‘I Forgot Chris Matthews Was White’

Posted on | January 28, 2010 | 27 Comments

Raina Kelley of Newsweek had the blog post title of the day. She’s not the only MSM type noticing Vanilla McTingly’s awkward SOTU moment:

Jay Bookman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “I can sympathize with the risks of talking on national TV for a living, but . . . that’s disturbing. Not said with bad intent, perhaps, but strange that he thought he had to go there with so much else to be said.”
Brian Montopoli, CBS News: “Speaking to Rachel Maddow later in the evening, Matthews clarified the comments, saying he was ‘very proud’ he made them.”
Steve Padilla, Los Angeles Times: “Well, at least he didn’t say President Obama doesn’t speak with a Negro dialect.”
Rachel Netter, ABC News: “Matthews quickly tried to clarify his comments on ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ by saying he was simply proud that race seemed to have no place in Wednesday’s address, but the initial comment reflects the racial taunts and innuendos that have punctuated Obama’s first year in office.”

“Taunts and innuendos”? Maybe my dog-whistle hearing has failed. Ta-Nehisi Coates of the Atlantic (whose blog post title is a close second to Raina Kelley’s) plumbs the clogged-up toilet of Matthews’ mind:

But I think it’s most worth noting that “I forgot Obama was black” — in all its iterations — is something that white people should stop saying, if only because it’s really dishonest. . . .
In fact, Chris Matthews didn’t forget Barack Obama was black. Chris Matthews forgot that Chris Matthews was white. . . .
At some point that number of white people who still can’t get their heads around our humanity will have to accept the truth: the president is black, even if you don’t quite know what that means.

Coates strays a bit toward identity-politics indignation in that post, but I can relate to the felt need to represent when dealing with a dishonest insult. It’s the “don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining” reaction, and I can certainly sympathize with Coates’ rage at being patronized by the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Category: Celebrities, Liberals, Media Bias, MSNBC, Racism

Comments

27 Responses to “‘I Forgot Chris Matthews Was White’”

Ran / Si Vis pacem
January 28th, 2010 @ 6:23 pm

Please… Matthews is a post-maturity critic. Damn, but for years there I’d forgotten that he’s an adult.
Ran / Si Vis pacem
January 28th, 2010 @ 1:23 pm

Please… Matthews is a post-maturity critic. Damn, but for years there I’d forgotten that he’s an adult.
Carin
January 28th, 2010 @ 7:05 pm

He forgot Obama was black, but PTL he remembered!

Whew. That was a close one.
Carin
January 28th, 2010 @ 2:05 pm

He forgot Obama was black, but PTL he remembered!

Whew. That was a close one.
Howard Fineman: Let’s Put Obama on Mt. Rushmore . . .
January 28th, 2010 @ 2:30 pm

[…] his SOTU speech. Then Chris Matthews may forget he’s black. It was—is—like a symphony. Limbaugh tries to give Obama some fatherly advice, turns […]
JSF
January 28th, 2010 @ 7:31 pm

It’s a pity, he used to work for Speaker O’Neill. Tip O’Neill wrote the great book, “All Politics is Local,” and the younger Matthews wrote “Hardball,” Both books talked of building coalitions.

Even with people who don’t politically agree with you.

Now he is Olbermann’s (and Obama’s) buttboy, so he acts like Squealer from Orwell’s Animal Farm.

At this point, it is time for Republicans and Conservatives in the Blogosphere and on the Hill to school Matthews.

In other words, every Conservative and Republican should say “Chrissy Matthews is a RAAAAACIST!”

Ad Inifitium.
JSF
January 28th, 2010 @ 2:31 pm

It’s a pity, he used to work for Speaker O’Neill. Tip O’Neill wrote the great book, “All Politics is Local,” and the younger Matthews wrote “Hardball,” Both books talked of building coalitions.

Even with people who don’t politically agree with you.

Now he is Olbermann’s (and Obama’s) buttboy, so he acts like Squealer from Orwell’s Animal Farm.

At this point, it is time for Republicans and Conservatives in the Blogosphere and on the Hill to school Matthews.

In other words, every Conservative and Republican should say “Chrissy Matthews is a RAAAAACIST!”

Ad Inifitium.
The Reaction to Chris Matthews’ #SOTU Drool Fest « A TowDog's Blog
January 28th, 2010 @ 3:38 pm

[…] let it slip big time last night, and via The Other McCain, the rest of the world is starting to take notice; Raina Kelley of Newsweek had the blog post title […]
The Reaction to Chris Matthews’ #SOTU Drool Fest - towdogInCal’s blog - RedState
January 28th, 2010 @ 3:55 pm

[…] let it slip big time last night, and via The Other McCain, the rest of the world is starting to take notice; Raina Kelley of Newsweek had the blog post title […]
Wyatt Earp
January 28th, 2010 @ 8:59 pm

I keep trying to forget that Chrissy Matthews is an idiot . . . without success.
Wyatt Earp
January 28th, 2010 @ 3:59 pm

I keep trying to forget that Chrissy Matthews is an idiot . . . without success.
Scratcher
January 28th, 2010 @ 9:00 pm

Obama’s BLACK?! GTFO!

Even the nuts at DemocraticUnderground are calling Matthews a racist. (Well, most of them…)

My take:
http://makesmybrainitch.blogspot.com/2010/01/president-is-black.html
Scratcher
January 28th, 2010 @ 4:00 pm

Obama’s BLACK?! GTFO!

Even the nuts at DemocraticUnderground are calling Matthews a racist. (Well, most of them…)

My take:
http://makesmybrainitch.blogspot.com/2010/01/president-is-black.html
Amanda Maracotte
January 29th, 2010 @ 12:20 am

I forgot Chris Matthews was a man.

So I hate him.
Amanda Maracotte
January 28th, 2010 @ 7:20 pm

I forgot Chris Matthews was a man.

So I hate him.
Amanda Maracotte
January 29th, 2010 @ 12:21 am

I hate him know that I remember he is a man. Even if his manhood is shrunken and impotent, I do not like it.
Amanda Maracotte
January 28th, 2010 @ 7:21 pm

I hate him know that I remember he is a man. Even if his manhood is shrunken and impotent, I do not like it.
TFMo
January 29th, 2010 @ 7:47 am

There is Awesome.

There is even Be-Awesome.

This isn’t either one, but it’s a pretty good way to get a chuckle while you’re looking for the better stuff.

Lil’ O-Bama!

Starting a brand new miniseries at JBYP!
TFMo
January 29th, 2010 @ 2:47 am

There is Awesome.

There is even Be-Awesome.

This isn’t either one, but it’s a pretty good way to get a chuckle while you’re looking for the better stuff.

Lil’ O-Bama!

Starting a brand new miniseries at JBYP!
Patrick
January 29th, 2010 @ 10:09 am

She’s not the only MSM type noticing Vanilla McTingly’s awkward SOTU moment…

Vanilla McTingly…. ROFLMAO!

Thank you for that laugh and loud snort. I needed it. Even if it was at 5:08 in the morning…

Yes, I am a night owl… 😀
Patrick
January 29th, 2010 @ 10:09 am

d’oh! I forgot to close the bold tag… Crap. 🙄
Patrick
January 29th, 2010 @ 5:09 am

She’s not the only MSM type noticing Vanilla McTingly’s awkward SOTU moment…

Vanilla McTingly…. ROFLMAO!

Thank you for that laugh and loud snort. I needed it. Even if it was at 5:08 in the morning…

Yes, I am a night owl… 😀
Patrick
January 29th, 2010 @ 5:09 am

d’oh! I forgot to close the bold tag… Crap. 🙄
molonlabe28
January 29th, 2010 @ 2:50 pm

Well, at least it was on MSNBC, so only a statistically insignificant number of viewers saw Matthews’ predictable gaffe.
molonlabe28
January 29th, 2010 @ 9:50 am

Well, at least it was on MSNBC, so only a statistically insignificant number of viewers saw Matthews’ predictable gaffe.
Olbermann’s Secret Racism Decoder Ring : The Other McCain
January 29th, 2010 @ 9:17 pm

[…] address.Isn’t it interesting that Olbermann, rather than noticing the guy on his own network who called attention to Obama’s race, instead takes to the air to denounce conservatives, who have a monopoly on euphemism and code […]
~ Chris Matthews, Representing KRAP (Keep Racism Alive Party): Obama Made Me Forget He Was Black « Critical Political Thinking
January 29th, 2010 @ 10:41 pm

[…] Other McCain: ‘I Forgot Chris Matthews Was White’ Olbermann’s Secret Racism Decoder Ring Posted in politics. Tags: Barack Obama, culture, […]