Chris Matthews Jokes About "Thrill Up My Leg" Comment On Leno: "I Report All Senses...I'm A Frickin' American, I Do Have A Reaction To Things"

John McCain may be using it as fodder for his latest campaign ad, but Chris Matthews isn't backing down from his "thrill up my leg" comment. Monday night on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," Matthews defended his infamous comment about his visceral reaction to a Barack Obama speech.

"You know, some journalists only report what a guy says and what they hear and what they see," Matthews told Leno. "I report all senses."

Matthews then continued, explaining how inspired he was by Obama's speech about race in America, and explaining that his sense of patriotism compels him to respond emotionally to big stories that affect American life:

"I'd rather be honest and say what I feel than sit there like some kind of statue and say, 'Oh that was noteworthy.' I'm a frickin' American. I do have a reaction to things. And I do react emotionally to my country. I care about this country, I wanna look out for it. It's my job. I'm not just some umpire. I take a side: us. That's who I'm rootin' for."

Watch:

From NBC, 7/21

Comments

[leggs67]

the only things less interesting than his thoughts are his feelings.

[BigCheese]

Well said.

[bascombe]

AMEN!

[haleywins]

He's a whack-a-doodle.

[kellygrrrl]

out with Matthews!

in with Maddow!!!

[greginwva]

Out with Mathews in with Maddow?I I was thinking today that Mathews may be the only guy left at NBC with knowledge of the inner workings of congress and has experiance on a Presidents staff(except Buchannon) plus a vast knowledge of the history of politics in America to actually replace Russert.The problem is he seems a little nuts at times.Maddow was cutting brush and painting fences two years ago and has nary a clue about the steps and commitees a bill takes on its way to being signed.She is VERY sharp and darn sure deserves a show at MSNBC,but not Hardball.I think that Gregory guy would make a fine slot for future .Rachel Maddow.She annoys me at times but she is big time star material.Remember though how the panel looked at her like she was naive when she said Hillary was taking her delegates to Denver.Everyone else knew there was no shot of that happening.

[Sixtwo]

With either, you get HONESTY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Big0725]

With Maddow you get intelligence and insight. Not someone who gets a man-crush.

Chris Matthews was, is and always will be, a star f**cker.

[RButler]

If Matthews had said he 'felt sick to his stomach' from listening to the speech, would you be applauding his 'honesty' as well?

[ynot4tony2]

"With either, you get HONESTY!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Another brainstem! You attribute truth to an OPINION, simply because you agree with it?

Let me guess, you think Keith Olbermann's well documented lies are honest too.

[Topfeeder]

I hardly ever get thrills up my leg anymore. Now I'm sad.

[StaggerLee]

He got a "thrill" up his leg during "Shock and Awe" watching the bombs rain down on Baghdad too.

[Big0725]

Best one I've heard lately for Matthews condition. Is called a "bromance". It's when men profess plutonic love for each other.

[marymansour]

Chris Matthews loves Barack Obama. Good for him. I love the guy too.

[Lazycrockett]

This surprises anyone?

[neuron]

Had a thrill up my leg myself once. A pit bull was attached to it...

[sanywhere]

i had a thrill up my "leg" about an hour ago..

[patmancando]

I have had that feeling too, but I was a toddler and had on a leaky diaper. Chris is foolish.

[Raymondf]

Well! Isn't chris a great American.

[amantell]

Hardball is the closest I come to having appointment TV these days. He's biased, but he's not juvenile the way some of the other pundits are, and he obviously enjoys broadcasting, which I also like. I'm not crazy about some of his regular commentators. Buchanan, in particular, is awful. But Rachel Maddow, who's extremely incisive, is excellent, as is Andrea Mitchell. And I like the fact that he's prepared to take to task guest pundits and politicians that appear on his show who are unprepared or flagrantly disingenuous.

[kdublya]

Chris Matthews v. Kevin James was truly 'noteworthy.'

[ynot4tony2]

Did you even know who Kevin James was before the left-wing blogoshpere told you what to think about him?

Now Zell Miller handing Matthews his own ass at the '04 Republican convention...THAT was noteworthy.

[Mauimom]

Oh he IS juvenile!! It's all about HIM -- like when your five-year-old comes in hysterically excited over seeing a bug in the driveway.

Andrea Mitchell!! Just thinking of her in the sack with Hubby Greenspan makes my skin crawl. And she's so "superior" -- looks like she's always thinking , "I know more than these rugrats." She's so biased she makes me want to barf.

[nunzia]

Andrea Mitchell!?
ugh.
I saw a conversation between her and another woman talking head (can't remember who it was, maybe 60 Minutes?) in which the 2 of them were just all agog about Greenspan's alleged brilliance. They kept referring to his obscure babble during any testimony as "fed-speak". What a croc! Perpetuating the myth that the old s.o.b. gave a damn about what he was doing to the country.
It was never fed-speak. It was always Greenspin.

[Annette]

Of course Andrea Mitchell is agog over Greenspan. She is married to him. Married him in 1997.

[DallasMike]

So much for fair a balanced reporters.

[hiriumi]

I think Chris is fair and balanced because he say something is good when it is actually good unlike Fox news says something is bad when it's actually good.

[rossir]

What a cool ad! Though, I might add, that it is not so much like first love as it is finding love again after finally getting out of a really bad 7 year marriage. You almost forget how good it feels to have hope again!

John McCain would be like having to sleep on the couch at your grandfather's house after the messy divorce.

[rasthedestroyer]

Gotta repsect a guy that spits on T.V. Bravo C.M. Bravo!!

[Kane]

Chris ♥ George Bush. Matthews has routinely expressed his admiration for President Bush, calling a Bush speech "brilliant" even before it was given and accusing those who dislike the president of being "whack-jobs"; he also said that Bush sometimes "glimmers" with "sunny nobility"; and, recounting his experience at a White House party, Matthews said Bush "belongs on Mount Rushmore."

Matthews on John Boehner: You can see this man's greatness.
Matthews on Hillary Clinton: Dukakis in a dress.
Matthews on Barack Obama: It's a hard thing for someone like Barack Obama to express a gut sense of Americanism.
Matthews on McCain: What do you have with McCain? Integrity.

Is there any wonder why Chris Matthews was chosen Media Matters Misinformer of the Year?
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512230003

[Bobrobert]

Roflmao

GO Chris !!!

Remember to vote all.

:-)

Pray for the troops.