Ironically, Alter was talking to another man with an unhealthy love for Obama, Tingles.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: If you were this president, I think, is facing some historic notes in his biography. He may not want to see. Like IRS, FBI, even Benghazi. Although it’s unclear right next to it. How does he get through this thing? He’s up to his elbow in alligators.

JONATHAN ALTER: He has to get on top of this story. You know, today was disastrous. I thought that Eric Holder’s briefing was disastrous. He tried to claim that they had exhausted all other avenues before they surveilled 100 “AP” reporters which is completely untrue. They didn’t even tell the reporters that this surveillance was going on. So that was one avenue they didn’t exhaust. And I thought Jay Carney’s briefing was also disastrous. It was kind of like, reminded me of in the ’50s when kids would get under their desks in the cold war, duck and cover exercises. […]

He in some ways infantilizes the people around him. a lot of them are young. Some of them are very smart and talented. But they’re all in awe of the president. They have an unhealthy love for him. Yes, they do sometimes tell him the bad news which he says he wants. They’re not all sycophants. He has not figured out how to get other people in.