>> BAD TRIP. LET’S PLAY "HARDBALL."
GOOD EVENING.
GOOD EVENING. I’M CHRIS MATTHEWS IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. UNABLE TO PLAY NATIONAL UNIFIER
IN THE WAKE OF LAST WEEKEND’S
SHOOTINGS, PRESIDENT TRUMP
REVERTED TO THE ROLE OF VICTIM.
INSTEAD OF COMMANDING MORAL
LEADERSHIP, HE ENDED THE WEEK AS
THE COUNTRY’S SORE LOSER.
IN DAYTON, EL PASO, THE
PRESIDENT EVEN MANAGED TO DEEPEN
POLITICAL DIVISIONS RATHER THAN
HEAL THEM.
HEAL THEM. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" DESCRIBES
IT WAS A DAY INTENDED AS A SHOW
OF PASSION TO A CITY SCARRED BY
A WEEKEND OF VIOLENCE WHICH
QUICKLY DEVOLVED INTO AN
OCCASION FOR ANGER-FUELED
BROADSIDES.
BROADSIDES. THE FIGHT HAS PROMISED TO REMAIN
ABOVE THE FRAY.
THIS WEEK THE PRESIDENT COULDN’T
RESIST, ISSUING MORE THAN TEN
ATTACKS AGAINST HIS CRITICS,
LASHING OUT AGAINST DEMOCRATIC
OFFICE HOLDERS, PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES AND LOCAL OFFICIALS
AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, THE
MEDIA.
MEDIA. AS HUNDREDS OF DEMONSTRATORS
MADE CLEAR THAT TRUMP WAS NOT
WELCOME IN EL PASO, SOME OF THE
VICTIMS IN THE HOSPITAL DECLINED
TO SEE THE PRESIDENT WHILE HE
WAS THERE.
WAS THERE. "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTS
THAT ACCORDING TO A HOSPITAL
SPERP, NONE OF THE EIGHT VICTIMS
OF THE EL PASO MASS SHOOTING
STILL BEING TREATED AT THE
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER AGREED
TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHEN HE VISITED.
FURTHERMORE, AS TRUMP MET WITH
THE HOSPITAL’S MEDICAL STAFF, HE
BRAGGED ABOUT THE SIZE OF HIS
RECENT RALLY AND ATTACKED EL
PASO’S FORMER CONGRESSMAN BETO
O’ROURKE.
O’ROURKE. AND EVEN THOUGH THE WHITE HOUSE
PRESS CORPS WAS KEPT AT BAY, A
LOCAL CBS AFFILIATE IN TEXAS
MANAGED TO OBTAIN A VIDEO OF THE
PRESIDENT DURING THAT MEETING.
>> I WAS HERE THREE MONTHS AGO.
WE MADE A SPEECH.
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE ARENA?
THAT PLACE?
THAT PLACE? >> PACKED, RIGHT?
THAT WAS SOME CROWD.
TWICE THE NUMBER OUTSIDE.
AND THEN YOU HAD THIS CRAZY
BETO.
BETO. BETO HAD LIKE 400 PEOPLE IN A
PARKING LOT.
PARKING LOT. THEY SAID HIS CROWD WAS
WONDERFUL.
WONDERFUL. >> HE’S IN THAT HOSPITAL,
MEETING WITH THE VICTIMS OF THE
TRAGEDY, USING THAT QUALITY TIME
TO ATTACK BETO O’ROURKE, THE
LOCAL CONGRESSMAN.
LOCAL CONGRESSMAN. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WHY THE PRESS
WAS KEPT AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENT
DURING HIS HOSPITAL VISITS, THE
WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SAID
THE VISIT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO
BE A PHOTO OP.
YET TRUMP’S AIDES STILL HELD A
PHOTO OP OF THEIR OWN AND BY THE
END OF THE DAY HAD RELEASED
THREE HIGHLIGHT VIDEOS.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" ALSO
REVEALS TWO WHITE HOUSE
OFFICIALS SAID THERE WERE
CONCERNS THE PRESS COULD CAPTURE
AN IMPOLITIC MOMENT OF THE
PRESIDENT MAKING AN INSENSITIVE
COMMENT.
COMMENT. THESE ARE STAFF GUYS WORKING FOR
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES WHO TRASH HIM BY SAYING
HE’S LIKE A BIG DOG YOU GOT TO
KEEP OFF THE LAWN.
IN SUM, THE TRIP WAS NOT IDEAL.
FOUR OTHERS DESCRIBE THE TRIP IN
SIMILAR TERMS.
SIMILAR TERMS. I’M JOINED NOW BY ASHLEY PARKER,
"WASHINGTON POST" WHITE HOUSE
REPORTER.
REPORTER. ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI IS THE
PRESIDENT’S FORMER
PRESIDENT’S FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. MR. SCARAMUCCI, WHY THE PEOPLE
WHO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THIS
PRESIDENT WHO TALK ABOUT HIM IN
SUCH EMBARRASSING WAYS.
THEY DON’T SHOW ANY RESPECT FOR
HIM.
HIM. THEY SAY BASICALLY HE WILL POOP
ON THE COUCH IF YOU LET HIM IN
THERE, AND THEY STILL WORK
THERE.
THERE. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
>> WELL, YOU TELL ME, THOUGH
YOU.
YOU. LIVE IN THAT PLACE.
I ONLY COULD LAST 11 DAYS.
THAT SPEAKS WELL OF THOSE PEOPLE
THAT THEY CAN’T PUT THEIR NAMES
ON SOMETHING AND SPEAK HONESTLY
ABOUT SOMETHING.
ABOUT SOMETHING. THAT SPEAKS WELL OF THEM IF THEY
CAN’T TAKE A NUMBER AND GET INTO
THE OVAL OFFICE AND LOOK
DIRECTLY AT THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF AND SAY HEY, THIS ISN’T
WORKING.
WORKING. HERE ARE THE FIVE REASONS WHY
IT’S NOT WORKING.
SOMETHING ABOUT WASHINGTON WHERE
THERE IS AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO
THE TRUTH AND PEOPLE WOULD
RATHER TELL THE REPORTER ON AN
ANONYMOUS PHONE CALL ABOUT WHAT
THEY THINK IS GOING ON IN AN
ATTEMPT THAT THEY THINK ACTUALLY
SAVES THEIR FACE.
SO, LOOK, THE PRESIDENT DIDN’T
DO WELL ON THE TRIP.
HE PROBABLY WOULD BE MAD AT
SOMEBODY FOR SAYING THAT.
MAYBE HE’LL TWEET SOMETHING
NEGATIVE ABOUT SOMEBODY FOR
SAYING HE DIDN’T WELL DO ON THE
TRIP.
TRIP. BUT FACTS ARE HE DID NOT DO WELL
ON THE TRIP BECAUSE IF THE TRIP
IS BEING MADE ABOUT HIM AND NOT
THE DEMONSTRATION OF COMPASSION
AND LOVE AND CARING AND EMPATHY
FOR THOSE PEOPLE, THEN IT
BECOMES A CATASTROPHE FOR HIM,
THE ADMINISTRATION, AND IT’S
ALSO A BAD REFLECTION ON THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. BUT THOSE PEOPLE INSIDE THE
WHITE HOUSE ARE A BUNCH OF
COWARDS.
COWARDS. THEY SHOULD TELL THE GUY THE
TRUTH INSTEAD OF PICKING UP THE
PHONE AND CALLING A REPORTER.
>> ASHLEY, ALONG THOSE LINES, I
KNOW YOU USE THESE PEOPLE AS
SOURCES, SO I’LL ASK YOU ANOTHER
QUESTION, ALL TOGETHER
DIFFERENTLY.
DIFFERENTLY. CAN THIS PRESIDENT DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN THE TIME TO FIGHT AND
THE TIME TO BE A LEADER OF A
TRUCE?
TRUCE? IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A WEEK
FOR A TRUCE, TO GO INTO THE
HOSPITAL ROOMS IF YOU CAN GET IN
THERE, TALK TO THE VICTIMS ABOUT
THEIR LIVE, TALK TO THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS, THE VICTIMS’ FAMILIES,
AND NOT USE IT AS A TIME TO KEEP
SPITBALLING PEOPLE LIKE BETO
O’ROURKE.
O’ROURKE. BETO O’ROURKE IS NOT HIS LEADING
COMPETITOR.
COMPETITOR. THERE IS NO REASON TO TAKE THESE
SHOTS AT HIM.
WHY DID HE DO IT?
>> WELL, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO
PRIDES HIMSELF ON BEING A
COUNTERPUNCHER.
COUNTERPUNCHER. WHEN YOU PRIDE YOURSELF ON BEING
A COUNTERPUNCHER, IT MEANS YOU
VIEW THE WORLD THROUGH THE LENS
OF THERE IS NEVER NOT A TIME TO
FIGHT.
FIGHT. AND THAT IS WHAT WAS SO
STRIKING.
STRIKING. I WAS ON THAT TRIP WITH HIM
YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. AND HE WENT INTO IT, HE AND HIS
STAFF SAYING THIS IS A TIME FOR
HEALING AND UNITY, AND IT WAS A
TIME FOR THOSE THINGS.
BUT THEN HE SORT OF COULDN’T
RESIST TAKING POLITICAL DIGS AND
GOING AFTER ANYONE WHO HE FELT
HAD SLIGHTED HIM, AND THAT
INCLUDED YESTERDAY VICE
PRESIDENT BIDEN, SENATOR SHERROD
BROWN, THE DAYTON MAYOR AND
MEMBERS TELEPHONE MEDIA.
AND HE JUST CANNOT RESIST.
>> IT SEEMED TO ME, THOUGH, HE
WAS REALLY OVERZEALOUS WITH THE
COUNTERPUNCHING WITH SHERROD
BROWN AND THE MAYOR OF DAYTON
BECAUSE THEY WERE RELATIVELY
NONPOLITICAL.
NONPOLITICAL. WHY DO YOU THINK HE SWIPED BACK
AT THEM SO HARD?
>> YOU’RE RIGHT.
THEIR COMMENTS WERE ACTUALLY
SOMEWHAT NEUTRAL TO POSITIVE
BECAUSE THEY SAID LOOK, HE CAME
HERE.
HERE. HE DID THE RIGHT THINGS.
HE SAID THE RIGHT THINGS.
HE COMFORTED THE PEOPLE.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU LISTEN TO HIS
WORDS AND YOU LOOKED AT THE
VIDEOS THAT THE WHITE HOUSE PUT
OUT, THE PRESIDENT AS HIS SOCIAL
MEDIA DIRECTOR SAID IN A TWEET
WANTED TO BE TREATED LIKE A
QUOTE/UNQUOTE ROCK STAR.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL THE
LOVE AND THE ADULATION.
AND I THINK HE WAS FRUSTRATED,
AND YOU HEARD THAT IN HIS PUBLIC
COMMENTS THAT THEY SORT OF
WEREN’T AS ADORING AND
APPRECIATIVE OF HIS VISITS AS HE
WOULD HAVE LIKED THEM TO HAVE
BEEN.
BEEN. >> WELL, LET ME GO TO JOEL.
HERE IS THE QUESTION.
EVEN IN MOVIES LIKE "DAVE" THEY
TALK ABOUT A REGULAR GUY BEING
PRESIDENT, SORT OF PRETENDING TO
BE PRESIDENT.
BE PRESIDENT. YOU’RE PRETTY GOOD IF YOU’RE A
HUMAN BEING AT JUST SORT OF
FAMILIES LOST PEOPLE’S LIVES,
RELATIVES ARE DEAD.
KIDS DON’T HAVE PARENTS.
OKAY.
OKAY. THEY’RE HISPANIC PEOPLE.
THEY’RE LATINO PEOPLE.
YOU’VE HAD A WAR OF THE ISSUE
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BUT NOT
AGAINST THEM INDIVIDUALLY, YOU
KNOW?
KNOW? WHY CAN’T HE JUST DO THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK WE KNOW THIS
PRESIDENT IS ANYTHING BUT A
REGULAR PERSON.
REGULAR PERSON. HE IS NOT.
HE DOESN’T HAVE A SENSE OF
HUMOR.
HUMOR. HE DOESN’T HAVE EMPATHY.
HE DOESN’T HAVE IMPULSE CONTROL,
CHRIS.
CHRIS. THESE AREN’T EVEN
CHARACTERISTICS WE LOOK FOR
PRESIDENTS.
PRESIDENTS. THESE ARE CHARACTERISTICS WE
LOOK FOR IN FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS.
NEIGHBORS. AND HE DOESN’T HAVE THEM.
>> BY THE WAY, YOU’RE VERY
OBSERVANT.
OBSERVANT. HE DOESN’T REALLY HAVE A SENSE
OF HUMOR.
OF HUMOR. >> HE REALLY DOESN’T.
WHICH IS KIND OF A DANGEROUS
QUALITY AND A LEADER.
CAN I PAUSE AS SOMETHING RADICAL
HERE?
HERE? IS IT POSSIBLE THIS PRESIDENT IS
FLOUNDERING AROUND ON THE TRIP
BECAUSE DEMOCRATS ON THE LEFT
AND PROGRESSIVES HAVE WON THE
CULTURE WAR ON GUNS.
AND THIS PRESIDENT DOESN’T KNOW
WHAT TO DO.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" HAS SOME
GREAT REPORTING ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THE NRA HAS KIND OF PUT THE
PRESIDENT UP AGAINST THE WALL,
PRESSURING HIM NOT TO DO
ANYTHING ON BACKGROUND CHECKS.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> IT’S A 90% ISSUE IN FAVOR OF
DOING SOMETHING, EVEN 54% WERE
REPUBLICANS.
REPUBLICANS. CAN I SUGGEST THAT MAYBE PART OF
WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS A PRESIDENT
WHO DOESN’T HAVE AN EXIT PLAN.
>> TO GET OUT OF THIS ONE?
>> YEAH, TO GET OUT OF THIS ONE.
HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
HE KNOWS HE’S GOT TO DO
SOMETHING, BUT THE MONIED
INTERESTS BEHIND HIM WON’T LET
HIM DO IT.
AND HE HAS NO WAY OUT.
>> LET ME GO TO SCARAMUCCI ON
THAT.
THAT. ANTHONY, WHAT IS THE STORY ON
THIS GUY?
THIS GUY? HE SEEMS LIKE HE IS PLAYING AN
OLD TRICK.
OLD TRICK. THE OLD TRICK LAST TIME WHEN WE
HAD THE LAST SHOOTING WAS TO SAY
WHILE THE HEAT WAS ON, SAY
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. AND WHEN THE HEAT IS OFF, DO
NOTHING.
NOTHING. IT ALWAYS WORKS BECAUSE THE
ANTI-GUN PEOPLE OR THE GUN
CONTROL OR GUN SAFETY PEOPLE,
THEY KEEP THEIR INTERESTS UP FOR
A WEEK OR TWO, MAYBE TEN DAYS
AND THEY’RE ON TO SOMETHING
ELSE, CLIMATE CHANGE, WHATEVER
ELSE, WHEREAS THE GUN PEOPLE ARE
STILL AROUND, THE NRA IS STILL
AROUND, STILL WATCHING TO SEE IF
THERE IS ANY GIVE.
SO HE SAYS ALL THE RIGHT STUFF
WHEN THE HEAT’S ON.
WE’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING OF
BACKGROUND CHECKS.
BACKGROUND CHECKS. BUT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN
MITCH McCONNELL FEELS THEY’RE
CAUGHT HERE.
CAUGHT HERE. THEY GOT TO DO SOMETHING IN
THREE OR FOUR WEEKS WHEN THEY DO
COME BACK.
COME BACK. I’M NOT SURE THAT’S TRUE.
THEY COULD PLAY THIS GAME AGAIN
LIKE LUCY AND THE FOOTBALL.
THEY CAN SAY WE’RE GOING TO DO
IT AND THEN DROP THE FOOTBALL
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >> I THINK IT’S TOUGH FOR THEM
TO DO SOMETHING.
THE CALCULATION THAT THEY’RE
MAKING IS THEY NEED 100% OF THE
BASE AND THEY’RE FEARFUL IF THEY
DO SOMETHING RELATED TO THE
GUNS, RIGHT NOW THE STATUS QUO,
UNFORTUNATELY, 200 PLUS
INCIDENTS, THE STATUS QUO SEEMS
TO BE OKAY.
THEY WAIT IT OUT FOR THE NEXT
CRISIS.
CRISIS. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS
SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE
2020 ELECTION, BECAUSE THE NRA
HAS BASICALLY BEEN GUTTED.
SO FOLLOW THE MONEY IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. THEY DON’T HAVE THE MONEY THAT
THEY USED TO HAVE.
AND SO THEREFORE THEY DON’T HAVE
THE POWER.
THE POWER. AND IF THE POLLING IS AS BAD AS
IT ACTUALLY IS ON THE GUN ISSUE,
WITHOUT THE MONEY BEHIND THE NRA
ANYMORE, CHRIS, THEY’LL END UP
FLIP-FLOPPING AND GOING IN
ANOTHER DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE
NRA.
NRA. BUT I THINK THE CHANCES OF THEM
DOING THAT BEFORE THE 2020
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ARE LOW
BECAUSE THEY’RE MAKING A
CALCULATION, JUST LOOK AT THE