Hardball anchor Chris Matthews, who routinely smears his political opponents as racist, on Monday lectured an African American minister who opposes gay marriage, "I hope you evolve." The host patronizingly added, "I'm just teasing." [See video below. MP3 audio here.] How would he (or MSNBC for that matter) react if a conservative said such a thing to a black leader?
Matthews interviewed Bishop Harry Jackson, who has spoken out against Barack Obama's endorsement of gay marriage. Speaking of Jesus Christ, Matthews ridiculously linked accusations that Mitt Romney once bullied a teen, nearly 50 years ago: "Do you think [Christ] would have been chasing after the kid with long hair and cutting his hair or he would have been the one protecting the kid with long hair in high school?"
Matthews sarcastically added, "But you're with the guy who was going after the kid with long hair." (Pastor Jackson informed the host that he was not, yet, supporting Romney.)
Fellow black minister,Reverend Delman Coates also appeared on the show. After Coates indicated he supported gay marriage, Jackson retorted, "Why not let the Muslims have polygamy and bigamy?"
This prompted Matthews to insultingly suggest: "I hope you evolve...I'm just teasing."
Considering Matthews routinely plays the race card, will he apologize for telling a black man to "evolve?"
A transcript of the May 14 exchange follows:
5:39
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Do you think he would have been chasing after the kid with long hair and cutting his hair or he would have been the one protecting the kid with long hair in high school?
BISHOP HARRY JACKSON: He would have been protecting the kid with long hair.
MATTHEWS: Right. I thought so. But you're with the guy who was going after the kid with long hair.
JACKSON: No, no, no. I'm not necessarily with him right now.
MATTHEWS: Oh, you're not with Romney?
JACKSON: I'm not with Romney at this point. I want to say something about righteousness and justice. The Bible talks very clearly about how righteousness, which is like personal morality and holiness. It also talks about justice. What's broken in American politics is that the Democrats think they own social justice. The Republicans think they own righteousness, but the Bible doesn't take righteousness or justice, it takes righteousness and justice.
5:43
JACKSON: Why not let the Muslims have polygamy and bigamy?
MATTHEWS: Mr. Bishop, I hope you evolve. Thank you very much. I'm just teasing.
JACKSON: That's all right.
