Posted on May 1, 2012

Matthews: "So Proud" Of Obama Addressing Troops In Afghanistan

Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's "Hardball," raved about a speech President Obama made to American troops during his surprise visit to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.



"I imagine being a soldier over there -- this is what you want to hear," Matthews said, as if he was wearing military fatigues.



Matthews also likened the leadership of President Obama to that of Henry V of England.



"It was right out of Henry V actually, a touch of Barry, in this case, in the night for those soldiers risking their lives over there," Matthews said.



"Well that's great stuff. I was so proud of the President there, I must say. This has nothing to do with partisanship; this is the Commander-in-Chief meeting with the troops," Chris Matthews gushed on his program today.



Matthews continued to express his admiration for Obama, who was in Afghanistan to mark the first anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death.



"Congressman [Jim] Moran (D-VA), I was so proud of him there because I imagine being a soldier over there [and] this is what you want to hear. The troops are backed up by the people at home and there you have your Commander-in-Chief there with you personally. It's great stuff," Matthews raved.



Rep. Moran also had strong praise for Obama, noting he was acting in a way that the Commander-in-Chief "should act" rather than "just by claiming to be" one. Moran said the speech "was not politics" and Obama has not made and will not make this a campaign issue.



"He is our Commander-in-Chief and not just by claiming to be, but by acting as a Commander-in-Chief should act. This was a Commander-in-Chief's speech. It was not political. It was motivational; it was just exactly what the troops needed to hear and [just] as important, what their families need to hear back home," Moran said.



"And instead of gloating over the killing of bin Laden a year ago, this is exactly where he should be and doing what he should be doing. Now in terms of responding to the concern of this war, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't accelerate the troop withdrawal. It's not going to happen before the election and it's going to happen only as he can responsibly withdrawal our troops," Moran continued.



"You're not going to hear much about this issue because I don't see where he's left any room on the left or the right for it to be a campaign issue, Chris," Moran concluded.