Hardball Hijinx

For those of us who saw this live or on any of the many replays online, this is the "unofficial transcript" - for those who have not this is Hardball Host Chris Matthews from Thursday, May 15 talking to Mark Green and Kevin James about George Bush citing Barack Obama for talking with enemies and comparing him to Neville Chamberlain in World War II. It's a little long, but REALLY FUNNY!

Matthews: Welcome back to Hardball. Did President Bush inject himself into the Presidential Campaign today in Israel? And was he out of line for doing a political "hit job" on Obama from overseas? Kevin James is a radio talk show host for KRLA in Los Angeles and Mark Green is president of the Air America radio. Let me go to Kevin first. Who do you think President Bush was talking about today in the Knesset?

Kevin James: Well, I don't know who he was talking about for sure Chris-

Matthews (speaks over him) Take a wild guess

James (cont'd) but if he wasn't talking about Barack Obama, he should have been talking about Barack Obama! I hope he was talking about Barack Obama!

Matthews: Okay. But, do you think there was any doubt he was though, sir?

James: Not in my mind there wasn't

Matthews: Was there any doubt

James: No. Not in my mind there wasn't

Matthews: Okay. And you think it was a fair shot to go overseas and take a shot politically at a fellow American?

James: Let me tell you who should have been overseas. Barack Obama should have been overseas talking to Israel at the Knesset. Barack Obama is the one who's Israel policies are very questionable. Barack Obama is the one who had Robert Malley a Middle East policy advisor who just left the Obama campaign because it was revealed that he was secretly working in confidence with Hamas. Barack Obama is the one who is endorsed by Hamas. Barack Obama is the one who needs to be making good right now with the people of Israel in this election season. His policies are the one in question-

Matthews: Why is Israel; why is Israel the center of the Republican campaign? What is Israel about in this presidential campaign?

James: it's not...

Matthews: Why the focus on Israel?