Leave it to Chris Matthews, during Holy Week no less, to slander Catholic nuns as anti-gay bigots rather than as pious religious women interested in protecting religious liberty of all Indianans, Catholic and otherwise.
The Hardball host made the charge today during the conclusion to a heated debate segment pitting Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy (D) against former RNC chairman Michael Steele on the matter of Indiana's brand-new Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Of course, this is probably not all that surprising given how, in the past, Matthews, himself a cradle Catholic, has charged that "If you're really anti-gay, you become a Catholic now."
Here's the relevant transcript from tonight's program and the video:
MSNBC
Hardball
March 31, 2015
CHRIS MATTHEWS, host: I think the governor of Indiana was trying to score points, as so many Republicans are trying to do, with the hard right.
MICHAEL STEELE, MSNBC political analyst: That's cynical!
MATTHEWS: Did you see who was standing there with him?
STEELE: Nuns!
MATTHEWS: Yeah, and, and, and --
STEELE: So all the sudden if you stand with nuns, you're being cynical? C'mon!
MATTHEWS: No, because they're opposed to gay rights.
Gov. DANNEL MALLOY (D-Connecticut): There you go.
MATTHEWS: Because that's why they're there. Thank you. If they're not, let me know, I'll have you on.
STEELE: I don't think that's wise to cast aspersions on nuns, that they're opposed to gay rights.
MATTHEWS: Well, let me know. All those people there, you're in that picture, let me know. If you're up for public access to public accommodations on the part of gay people, let me know. If you're a Hoosier.... Not everybody, just Hoosiers.
