Astonishingly, last night was the third night running on which Chris Matthews didn’t mention John F. Kennedy on Hardball. As I noted yesterday, Matthew’s sudden silence will, of course, have nothing to do with today’s publication of Once Upon a Secret, a new book by one of Kennedy’s former mistresses, Mimi Alford. Alford alleges that the 35th president,
“pimped her out,” forced her to take drugs, pressured her to have an (illegal) abortion when he thought she was pregnant, and regularly flew her in to Washington when his wife was away.
Nor is it more than a coincidence that Matthews, who has mentioned JFK or his book, Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero, pretty much every day since his book was published, stopped doing so at the exact moment that lurid tales about his hero hit the press.
You're mistaken. Chris Matthews mentioned Mimi Alford on Hardball a few nights ago and promoted an upcoming interview he was doing with Today or one of NBC's news shows about her book.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseoh, snap
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusercade, you've ruined Mr. Cooke's day. He obviously has a personal thing going with Matthews.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRcade is exactly right. But even if he wasn't is this type of commentary worthy of being posted at National Review online? I mean, who really cares? There are interesting and important things going on nationally and internationally that are worthy of serious engagement. Alas, this is not one of them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAny man willing to admit - not just in public, but on television - to feeling a thrill go up his leg, is probably not a man possessed of the best of judgment.
It might only have occurred to him after the fact that his book sales might be impacted.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBecause correlation is causation!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLiberals are ahistorical. It makes their Sorelian myths easier.
Alford's book will soon be yesterday's news, and Matthews will get back to his big pimpin'.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy god, Mr. Cooke, let it go. I'm no Matthews fan, and don't approve of the conduct described by JFK's young paramour, but for God's sake, these petty little attacks against Matthews for not mentioning JFK are just silly. You are the only one in the World who seems to care.
I mean, really. Do you suppose Sean Hannity is going to run a special discusssing Newt Gingrich's marital escapades? Of course not.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseUh, yes he did (between segments, going into a commercial break). Please stop tarnishing your reputation and get your facts straight.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDo you think this Mimi Alford is credible? Does she offer proof? Maybe the book is true, but if it's just a lot of "Well, you can't PROVE that it DIDN'T happen" by someone looking for $, it will end up tarnishing those who seize on it with what appears to be enthusiasm.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSince I was hard on Mr. Cooke for his petty (and, apparentl untruthful) shots at Matthews, in fairness I think that Ms. Alford is highly credible. She gives a very detailed account of her relationship with JFK, and there is overwhelming evidence that JFK had numerous affairs while serving as President. Her story rings true.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMimi Alford isn't the only source for the claim she had an affair as an intern with JFK. A 1964 oral history (snicker) described the president's 18-month-affair with her:
External Link
She only decided to write the book after the affair was reported in the press in 2009.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThanks, Galt's Bain and Rcade. I would rather believe such tawdry stories were just wild exaggerations, if not outright fictions, but I guess sometimes people are indeed tawdry!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMatthew's next-
"Jack (I call him Jack) was a lot of things, but he wasn't Ted."
-written because, well, Ted Sorenson isn't around to do it anymore.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCharlie, what's the point? What happened to, if you can't say something good, don't say anything? President Kennedy had tax breaks, handled Cuba well, addressed civil rights problems, appointed Justice Byron White -- who wrote the eloquent dissent in Roe v Wade. So drop your pettiness. If these things are true, we're all saddened. But they don't lessen the good things about JFK's presidency.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe interview I mentioned in my earlier comment aired last night on Rock Center. Chris Matthews was shown near the end of the hour, talking about how JFK compartmentalized his life.
This blog post should be corrected or retracted. It's factually inaccurate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse