Once Again, MSNBC's Chris Matthews Slanders S.C. GOP Voters As Racists
By Ken Shepherd | January 17, 2012 | 17:30
Appearing on colleague Andrea Mitchell's eponymous 1 p.m. Eastern program today, MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews to viewers that last night's South Carolina GOP presidential debate was chock full of "dog whistles" and racially-tinged "code words." What's more, according to Matthews, there's no point trying to argue with him on this because "you either see it or you don't."
Perhaps Matthews's dopiest claim was that Newt Gingrich calling Fox News debate panelist Juan Williams by his first name was a thinly-veiled way to attack Williams's ethnicity before a "conservative white" audience in the South:
There were interesting aspects to that, wasn't there some applause when he called him Juan? I mean it’s an interesting thing here. I mean, I once, it's very clever -- I mean Newt is a very smart guy. He knows how to play an audience.
There was a wonderful exchange between George Herbert Walker Bush and Pete DuPont one time where he answered a question to him and he said, "Let me help you with that one, Pierre."
Now it is his name, and Juan is his name, but there's an interesting way it's used and to personalize it, and Juan Williams has a lot of guts getting in front of that audience that’s conservative white in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and asking a question which is a reasonable question.
[...]
[T]his is going to get very, you know, very ethnic, very racial, it's going to get very hot.
And I think you saw it there in that audience there the other night. And I think it's going to be bad. I don't like it. And I think we're looking for signs of coaxing people back to their sort of tribal attitudes. You know, and how it's done and that use of the name Juan, the way he does it. You can't argue these things. You either see it or you don't. It’s just the way he did that.I sensed a little applause when he said "Let me help you," when he answered the Juan question.
Matthews realizes his arguments about racism are patently unprovable, but he had a ready defense for that: it's a secret code that racists understand and he, the ever-enlightened student of politics, also gets, even if you at home disagree with him:
Well, we know what's going on. And everybody knows what’s going on. And to argue with it, the problem with arguing it is, the people who don't hear it don't want to hear it, or they hear it and don’t want to admit it.
You can't argue a person into it. You can't say to a person that's code, because the people that don't want to hear that it's code will say that it's not and the people who clearly hear that it's code will. It's not something that you can argue with a person.
In other words, there's no point arguing with Chris about this. Making a rational argument based on facts and evidence don't matter to the Hardball host, it's all about a pre-determined narrative intent on reading racism into ripe circumstance.
The debate was in South Carolina. Juan Williams is black. The audience and candidates are white. Voila! Instant racism!
At least, that's what race baiters like Chris Matthews would have you believe.
For a related BiasAlert that includes the transcript, click here.
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Comments
"Perhaps Matthews's dopiest
Submitted by ckc1227 on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 5:59pm.
"Perhaps Matthews's dopiest claim was that Newt Gingrich calling Fox News debate panelist Juan Williams by his first name was a thinly-veiled way to attack Williams's ethnicity before a "conservative white" audience in the South"
Sadly, Michael Medved is making a similar argument with a caller right now. This is why we should stop pandering for voters like this. We'll never get their vote, no matter what.
Shooting an idiot ball from 3-point range, Matthews . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 6:15pm.
. . . hits nothing but net.
MATTHEWS: ". . . There were interesting aspects to that, wasn't there some applause when he called him Juan? I mean it’s an interesting thing here. I mean, I once, it's very clever -- I mean Newt is a very smart guy. He knows how to play an audience."
This makes the Top Ten Most Idiotic Matthews Quotes, and we all know he's had some crazy quotes.
From now on, whenever Matthews interviews a Republican and uses the word rich, the reply should be "Hey, African-Americans know what that is . . . It's code word for white."
Juan seemed very comfortable in front of the audience
Submitted by tjc-illinois on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 6:21pm.
While I don't agree with his politics, I most certainly respect the heck out of Juan Williams. He has more sac than you can ever dream of Chris; but then any sac is more than you have. It is real easy to go on 'friendly shows' or on you own show where you are NEVER challenged. Mr. Williams is always thoughtful, respectful of opposing opinions and willing to discuss with a less than 'friendly audiences'.
'Well, to tell the family secret, my grandmother was Dutch." Bart
So Tingles has added 'tribal' back into his insult vocabulary.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 6:28pm.
Hw was on that every day there for a while, then he dropped it completely. Somebody probably told him that's really not a great choice of words in this instance.
Chrissy's guilt about his own party's racist past
Submitted by WarEagle01 on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 7:10pm.
is really starting to get to him. If he's going this far over the top then he really must be feeling bad about being in the same party as Bull Connor. The poor klucker.
'... his own party's racist past'
Submitted by texasborngranny on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 12:54pm.
'... his own party's racist past'
Sorry, but I think their racism continues unabated.
I like it when liberals like Matthews and Donna Brazille...
Submitted by krendler on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 7:12pm.
I like it when liberals like Matthews, Donna Brazille, and Roland Martin use the line - delivered in a condescending, accusatory tone, of course - "You know, a lot of racists don't know they're racists." To which, the only rational response is "Well then, perhaps you're a racist and you just don't know it."
Barney Rubble Matthews...
Submitted by Jimi Streets on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:33pm.
The only "code" he's hearing are those little voices in his head. My goodness! How is it that anybody can go on TV, spout crap like this continually, basically lying and slandering, and still be employed?
I'm sorry...For a second there I thought libs just may have a smidgen of integrity....
No reply necessary...
Barney Rubble Matthews...
Submitted by Jimi Streets on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:33pm.
The only "code" he's hearing are those little voices in his head. My goodness! How is it that anybody can go on TV, spout crap like this continually, basically lying and slandering, and still be employed?
I'm sorry...For a second there I thought libs just may have a smidgen of integrity....
No reply necessary...
Seems like liberals are the
Submitted by tobiasdog on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:11pm.
Seems like liberals are the only ones who are able to decipher those "racist code words" so in my book that makes THEM the racists.
Playing the 'Race Card'
Submitted by tadchem on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 8:58am.
Playing the 'race card' is like playing the 'class warfare' card, or like attacking the person rather than the argument. It is rhetorically a confession that one has exhausted all logic and can only persist in the debate by turning it into a personal fight.
In my experience, a racist is, by definition, an person to whom 'race' is an important factor. By default, anybody who plays the race card is a racist.
As a member of the most maligned group in current American politics (successful, conservative, affluent, white, overweight, middle-aged males), I personally feel offended that someone (Matthews) would claim anyone's ethnicity deserves special consideration when my own group is so roundly and popularly abused.
On the positive side, I am glad to see that MSNBC continues to support equal rights for all Americans by providing continuing employment for the intellectually disabled.
⇒ I resemble that remark!
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 9:08am.
Is your comment about being roundly abused a reference to my substantial girth?
Good morning Cool
Submitted by cocodrie on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 9:38am.
You're not fat, you're just short for your weight.
Jesus Loves You so much He died for you
⇒ Thanks, coco
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 9:45am.
You get a signed copy of my book "The Profundity of Rotundity"
Name and town, name and town, if you wish to opine.
Ahh, mirth with ---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 7:09pm.
girth.
A belly laugh. :o)
MD
New MSNBC Commercial...
Submitted by pcnav on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 12:13pm.
♫ I'm a racist, Your a racist ♪
♫ He's a racist, She's a racist ♪
♪ Wouldn't you like to be a racist too? ♫
♫ Be a racist, watch MSNBC. ♫ Be a racist, watch MSNBC. ♪
(sung to the tune of the Dr Pepper commerical)
⇒ Was Martin Luther King racist?
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 12:59pm.
When Dr. King joked publicly about castrating a white man, was that racist?
No. it was a figure of speech that, as far as I can remember, didn't raise an eyebrow.
But suddenly America has a problem with violent rhetoric. Go figure.