Chris Matthews Vouches For Black People's Work Ethic

On Friday's "Hardball" Chris Matthews discussed Hillary Clinton's comment about hard-working white people with Tucker Carlson and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. During it, he interjected to make a point about black people's work ethic. "Can I weigh in on this cause I'm the moderator? You get up in DC at 6 o'clock in the morning, you know who's waiting to catch the bus to go to work? Black people! They're up earlier than anyone else going to work for longer hours."

Comments

[Ides]

Uh...thanks, Chris?

[adamsmith]

Without the media, rascism would be pretty much dead. It's a different world than even just 30 years ago. MLK Jr. wanted a color blind society and rightly so. People are people, color don't mean a thing...

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

So the media is continuing racism?? Then why are "WORKING CLASS - WHITE AMERICANS" not voting for Obama because he is either:
Black..
A Muslim..
A terrorist..
oh and Not Patriotic enough..

Racism is alive and well in America even after MLK... Sadly, the last person that I ever thought would use it to gain votes has shaken hands with the devil.. Hillary Clinton is a disgrace to the democratic party..

[tgh86]

You know, it's painful having to watch people mull all the bullshit the Clintons have dumped on this primary. When can we all reach the point where we can issue a collective "not going to dignify this with a response" response?

[soundfury]

The MSM has turned the Democratic Party against itself. Why? They're controlled by corporate giants who always vote Republican.

Time to unite around Barack Obama and teach them a lesson.

[Melissa]

Who even listens to this idiot anymore? I can hardly wait until he runs for the Senate and fails.

[Kally]

Unite around someone like obama...the MSM made him let them continue to keep their head up his butt. I will never ever vote for or support ANY of the democrats who supported this limp wristed dancing waving and chanting enitity.The Democratic Party is no more. The republicans did what they set out to do. They had their republican owned MSM flame slur swift boat and lie about Hillary Clinton til they got obama appointed as the candidate. They knew Hillary would beat the socks off McCain while obama will probably only win Illinois and several of the states who have stupid voters. He has not won ONE TOTALY DEMOCRATIC STATE. He has won the republican voting states in the south that have the majority of black voters. What is going to happen in the GE when those states he won which are 3 to 1 registered republican voters plow him under. And do you think for one minute most of the states that voted for Hillary are going to vote for such a crapola. NO - McCain will be the next president.

[glesslib]

I just read your last line....God have mercy on the Former United States of American then.

I would have absolutely no idea how you can work up so much hate for a man who has a pretty inspiring message to offer. You might want to sit down, take a deep breath and ask yourself what is really bothering you about Obama. And please, don't feel the need to share.

[dajay]

THe MSM has been giving Obama the free ride, not Hillary. As an Obama supporter, what are you complaining about?

But you have a point. In the general election, I think a lot of them will turn against Obama, except for maybe the MSNBC Obama Network.

THey pretty much got the OBama butt kissing thing down pat by now on there.

[thirteen13]

What if gas is $6.00 or more a gallon come November. What if heating oil is $6.00 or more a gallon come November.

There is a lot of feces out there waiting to happen between now and November.

Obama has beaten two Clintons and their political machine. Even McCain is not having anything stick to Obama. When you see Obama and McCain side by side, the young and vibrant against the old and inflexible. We are going to see something happen.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

blah blah blah, stop whining - what free pass?? Hillary can't beat Barry, so now instead of admitting the guy did a great job, you attribute his success to the media whom I should add basically pounded him for a ocuple of months for things that have no baring on the issues. Yet he prevails..

Keep crying...

[AnAmericanWoman]

Listen - Irregardless to what you may think of Chris Mathews- HE TOLD IT LIKE IT IS!

Some of you "hard-working" white people like to think that all AA people are on WELFARE - well MOST aren't!

[MyNameIsJames]

And to back you up American Woman. African Americans worked "free of charge" for about 230 years so that all the hardworking immigrant White ethnics could experience the MIRACLE of the United States. What a hell of a deal!

I can't think of another group that has demonstrated their worth to this nation more than African Americans. I mean- free labor - so that the Irish and Poles, and Italians and millions of others could enjoy the fruits of the industrial revolution.

The only thing that pisses me off about the Blacks is that they can be so ungrateful at times. For instance they have been known to ask for reparations and espouse their own foolish notions of justice and equality. My advice to them is - learn to enjoy watching others eat the food that you cooked.

[FdeBear]

As an African-American I find your final statement about how grateful we ought to be insulting and historically incorrect. What more can one human being do than to offer up his/her life for your country or to offer up your children. My people have served this country and fought for your freedom since we've been on this soil -even when we were not free.You really need to get to know some of us.

[SanityNowPlease]

i totally agree with everything you wrote...except for your use of the word "irregardless", which is a double negative and therefor cancels itself out. i know the debate over this nonstandard "word" has been going on for about 100 years, but it is a ridiculous word. please consider substituting the real word "regardless", which means exactly what you have in mind.

[ToddG]

I don't think that "irregardless" is even a word. As you note, the correct word is "regardless". That said, the original author's use of the non-word "Irregardless" is very, very common.

[Sabreen60]

I heard Chris and I don't think he meant to be offensive. Anybody in America who is under the impression that African Americans don't work hard is living under a rock. Since slavery up to and for the better part of the 20th century black folks did PROPORTIONALLY (based on the number of adult African Americans) more manual labor then whites. That's a fact. The notion that racist have floated that Blacks were lazy (while some Black woman was scrubbing their floors and her own floors) seems to live on in the minds of some whites. Maybe this was why Chris felt the need to say what he did.

[DesertLight]

So many words come to mind whenever I see Chris Matthews face. However, none of them can be posted here.

[Stew118]

I watched Chris Matthews utter that he had never attended a class in school with a SINGLE african-american. That was pretty telling. Don't think that we needed his affirmation however- I'm pretty sure that the infrastructure and instituitonal wealth of this nation was not built on the backs of "white working class" folks- ask the blue-bloods in MA where they made all their money 300 and 400 years ago- you think it was the int'l spice trade?

[ebanks84]

Well, that's a telling factor isn't it. But I know he's worked with a few and his perspective seems to be dead on some times so I'll give him the benefit of a doubt.

[MM5]

Chris Mathews may be rough around the edges...and he starts spitting when he gets excited and says crazy things about his legs tingling..but he seems to be genuinely put off by political slime games so he is fine in my book.

[BeyondTheBull]

I used to think that about Matthews, but after viewing him regulary for some time ... he's lost credibility. I think political slime must be contageous... and Chris has an infection.

[ebanks84]

He might just be getting over it a little. Sometimes we have to take baby steps to get where we need to be.

[pilgrim7]

Maybe Chris felt compelled to speak up in defense of black people because Hillary's black supporters can't muster up any backbone in their own defense. I can't understand why her black supporters themselves don't defend black people as hard-working. Seems to be an indication of how they view themselves. Don't they have any self-respect?

[KarateKid]

A lot of people of color (not just African Americans) are OREOS. As a person of color, I find this fascinating. Maybe it's the effect of advertising; maybe it's a self esteem issue.

I am an American of Japanese ancestry and have seen this in my own community. It took me a long time to understand the self esteem issue that my father, who served under MacArthur while the rest of his family languished in camps, spoke about.

[MyNameIsJames]

Hey Karate Kid

It is a coping mechanism designed to help minorities handle the degradation of their identities.

[nolalily]

Hillary's black supporters are few and far between. The few remaining, well, they think like Hillary..

[Freedomscap]

The issue is: blacks have been the backbone of the Democratic party. These hard working so called white folks, if you can call them that, are basically Regan Democrats and are not loyal to the Democratic party -- case closed.

[Sabreen60]

You don't understand? Well, quiet as it's kept there are rules for whites and there are rules for blacks. When Blacks speak out, far too often they are blamed as either playing the race card or in this instance playing the "identity card". Her supporters are walking a very thin line. They support her but cannot turn off their constituency or some African Americans. It's the same line that Sen.Obama has to walk. Hillary can say a lot of crap and get away with it in the MSM. Obama cannot.

[brent777]

I think black supporters do have self respect, they've decided not to vote for her. Actions speak louder than words.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

Sadly a lot of black supporters voted for her before she showed her true colors.

[sashimi]

tell me something I don't know, chris.

[MDTERP]

We knew he was a misogynistic pig, Next we'll find out some of his best friends are black people, hard-working ones.
What an a-----e.

[christieZ]

Misogynistic? What are you talking about? It's hilarious that Hillary supporters are throwing around these terms: anti-feminist, sexist, misogynistic. Have you EVER taken a course on feminism? If you had, you'd realize what a disgrace Hillary is to women. She conducts herself in the same way as men who have done their best to keep women from rising in politics in the first place. She has adopted and embraced the politics of fear and prejudice. Feminism is about oppressed peoples around the world, and that includes minorities and the environment. She cares only for herself. Feminism isn't about women ruling at all costs. It's about EQUALITY. Hillary is just power hungry.

[LABC]

Amen ... when will this candidate and her supporters start taking responsiblity for her campaign and stop blaming misogyny for all her failings?

[tastycake3]

At last the truth about HRC she is not a feminist she is a republician white man discised as a women. She is not like any women i have ever met stright or gay. She is a just a mess and just a power hungry misinformed republician running in a democratic primary race because she thinks she can fool the old white uneducated women,who have a chip on their sholder and would do anything for the apperance of equality even if it is the same old garbage just dressed in a pantsuite.

[Freedomscap]

Misogynistic -- why are you throwing that word out there. I'm so sick of these people posting terms like: racist, misognist, bigot, anti -semite, etc... Many of you posters don't even know what these words mean and that's why you throw them about so freely. Has the meaning of words lost all import? Just toss and throw words around, without due consideration of their meaning.

If words have lost all their meaning, then what are we left with in terms of dialogue/communicating?

[ebanks84]

It means "having a hatred for women". I guess you could call him a lot of other things more fitting, I'm sure:)

[vaughan]

I have to say I agree with Matthews here. He's right. In my town, most of the real labor is done by African Americans--and as he said, much of it much earlier in the day than I've been up.

[drtwo25]

i'm a leftist liberal but damn I love chris matthews.. sure he may say (and do) some stupid things now and then but at least they are his honest opinions and he always makes clear it's what he thinks or sees. with all the political correct spin talk on the cable news show circling around issues like a never ending merry-go around these are the comments needed to slap some sort of sense into the conversations

I also find him genuinly funny.. keep going matthews

[fishsandwichesr2good]

I always find it hysterical when liberals trip all over themselves to "prove" how racially sensitive they are. This smacks of white folk babbling over their wine at a party in NYC having cocktails served to them by the black help.

[jupitor]

This kind of blogging is not needed fishsandwichesr2good. This smacks of nothing but mathews speaking his mind and nothing alse. People get fed up of the white/black camparisons and remarks from some media people , as well as some candidates. Our young people no longer see black and white/ like the old people do, and I mean both old black/white people who simply can't let go of the past. It's these people who keep racial problems alive! Is it no wonder the young across America Are standing up and letting their voice's being heard! They are saying if the older people can't get over the racial problems and do whats best for America Than we young people will take over and tell them were done with it! It's time to move on! I think some older ones like Mathew gets it! Some are getting there-------finally! Mom,Dads,Uncles,Aunts,Cousins, Grandpa,ma's are starting to listen, and voteing for a big change and takeing a big chance! So go out of your anger, and join the movement.

[christieZ]

Maybe they just care about people not being characterized unfairly. It's very clear that mass media has a profound effect on the way people are racialized. The way certain groups are portrayed on television, in the press and in entertainment effects away they are viewed by the general public. Do you have a problem with equal representation? All the man said is that black people are hard-working. Do you disagree?

[nolalily]

Just amazing how conservatives trip over themselves in defense of their inability to introspect.

[MyNameIsJames]

It may be hysterical buddy, but most hostile whites who talk against blacks do so in their own secure areas. Haven't met too many BRAVE white males who want to tell a BLACK man face-to-face what they really feel unless they are surrounded by friends and allies, or protected by a police badge.

I have seen, with my own eyes, what happens to BRAVE white males who cross Black males with disrespectful language - it ain't pretty. Tough guy conservatives -- get no air facing off with Black men.