>>> HAVE YOU NO DECENCY? LET’S PLAY "HARDBALL."
GOOD EVENING, I’M CHRIS MATTHEWS
FROM CHICAGO.
FROM CHICAGO. DONALD TRUMP IS SHOWING RIGHT
NOW A VICIOUSNESS WE HAVE NEVER
BEFORE SEEN IN THE AMERICAN
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. PERHAPS SENSING DOOM AT THE
HANDS OF A DAMNING MUELLER
REPORT, HE’S SPITTING HIS ANGER
WITH THE VIOLENCE AT THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL AND CNN, GENERAL MOTORS,
"SATURDAY NIGHT LIFE" AND EVEN
FOX NEWS.
FOX NEWS. IT’S FOUND ITS HARDEST TARGET IN
A HERO WHO SPENT FIVE AND A HALF
YEARS IN A COMMUNIST PRISON IN
VIETNAM.
VIETNAM. THIS COMING AFTER JOHN McCAIN
SUCCUMBED TO BRAIN CANCER.
BECAUSE IT WAS McCAIN’S MORAL
SUPERIORITY THAT INCITES IN
TRUMP SUCH AN UNDYING GRUDGE.
THE PRESIDENT SLAMMED McCAIN FOR
PASSING THE CHRISTOPHER STEELE
DOSSIER ALONG TO THE FBI BACK IN
2016.
2016. QUOTE, SO IT WAS SGEED JUST
PROVEN IN COURT PAPERS THAT LAST
IN HIS CLASS AT ANNAPOLIS JOHN
McCAIN THAT SENT THE FAKE
DOSSIER TO THE FBI AND THE MEDIA
HOPING TO HAVE IT PRINTED BEFORE
THE ELECTION.
THE ELECTION. HE AND THE DEMOCRATS WORKING
TOGETHER FAILED AS USUAL.
EVEN THE FAKE NEWS REFUSED THIS
GARBAGE.
GARBAGE. WELL, TRUMP’S ALLEGATION IS
FALSE.
FALSE. AS NBC NEWS POINTS OUT, McCAIN
GAVE THE DOSSIER TO THE FBI IN
DECEMBER OF 2016, AFTER THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AND THERE’S NO EVIDENCE WHATEVER
HE EVER GAVE THE DOSSIER TO THE
MEDIA.
MEDIA. TRUMP’S ATTACK ON McCAIN’S
LEGACY IS BRINGING OUTRAGE AND
CONDEMNATION, INCLUDING FROM
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR AND 2020
PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL CORY
BOOKER, WHO SPOKE WITH ME THIS
MORNING IN IOWA.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR INSTINCTIVE
REACTION WHEN YOU HEARD THAT?
>> REPULSIVE, REPULSIVE.
JOHN McCAIN, HE AND I DISAGREED,
BUT HE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE
BETTER MENTORS I HAD WHEN I
FIRST CAME TO THE SENATE.
HE’S A HERO.
AND A SITTING PRESIDENT, A
COMMANDER IN CHIEF, WHAT’S THAT
SAY TO OTHER MEN AND WOMEN THAT
ARE SERVING THIS NATION?
SO I FOUND IT REPULSIVE.
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HIS
MORAL VANDALISM AND HIM JUST
TEARING AT THE FABRIC OF THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. >> WE’VE GOT A LOT MORE OF THAT
POWERFUL INTERVIEW COMING UP IN
THE PROGRAM TONIGHT.
TRUMP’S FEVERED CLAMOR OVER
McCAIN, HIS LATE RIVAL, WAS IN
STARK CONTRAST TO THE OVAL
OFFICE SILENCE ABOUT THE LIVES
OF THE 50 MUSLIMS WHO WERE
MURDERED IN NEW ZEALAND.
WHERE HE DID SHOW SYMPATHY WAS
FOR THE FOX NEWS HOST JUDGE
GENTLEMEN 9
GENTLEMEN 9 JANINE PIRRO WHO DID NOT SHOW ON
HER SHOW AFTER ANTI-MUSLIM
COMMENTS.
COMMENTS. DONALD TRUMP SAID THE RADICAL
LEFT DEMOCRATS WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THEIR BELOVED PARTNER THE
FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS USING EVERY
TRICK IN THE BOOK TO SILENCE A
MAJORITY OF OUR COUNTRY.
JILL WINE-BANKS, RON REAGAN AND
CARLOS CURBELO.
CARLOS CURBELO. RON, I READ WHAT YOU THOUGHT
ABOUT TRUMP.
ABOUT TRUMP. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT.
GOING AFTER A MAN THAT’S PASSED
AWAY.
AWAY. WE USED TO SAY IN SOCIETY, SAY
NO ILL OF THE DEAD.
WHAT’S HE DOING?
WHAT’S TRUMP UP TO WITH HIS
WEIRD ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE A
GUY WHO’S ALREADY GONE?
>> WELL, TRUMP IS BEING TRUMP.
TRUMP IS A COWARD AND HE’S
SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS NORMAL HUMAN
DECENCY.
DECENCY. WHAT IS IT ABOUT JOHN McCAIN
THAT SETS HIM OFF?
JOHN McCAIN WAS EVERYTHING
DONALD TRUMP ISN’T.
JOHN McCAIN WAS A MAN OF
INTEGRITY AND A MAN OF GREAT
COURAGE.
COURAGE. WE ALL REMEMBER THAT MOMENT WITH
THE THUMBS DOWN THAT KILLED
TRUMP’S CHANCE TO UNDO
OBAMACARE.
OBAMACARE. I’M SURE HE’S NEVER McCAIN FOR
THAT.
THAT. AND IT’S NOT GOING STOP HIM THAT
JOHN McCAIN IS NOW DEAD AND
CAN’T FIGHT BACK.
THAT’S PERFECT FOR TRUMP.
HE LOVES A TARGET THAT CAN’T
FIGHT BACK.
FIGHT BACK. IT REALLY IS LOW.
IT DOESN’T GET MUCH LOWER THAN
THIS.
THIS. >> CONGRESSWOMAN, I GET THE
SENSE THAT TRUMP FEELS -- I GET
THE SENSE THAT HE FEELS THAT
SOMETHING IS COMING.
HE’S BEEN IN A FRENZY LATELY.
HE’S BEEN SHOOTING IN EVERY
DIRECTION, EVEN AT THE DEAD.
>> I THINK THAT HE ALWAYS DOES
THAT WHEN HE FEELS SOMETHING IS
COMING.
COMING. WHEN HIS KITCHEN IS GETTING HOT,
HE HAS TO THROW SHADE SOMEWHERE
ELSE OR CREATE CHAOS.
I THINK HE’S VERY, VERY GOOD AT
THAT AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT IS
HAPPENING NOW.
HAPPENING NOW. >> REACTING TO THE PRESIDENT’S
CRITICISM OF HIS FRIEND JOHN
McCAIN, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM
ISSUED A RESPONSE, BUT A TEPID
ONE, WHICH DID NOT MENTION TRUMP
BY NAME.
BY NAME. GRAHAM SAID OF McCAIN, HE
STEPPED FORWARD TO RISK HIS LIFE
FOR HIS COUNTRY, SERVED
HONORABLY UNDER DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES, AND ONE OF THE
MOST CONSEQUENTIAL SENATORS IN
THE HISTORY OF THE BODY.
NOTHING ABOUT HIS SERVICE WILL
EVER BE CHANGED OR DIMINISHED.
BY THE WAY, DAUGHTER MEGHAN
McCAIN TWEETED NO ONE WILL EVER
LOVE YOU THE WAY THEY LOVE MY
FATHER.
FATHER. HERE’S MEGHAN TODAY ON "THE
VIEW."
VIEW." >> MY FATHER WAS HIS KRYPTONITE
IN LIFE, HE’S HIS KRYPTONITE IN
DEATH.
DEATH. I JUST THOUGHT YOUR LIFE IS
SPENT ON YOUR WEEKENDS NOT WITH
YOUR FAMILY, NOT WITH YOUR
FRIENDS, BUT OBSESSING,
OBSESSING OVER GREAT MEN YOU
COULD NEVER LIVE UP TO.
THAT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HIS PATHETIC
LIFE RIGHT NOW.
>> CONGRESSMAN CURBELO, WHAT DO
YOU MAKE OF THIS SORT OF PORT
MOTOR ’EM
MOTOR ’EM MORTEM ATTACK?
MORTEM ATTACK? YOUR THOUGHTS.
YOUR THOUGHTS. >> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FACTORS
AT PLAY HERE FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE.
PERSPECTIVE. NUMBER ONE, IT’S CLEAR THE
PRESIDENT IS ANXIOUS ABOUT
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S ABOUT THE
MUELLER REPORT OR SOMETHING
ELSE, BUT 58 TWEETS OVER A
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND. I MEAN I KNOW A LOT OF KIDS THAT
DO THAT WHEN THEY GET ANXIOUS,
WHEN THEY’RE WORRIED, THEY TALK
A LOT.
A LOT. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT’S WHAT THE
PRESIDENT WAS DOING OVER THE
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND. COMBINE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT
HE’S ALWAYS BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH
JOHN McCAIN BEING REGARDED A
HERO, SOMEONE THAT BOTH
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
ADMIRE, SOMEONE WHO OBVIOUSLY
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COUNTRY MORE
THAN THE PRESIDENT, MORE THAN
MOST OF US, TO BE FAIR.
SO THAT’S WHAT’S AT PLAY HERE,
THAT COMBINATION, THAT MIXTURE
OF FEELINGS.
OF FEELINGS. NOW, THE PRESIDENT MIGHT BE
ANXIOUS, MIGHT BE FRUSTRATED.
HOWEVER, THAT’S NO EXCUSE TO
DISPARAGE SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY
SOMEONE WHO HAS PASSED AWAY,
ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO HAS
SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. SO I HOPE THAT A LOT OF MY
FELLOW REPUBLICANS REALLY STEP
UP AND SAY THIS IS WRONG, THIS
HAS TO STOP.
>> I WANT TO GET TO JILL
WINE-BANKS ABOUT THE IMMINENCE
OF SOMETHING COMING FROM ROBERT
MUELLER.
MUELLER. THERE’S A FRENZY, ALMOST LIKE A
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.
THERE’S SOMETHING THAT’S SCARING
THIS GUY.
THIS GUY. THE HEAT’S ON.
LET ME ASK YOU, RON, IN THE
PANTHEON OF AMERICAN MEHEROES,
YOUR DAD IS UP THERE BUT THIS
GUY McCAIN IS UP THERE TOO AS A
SENATOR.
SENATOR. I WONDERING IF TRUMP REALIZES HE
WILL NEVER ASCEND THAT MOUNTAIN.
THAT HIS GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN
DIVISION, ROTTEN TALK ABOUT
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. IT MAY EVEN GET HIM RE-ELECTED.
GOD KNOWS ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN,
HE GOT ELECTED ONCE, BUT IT’S
NEVER GOING TO MAKE HIM A HERO
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN
HISTORY.
HISTORY. IS THAT WHAT’S BUGGING HIM?
>> WELL, I’M NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST
OR PSYCHIATRIST AND I DON’T WANT
TO PLAY ONE ON TV.
IT’S BEEN SAID TRUMP IS A
NARCISSIST AND IT SEEMS THAT WAY
TO ME.
TO ME. AT THE CORE OF NARCISSISM IS A
CRIPPLING INSECURITY.
CRIPPLING INSECURITY. THIS MAN WHO WANTS TO BOAST THAT
HE KNOWS MORE ABOUT ANYTHING
THAN ANYBODY IS ACTUALLY QUITE
SURE DEEP INSIDE THAT HE’S A
PRETTY WORTHLESS GUY.
AND THAT’S WHAT YOU SEE COMING
OUT HERE, THAT THIS -- YOU KNOW,
THIS REACTING TO ANY SLIGHT OR
INSULT, WHETHER FROM A LATE
NIGHT COMEDY SHOW OR ANOTHER
POLITICIAN.
POLITICIAN. IT’S BORN OF INSECURITY, NOT
STRENGTH.
STRENGTH. HE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BELIEVE
THAT HE’S A TOUGH GUY, BUT HE’S
ANYTHING BUT.
ANYTHING BUT. HE’S A BULLY AND HE’S A COWARD.
>> YOU COULD WRITE A MOVIE ABOUT
A GHOST ROAMING THE WHITE HOUSE
UP AND DOWN.
WORKING ITS WAY UPSTAIRS, THIS
GHOST BEING JOHN McCAIN, AND
SPOOKING THE HELL OUT OF OUR
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. HE IS SPOOKED BY THIS DIDN’T I.
ANYWAY, TRUMP HAS BEEN FIXATED
ON McCAIN WAY BACK SINCE THE
SUMMER OF 2015.
LET’S WATCH HIMMEN.
>> HE’S A WAR HERO --
>> FIVE AND A HALF YEARS --
>> HE’S A WAR HERO BECAUSE HE
WAS CAPTURED.
WAS CAPTURED. I LIKE PEOPLE THAT WEREN’T
CAPTURED, OKAY?
CAPTURED, OKAY? I HATE TO TELL YOU.
>> YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET CAP
TURLD IF
TURLD IF CAPCAPTURED IF YOU’VE GOT A BONE
SPUR.
SPUR. LET ME ASK YOU, JILL, ABOUT THIS
GUY.
GUY. IT’S RIDICULOUS.
IT’S RIDICULOUS. HAS HE GOT A REASON TO WORRY
ABOUT A LITTLE UPDATE ON THE
COURT, ON ROBERT MUELLER?
I FEEL HE’S A CAT ON A HOT TIN
ROOF.
ROOF. HE’S JUMPING AROUND, JITTERY,
ATTACKING EVERYBODY ON THE
WEEKEND, WON’T TAKE A DAY OFF.
>> REMEMBER, HE DOESN’T EXACTLY
WHAT MUELLER KNOWS BUT HE KNOWS
WHAT HE’S DONE WRONG, SO HE HAS
PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT.
HE KNOWS HIS LIFETIME HISTORY OF
WRONGDOING IN NEW YORK.
HE KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE HE’S
CHEATED.
CHEATED. HE KNOWS HOW MUCH HE’S CHEATED
ON HIS TAXES.
WE DON’T KNOW IT.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL SOON.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, HE HAS
PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT.
>> PEOPLE IN NEW YORK TALK ABOUT
HIM LIKE HE’S A THIEF.
THAT’S HOW THEY TALK ABOUT HIM.
>> RIGHT HERE IN CHICAGO, THE
TRUMP TOWER CONSTRUCTION, PEOPLE
DIDN’T GET PAID.
WHEN THEY CALLED HIS LAWYER TO
SAY WE’RE GOING TO SUE, HIS
LAWYER SAID, NO, WE WITHHELD
JUST ENOUGH THAT IT WILL COST
YOU TOO MUCH TO SUE.
YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SUE US.
IT’S NOT WORTH IT TO YOU.
>> THAT’S HIS GAME.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. IT’S A DELIBERATE PLOY.
>> MORE PREDICTABLY, THE
PRESIDENT WENT AFTER "SATURDAY
NIGHT LIVE" PERHAPS NOT KNOWING