Thursday, February 11, 2010

Noam Chomsky Interviewed By Chris Matthews on "Hardball"

Last week Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball had as his guest, author and Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at MIT, Noam Chomsky.

A transcript of this interview is featured here.

Matthews: "I'd like to welcome Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at MIT and author of several books to Hardball. Welcome Professor!

Chomsky: "Good to be here Chris!"

Matthews: "Now tell me professor, what chances do you think the Obama administration has of achieving its goal with respect to the campaign promises made by him prior to his election?"

Chomsky: "Well Chris..."

Matthews: "I mean do you think the president has any chance of putting forth any of the changes this country may need at this time?"

Chomsky: "I think, Chris..."

Matthews: "Were the promises he made during his campaign realistic or just a sort of ..well let's say, a naive belief on his part that we would have a truly bipartisan approach to issues such as bank bailouts or healthcare reform?"

Chomsky: "I think Chris..."

Matthews: "I mean professor do you believe that the Republican Party is purposefully trying to perhaps, sabotage the Democratic Party's majority vote in congress in their own hope of regaining control in 2012?"

Chomsky: "Chris I think..."

Matthews: "What's your real opinion on what the hold up is? Because I think that's really what's going on here myself. I think that the president's ideas for policy are right on the money and he was elected by a majority was he not?"

Chomsky: "He was in fact elected by..."

Matthews: "I mean a majority by both the popular vote, electoral vote and so on, has to have real some clout one would think.?"

Chomsky: It does Chris but what I think we're dealing with here is..."

Mathews: "I mean with that kind of electoral clout you'd think we'd be more further along on issues than we are currently dealing with here. That it's the Republican Senate that does not want this man or for that matter any of his party to speak the will of the people. What are your thoughts on that?"

Chomsky: "Well Chris as I started to say..."

Matthews: "And let ask you this professor, what kind of a name is "Noam?" I mean did your mother or your father give you that name?"

Chomsky: "Well as a matter of fact Chris it was..."

Matthews: "I mean was it your father or mother that decided to name you Noam? I know there's a town in Alaska called Noam but I think it's spelled with a "K." What? ...no... That's my producer over there.. what?... She's nodding no... no "K?' oh! N_O_M_E ..okay...Okay Viv, my producer Vivivian Borkess. Okay Viv... ha ha ha... I owe you one. It's Nome, no "K."... Or was it professor, one of those birth certificate typos?"

Chomsky: "No Chris actually..."

Matthews: "I mean sometimes when a child is born and say the parents name her "Jessica" but on the birth certificate it's spelled with only one "s" and the parents decide to leave it like that, I mean it may be because, you know it's unique, that their daughter is unique, is that what happened with you?"

Chomsky: "Chris, "Noam" is actually...."

Matthews: "I mean did your parents maybe do the same thing?"

Chomsky: "My parents actually...."

Mathews: "Did your parents, your mother or father, I don't remember who you said named you that...did your parents choose that name or was it one of those typos that sometimes happens on birth certificates?"

Chomsky: "Well "Noam" is..."

Matthews: "I mean maybe it was supposed to be "Norm" like short for "Norman" or ah... let's see ... of ah ... biblical reference like "Noah" only maybe it was one of those typographical errors that sometimes happens at hospitals?"

Chomsky: "No actually I was born...."

Matthews: "But I think we're getting off the point professor. Do you think Obama's chances of being re-elected in 2012 are becoming less promising?"

Chomsky: "Not at all Chris, in fact I think..."

Matthews: "Noam" I still have a hard time with that."
Well thanks professor, we've run out of time but will have you back soon on Hardball. Coming up next when we return I'll have as my guest, conservative writer for Newsweek and political commentator George Will. Stay tuned. This is Hardball."


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