On Friday evening, MSNBC host Chris Matthews made an embarrassing faux pas as he seemed to forget that South Carolina has more than one black politician and confused Republican Senator Tim Scott with Democratic candidate Jaime Harrison.
At 7:39 p.m. on Hardball, Matthews was interviewing Harrison when video was shown from President Donald Trump's rally in his state, which included Senator Scott standing next to fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
After the clip of Senators Scott and Graham was shown, Matthews turned to his guest, who is running for Graham's seat, and commented: "Jaime, I see you standing next to the guy you're gonna beat right there -- maybe, maybe, maybe -- Lindsey Graham."
MSNBC correspondent Trymaine Lee and Democratic strategist Adrienne Elrod -- who were seated next to Matthews -- could both be heard trying to correct him as they both injected, "Tim Scott."
It took a befuddled Matthews a few seconds to catch on to his mistake:
TRYMAINE LEE, MSNBC CORRESPONDENT: That's Tim Scott -- Tim Scott.
MATHEWS: Jaime?
ADRIENNE ELROD, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Tim Scott.
MATTHEWS: Who's that?
LEE: That's Tim Scott.
MATTHEWS: Who -- huh? I'm sorry, it's the other Senator, Tim Scott. What am I saying? Big mistake --- mistaken identity, sir. Sorry.
An apparently amused Harrison smiled and glanced at someone seated off camera next to him. Just as he was about to respond to Matthews's fumble, the MSNBC host asked: "Tell me how you're going to beat Lindsey. Everybody knows Lindsey."
Harrison ignored the gaffe and began his response: "Everybody knows Lindsey, but everybody doesn't like Lindsey Graham, and that's how I'm going to beat him, Chris."
Back when Barack Obama was relatively new on the national scene, Matthews --- in spite of being a big fan ---notably mixed up his name and that of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden on more than one occasion.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of transcript:
MSNBC's Hardball
February 28, 2020
7:39 p.m. EasternCHRIS MATTHEWS: Jaime, I see you standing next to the guy you're gonna beat right there -- maybe, maybe, maybe -- Lindsey Graham.
TRYMAINE LEE: That's Tim Scott -- Tim Scott.
MATHEWS: Jaime?
ADRIENNE ELROD: Tim Scott.
MATTHEWS: Who's that?
LEE: That's Tim Scott.
MATTHEWS: Who -- huh? I'm sorry, it's the other Senator, Tim Scott. What am I saying? Big mistake =- mistaken identity, sir. Sorry.Tell me how you're going to beat Lindsey. Everybody knows Lindsey.
JAIME HARRISON, SOUTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE: Everybody knows Lindsey, but everybody doesn't like Lindsey Graham, and that's how I'm going to beat him, Chris.
