Chris Matthews brings back Dan Rather, and Rather does just fine

On March 7, on Chris Matthews’s Sunday morning political panel show, Dan Rather put his wingtip in his mouth. The former CBS anchorman — now Global Correspondent for HDNet — described President Barack Obama as a weak leader: “Look at the healthcare bill,” Rather said. “It was his No. 1 priority and it took him forever to get it through and he had to compromise it to death. ... He couldn't sell watermelons if … you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic.”

Matthews, recognizing in an instant the incendiary possibilities of Rather’s typically homespun Southeast Texas expression, jumped in to change the subject. Not quickly enough, as the remark hit the blogs. Rather, 78, had to apologize — which he did via a post on the Huffington Post. No apology could stop younger colleagues from casting Rather as the crazy old uncle who says racist things at Thanksgiving dinner.

To continue the lower-extremity metaphor, the story didn’t have muscular legs because no sane person believes that the liberal crusader Rather is a racist. Many believe that he’s much more a crusader than a journalist — he now anchors a weekly news program called Dan Rather Reports — but a racist? Not a chance.

Chris Matthews obviously likes Rather, so I was not surprised yesterday, one week later, to see him back on The Chris Matthews Show. This week Rather was beseeching President Obama to show “his steel.” No watermelons this Sunday and no broccoli either.

A previous “Ratherism,” circa 2000, comes to mind: "You would sooner find a tall talking broccoli stick to offer to mow your lawn for free."