Chris Matthews: Newt Gingrich Nomination Would Create 'Embarrassment And Sadness' (VIDEO)

Chris Matthews issued a torrent of invective at Newt Gingrich on Tuesday's "Hardball," attacking the GOP contender's character and warning against his nomination.

The MSNBC host lamented the current state of American politics, which he said was defined by Gingrich's rise and Barney Frank's departure. He said of Gingrich, "ever since he arrived on the national scene, politics has been nastier, more feral, too often uglier."

Matthews mocked Gingrich as a petty man who "is still mad he was made by Bill Clinton to enter Air Force One from the rear." He called Gingrich a "character assassin" who came to power over "the bodies of Democratic leaders he’d charged with corruption."

Moreover, he warned that Gingrich's nomination would be dangerous for the spirit of American politics. He charged that Gingrich "will say what works to hurt Obama even if the weapon kicks back at him," portraying the GOP contender as wielding a "broken beer bottle."

Newt Gingrich's nomination "promises a grotesquery to make even the most hard-nosed of us avert our glance in embarrassment and sadness for our republic," Matthews said.

There is no love lost between the MSNBC host and the GOP contender. Matthews once charged that Gingrich has a "demonic aspect," and compared him to a car bomber.

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Comments

[jtandsonja]

10:56 AM on 12/12/2011

No wonder O'l Newt is upset with the Democrats. President Clinton made him enter the rear of Air Force One. Sounds kind of gay to me Newt.

[Michael Dempsey]

01:54 PM on 12/12/2011

It is in his genes.

[1putt1954]

08:10 PM on 12/07/2011

If only conservatives are wealthy are they the ones paying thirty some thousand a plate to dine with Obama The media is as one sided in this election as they were endorsing Rod Blageovich in our last governor race in Illinois.Sleep well Rod

[rickie007]

04:26 PM on 12/12/2011

what?

[dwneastchk]

01:22 PM on 12/03/2011

And yet I heard Matthews refer to 'Newt-sized' as 'charming' while watching clips on his show.

The sound that came out of my gullet was a cross between a 'guffaw' and a 'wretch'. There are a lot of words I would use, but 'charming is not one of them.

Not for Matthews, either. He is rude - which IS a word I would also use for Gingrich, by the way.

[MrBwood]

11:40 AM on 12/02/2011

Well put, Chris Wallace.

[JoshuasGrandma]

09:58 AM on 12/02/2011

Someone ought to take a close look at Newt's medical records particularly his mental health history. He exhibits many of the classic symptoms of bi-polar disorder: grandiose views of self and of his accomplishments, lack of discipline, judgement or empathy, loss of social inhibitions, inability to sustain relationships, disregard of the feelings or circumstances of others. He seems to be stuck in the 'welfare queen' mentality with respect to poor families, apparently, since because of welfare reform, these kids' mom are often working two jobs

[dwneastchk]

01:25 PM on 12/03/2011

Nah - basic character disordered garden-variety Narcissist...

[Allgovenmentsucks]

05:16 PM on 12/01/2011

I see in the very near future Chris’s lower lip will become so over lubricated with saliva that it will slid off the front of his face, bounce off the floor, rebound to the back of his head, where he will then swallow himself. That tingle will be his uvula hitting his calf on the way down.

[Tykete]

01:43 PM on 12/01/2011

If anyone is an expert on causing embarrassment and sadness, it would be Matthews..

[sitdownANDlisten]

01:41 PM on 12/01/2011

Chris Matthews you sir are an embarrassment to our republic. Your whole station is.

[catbyte]

02:29 PM on 12/01/2011

Don't tell me, let me guess...you watch Fox, right?

Um...you HAVE read that recent study about the ignorance of Fox-PAC viewers, haven't you?

Just sayin'

[sitdownANDlisten]

03:18 PM on 12/01/2011

yes I do. Proud of it. That study sure didn't interview me??? I'm sure they had fun with their "set-up" selection on that study. I could do the same study for MSNBC, for starters I could start with you. Also check today's headlines, fox news is the most popular. You are a minority and so are your views. Keep listening to your liberal garbage....

[MrBwood]

11:42 AM on 12/02/2011

Bagger please

[thomasdep]

01:35 PM on 12/01/2011

I love Chris Matthews, hes smart and hes a good guy.

[merryterry]

01:17 PM on 12/01/2011

You know that song...everything old and crooked is new and crooked again

[Sinister Minister]

12:38 PM on 12/01/2011

With Newt's rise in the polls and his overall popularity among the GOP, I have a feeling that the perfect GOP ticket would be Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay. The very fact that both of them managed to stay out of prison speaks highly for their abilities.

[Steve Magruder]

01:46 PM on 12/12/2011

I love an inspired expression of faint praise. :)

[sully36]

10:25 AM on 12/01/2011

Well Mr. Bo Tingles, your viewpoints are meaninless. You are going down the ratings drain.

[Tony Duhon]

11:51 AM on 12/01/2011

doesn't make a flip of difference about who is saying something when that something is pure truth.

[CSKAP]

10:15 AM on 12/01/2011

Two points really, One is that Chris is exactly correct and Two, this is the guy the Republican base really likes. This is more telling about where the Republican base is than just Newt shooting off again.
Newt has been a vicious politician since at least the late 80’s and his GOPAC memo in 1993 cements the status.
How do they forget it was the Republicans that threw him out for corruption last time, not the Democrats. Even they couldn’t stand the stench.

[dowl]

10:11 AM on 12/01/2011

Well done Chris Matthews. How can the GOTP'ers support the ethically challenged Newton Leroy Gingrich?

[Marcus W Smith]

10:09 AM on 12/01/2011

Hey Chris ... you calling someone else a character assassin is a bit hypocritical don't you think?