President's attack dog now?