Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC Host: "I understand that he had to teach some basic things about this to the general public, but he doesn't get another chance at this, does he? The national address over the stalemate on the debt ceiling. if he was going to make news about it, wasn't he going to have done it here?"
Chris Matthews, MSNBC: "I think there's concern in the media -- our media about that. He asked for time in primetime to go on national television. Usually Presidents ask for that when they want to make an announcement, make news as you put it. Clearly, he did not tonight. In fact, he openly stated this is a debate that he's endangered in, not a news-making event. I think that's why the networks chose, I think wisely, to give the opposition its turn, but it did put the President almost on an equal level.
"Obviously, technically you saw the advantages of the White House Press Corps and the operation they have. They know how to put a press together. Reported Speaker Boehner, once again it was a slim shot operation by the Republicans. He was looking off North by Northwest or somewhere, something up in the air there. I'm not sure what it was, but clearly it wasn't the normal sort of presentation where you look at the camera.
"And by the way, I still don't know why they keep imitating the President by putting a podium up. A lectern. Acting like they're addressing the nation like they're the President. He'd be far better off doing what Nixon did years ago with the Checkers speech. Just stand in front of the desk like an average person. Lean against, put his butt against the back of the -- the front of the desk and talk like a regular person to other regular people. But they continue to try to pretend they are some sort of counterbully-pulpit when they are not that. So, I think both sides blew it in terms of format tonight. The President shouldn't have gone on national television to give a political address and I don't think the opposition did much in matching it."
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