White House Scores Again, Adds MSNBC Trio To Bushapalooza Tour

Matthews, Scarborough, Carlson Join To Continue Slam, Equating DNC Talking Points and Osama bin Laden

The White House's "Bushapalooza" was amped up this morning, with the announcement that Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough and Tucker Carlson, all hosts on MSNBC Cable News, will join the tour this week.

On two of his "Hardball" programs last week, Matthews compared Osama bin Laden to Michael Moore, and with Scarborough and Carlson in agreement, equated the diatribe from bin Laden as "that he is parroting the Democratic left talking points about Iraq".

"This is a major score for us," gushed White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett. "Just getting Matthews would have been good, but to get all three of them … This is big …"

When apprised of Matthews joining Bushapalooza, Joe Gandelman, of The Moderate Voice said that "It was a sad day for TMV when Matthews abandoned the world of print journalism to do his TV show …"

This is the second huge talent for 'Bushapalooza" in less then two-weeks, following the signing of embattled "Million Little Pieces" author, James Frey.

While the trio of MSNBC hosts will be exclusive on "Bushapalooza", author Frey is splitting his time between the tour, and writing of the U.S. Military's Iraqi Media Program.

The White House also has controversial televangelist Pat Robertson at their disposal. Robertson was brought in by the Administration, to produce a string of "Al-Qaeda-type" videos, raining condemnation down on the Islamic terrorists.

"This is a major score for us," gushed White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett. "Just getting Matthews would have been good, but to get all three of them … This is big …"

Matthews, host of "Hardball" on MSNBC, came to the White House's attention last Thursday and Friday, with the alleged release of a new audiotape from Al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden.

First, on Thursday evening, with Matthews interviewing Senator Joe Biden about terrorism and the new bid Laden tape, said;

"This is from bin Laden in the audio today. “There is no defect in the solution other than preventing the flow of hundreds of billions to the influential people and war merchants in America.” I mean, he sounds like an over-the-top Michael Moore here, if not a Michael Moore. Do you think that sells in America, that this war is being fought for the Daddy Warbucks?"

The following night, Friday, Matthews did a spilt-screen conference with Scarborough (Scarborough Country), and Tucker Carlson (The Situation). Rita Cosby, former Fox host, now with MSNBC and her own program, "Rita, Live and Direct", also joined the discussion.

Matthews, already catching criticism for his Thursday comments, attempted to explain himself, saying;

"Why is he doing it? Why is he trying to track what he picks up in the Internet and from the media as the lingo of the left in America, like Moore? Why would he start to talk like Moore? … People misunderstood what I said last night. I think he's getting some advice from people, he's getting some lingo, some wordage that he hears working somewhere in the United States about this being for war profiteers and he's jumping on every opportunity …"

Scarborough picked up on Matthews' point and offered that "bin Laden is actually parroting a lot of what we've heard from Democratic leaders across America over the past two or three years and also, of course, Michael Moore and other leftists …"

Carlson chipped in with "of course I buy that … And I think it is an important distinction to make. There's no question, and anyone who reads bin Laden's statements yesterday will come to I think the same conclusion, that he is parroting the Democratic left talking points about Iraq."

"We couldn't write this any better ourselves," said Bartlett. "My phones lit up as soon as the program was over, with Andy [Card] and Karl [Rove] saying that we had to get these guys for Bushapalooza."

"We might have them come on stage, ala 'The Three Amigos, guns blazing." offered Bartlett.

Bushapalooza has been ramped up, starting last Friday with Special White House Counsel Karl Rove delivering a speech to the Republican National Committee.

Rove stayed on the offensive, defending President Bush's NSA Wiretapping program, saying "Let me be as clear as I can be: President Bush believes if Al Qaeda is calling somebody in America, it is in our national security interest to know who they're calling and why ... Some important Democrats clearly disagree."

President Bush continued the tour with a speech at Kansas State University earlier today and Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, former head of the National Security Agency; will layout a defense spying program with a speech, as will Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales on Tuesday. President Bush will visit N.S.A. headquarters on Wednesday.

Bartlett indicate that Matthew, Scarborough and Carlson will be on all stops of Bushapalooza this week and they may also employ Robertson as well.

"Pat's been cranking them out," said Bartlett. "I think we need to get him out of the studio and let him loose with a live audience."

MSNBC refused comment, and gave no indication if their hosts would be on-air live, or if reruns or alternate programming with be run, until their return from Bushapalooza.

The Fox News Network issued a terse statement, questioning why the White House hasn't called in any of their personalities for the tour.

"Sean Hannity can talk circles, dripping with blood, around those pansies," said Fox New President Roger Ailes. "Not to have Sean, or Bill [O'Reilly] on Bushapalooza is a mystery to us."

O'Reilly is said to be flying back to New York, interupting his new "War To Save Valentine's Day".












Former Congressman Joe Scarborough will be doing alot of talking, when he joins fellow MSNBC hosts Chris Matthews and Tucker Carlson on the Bushapalooza Tour this week.