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

[agentoris625]

Huffington post is officially an online tabloid rag, he said frickin, there's no need to putting 'F****n' in the headline, thats horsecrap stuff. This site has become nothing more than the National Enquirer-lite, its sad and pathetic.

[k6007]

I guess that makes faux the 'globe'.

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

Agentoris625 I hope you are joking if not get over it. Freakin isn't a cuz word.

[vippy]

There is no other newspaper around that has the quality of information as Huffingtonpost.
Besides insideautomotive.comm" this is the best I have run across. Surely, we don't agree with
everything but I won't knock it for there is plenty to make up for it.

[liberalnfree]

Matthews lied about Al Gore, claiming he said he invented the internet. He was part of the media lynch mob that attacked Gore day in and day out, contrasting him to the supposed common man GW Bush, who Matthews assured us was better to have a beer with. Matthews and his ilk of personality driven Washington insiders are just about as responsible for the disasters of the Bush administration as Bush himself. Matthews is an enabler and a corporate huckster, a misogynist who called Clinton's male supporters "castratos in a eunuch chorus." He is everything that is wrong with the insider corporate media.

[aubrey8]

Matthews got a thrill up his leg for george bush too...his emotional reactions remind me of the other idiots that voted for bush who couldn't keep their intellect over their emotions.

Let's hope we elect intelligent people to run the country and not some john wayne wannabe who sent a thrill up somebody's "frickin" leg.

and that's not a comment directed at Obama.

[normalkid0615]

YES!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA

Not the GW Bush America

[markj757]

Chris says crazy things at times, but I like him. I just think sometimes he gets very caught up in the theater of politics, versus the substance of the issues, and sometimes that can be a little annoying.

[voxpopgirl]

Tweety's contract is up in a year - there have also been rumblings within MSNBC that they may not renew it -- AND -- he recently let it "slip" this April (on the Colbert Report - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_matthews#2010_Senate_run) that his "childhood dream" is to run for Congress (Arlen Specter's seat is up in 2010 in Pennsylvania is where Matthew's originally from).

In Matthews' mind, what better time to try to step back into politics (he used to work for Tip O'Neill), what better time to step into the political arena to "serve" his country than now, on the apex of a monumental change and shift after 8 years of the worst political time in modern American political history.

[kauffmanr]

My bet is that Rachel Maddow is gonna take his airtime when the contract runs out. She pretty much auditioned for a show by replacing Olberman on his vacation for 8 days in July and seems to have done well.

[Yola]

"I take a side: us" HOW FREAKING PROFOUND! That is so right Chris, so right!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

$crew Chatty Chrissy! I want the definition of exactly WhoTF 'us' is, because he was not speaking for me the day he proclaimed "WE'RE ALL NEO-CONS NOW!"

[eden4barack08]

Tweety, that's the only reason why we forgive your numerous Obama, osama mistakes.
Just don't overdo it, and stay inspired!

[venicesurfer]

im sure he is embarrassed by that "thrill up the leg" comment now. so he reacts like this.

[johnnynyc]

Matthews has a lot to be embarassed for.

His contract is up next year.

What's the odds of it being renewed at the current rate which pays him around $5 million a year to be the political voice of MSNBC?

Here's HuPo's take on a NY TImes profile:

The profile also reveals Matthews' deep job insecurity: his contract expires next year and "NBC officials seem bent on conveying the message that they could get the same ratings, or better ones, for considerably less" than the $5 million per year he gets now. Matthews is particularly suspicious of David Gregory, who is commonly perceived to be auditioning to be is replacement.

[k6007]

Well, goodness knows his(dg) show is crap!

[muadibe]

Chris can be a little annoying - sometimes.

David Gregory on the other hand, is annoying ALL the time. On Race for the WH, he seems to have a hard time managing the topics and as a result, cuts his guests off just as they are about to make a critical point.

He also seems pretty emotionless. I can't think of any other reason why i just don't enjoy watching him moderate, which is interesting since I thought he was great at being a White House reporter.

I think Chris would make an excellent politician. I get the impression, he has the ability to get people talking.

[Paladine]

Way to go, Chris!

Your honesty is refreshing!

[RonNYC]

Chris is my hero. I watched this on Leno last night because Soap.net was down. Glad I got to see him. I watch his show every night. Some find him abrasive but at least he is not full of it.

[johnnynyc]

...and I've hated the Clinton's since the 90s.

It's an Irish/Catholic thing.--Ch­ris Matthews

[easyrider1969]

Mathews sold his soul long ago. He's only in it for the money, and what's he's in is "Show Business".

[suziq]

And did he get a "thrill up his leg" all the times he was kissing delay's ass?

[umen]

Although Chris behaves like a buffoon and is famously sexist, I did like his comments here. I liked his description of Obama as someone who sees America as the world sees us. Chris's human side makes me cringe many times, like his bark of a laugh does, but here he is spot on. Nice commentary.