re: #189 Charles

As I said, maybe defensiveness is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve only seen Matthews a few times, so maybe what seems to me to be defensive and pouty is just his natural demeanor.

His question to Bachman about her wanting to investigate people for “un-American” activities was a good one. But it was one she obviously had no interest in answering, either time he asked. And his questions were respectful - right up until the sign showed up in the background. I think the sign was in bad taste, but I think he let it get under his skin and he showed it with the snarky “are you hypnotized” remark.

He should have left it with her non-answers. His invitation to come on the show and actually answer the question someday would have been a reasonable end to the interview. I think a journalist who wants to be taken seriously should treat the people he’s interviewing that way. He should give his audience enough credit to assume they can judge whether or not the person he’s interviewing should be taken seriously, and that they don’t need him to lead them down that path.

Plus, he does his own career a disservice - if he plays it that she’s a nitwit and beneath him, what does that say for his professional standing that he’s the one stuck interviewing her.