Chris Matthews, who famously fawned Over Barack Obama for creating a "thrill" up his leg, appeared smitten with the politician long before he reached the White House. In his book, Life's a Campaign, the MSNBC anchor enthused, "In 2007, a new-generation candidate arrived on the national stage, declaring his presidential candidacy and preaching the gospel of good news."
The 2007 book recounted Matthews' reaction to Obama's 2004 speech at the Democratic convention. On page 52, the author extolled, "There, in Boston's FleetCenter, he delivered what might have been the most inspiring speech many Americans listening that evening had ever heard."
Matthews continued, "Obama, at that moment not elected to the U.S. Senate, was offering a miraculous gift with those words." Foreshadowing the praise he would heap on President Obama, the Hardball host gushed, "With thoughtful eloquence, Obama was marrying the immigrant story to the African American legacy not simply by his genes, but by his genius."
"No wonder the country's youth turned to him as their hope as well as their hero," the anchor concluded.
During live coverage of the 2004 Democratic convention, Matthews offered an early version of his famous "thrill" line, saying Obama gave him a "chill in my...legs." Clips of both the "thrill" and the "chill" can be found below:
Life is a Campaign is now available at many dollar stores around the country.
The Obama passages from Life's a Campaign:
P. 52
In 2007, a new-generation candidate arrived on the national stage, declaring his presidential candidacy and preaching the gospel of good news. In the language of his father's country Baraka means "blessed." It describes a person whose mere presence raises everyone's hopes.
Barack Obama had first introduced himself to the country at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. There, in Boston's FleetCenter, he delivered what might have been the most inspiring speech many Americans listening that evening had ever heard.
...
P. 53
Obama, at that moment not elected to the U.S. Senate, was offering a miraculous gift with those words. His very presence, along with his manifest confidence, told a country long whipsawed by race that a child of black and white parents could offer not just an idea of national unity, but also shared aspirations. With thoughtful eloquence, Obama was marrying the immigrant story to the African American legacy not simply by his genes, but by his genius. No wonder the country's youth turned to him as their hope as well as their hero.
— Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
