Before MSNBC's Chris Matthews was able to give his opinion on the GOP's response to Obama's SOTU address, fellow host Rachel Maddow made a curious comment that might make one speculate that the prime host has a problem with the concept of "American Exceptionalism."
To put things in context, the MSNBC crew had just watched Indiana's Mitch Daniels wrap up his brief response saying:
“We will advance our positive suggestions with confidence, because we know that Americans are still a people born to liberty. There is nothing wrong with the state of our Union that the American people, addressed as free-born, mature citizens, cannot set right. Republicans in 2012 welcome all our countrymen to a program of renewal that rebuilds the dream for all, and makes our ‘city on a hill’ shine once again.”
That closing line from Daniels is what seemed to cause Ms. Maddow's tsuris. Immediately following the response, and introducing Chris Matthews, Maddow said this:
Chris, I have to put it to you because you're the only person in the world to which I know of that I can complain about this, the city on the hill does not shine. The city on the hill never shines.
Matthews did not appear to be thrilled about that introduction and passed it with relatively little comment. His review of Mitch Daniels' response was generally positive, and might even be considered a "glowing" review:
"I really liked that speech by Mitch Daniels. I thought it was Midwestern conservatism, the best kind, honest, fiscally conservative of course, but recognizing that we have to protect our safety net, and we have to recognize that the rich cannot get all the pension money, all the entitlements."
Did Maddow have an issue with Daniels' speech and the merits of the metaphor, or could it be that she does not believe America is a shining example for the rest of the world?
