Although the Republicans' Florida convention is on hold due to weather, the debates are moving forward starting with MSNBC host Chris Matthews and the chair of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus. The pair got into it Monday morning on the set of Morning Joe, which is broadcasting live from Tampa.
Matthews accused the Romney campaign of taking a "cheap shot" and "playing the race card" with Mitt Romney's comment last week that no one has ever asked to see his birth certificate. The campaign has defended it as a harmless joke, not directed at the president, but simply an acknowledgement of where Mitt and his wife Ann were born.
Matthews, to Preibus:
I have to call you on this Mr. Chairman. You’ve been suggesting that somehow Obama has been running a negative campaign and your guy is running a positive campaign, but that’s not accurate. They’ve both been negative. That cheap shot about 'I don’t have a problem with my birth certificate [from Romney] was awful. It is an embarrassment to your party to play that card. This part about getting rid of the work requirement for welfare is dishonest. You are playing that ethnic card there.
You can play your games and giggle about it, but the fact is your side is playing that card. When you start talking about work requirements, you know what game you’re playing, and everybody knows what game you’re playing. It’s the race card. Yeah, if your name is Romney, yeah you were well-born, you went to prep school. Yeah, brag about it. Yeah, this guy [Obama] has an African name and he has to live with it.
Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough asked Matthews to clarify. "You think Mitt Romney’s playing the race card?"
"There’s no doubt he did on the birth certificate," Matthews said. "Why would he bring it up?...And I think the work requirement fits right into it."
Priebus disputed Matthews' accusation.
"You got your monologue in, so congratulations," Priebus said. "The fact of the matter is he’s from Michigan, he was born in Michigan. He’s making the point that 'I was born in Michigan.' We’ve gotten to a place in politics where any moment of levity is totally frowned upon by guys like you just so you can push your brand. It’s a moment of levity. Everybody gets it."
"What's the joke?" Matthews asked. "I don't get it."
Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinksi suggested it was an ill-timed, ill-written joke on the Republican candidate's part. "He misfired badly on the joke," said Scarborough.
"Mitt Romney has continuously said the president was born in this country. It's a non-starter, it's a dumb issue, it's a distraction," Priebus added.
They continued like this for a while.
"Garbage, garbage," Priebus said, shaking his head.
"It's your garbage," Matthews fired back.
"We went from a tropical storm to Hurricane 3," joked guest Tom Brokaw.
Cue commercial break.
Watch the clip above.
Leave a Comment:
I agree that I was not pleased with the treatment that Chris Matthews got from his fellow MSNBC folk on Morning Joe. I loved the show when it first came on...and frankly, loved how Mika would give it right back to Joe and the regular guests used to push their point with Joe. Now, Joe has all but silenced Mika and the regular guests just let him blow and go....Blow'n'GoJoe!!!! I've recently started watching Bill Press because I cannot handle listening Joe raise his voice, interrupt his guests when he disagrees with them and talk down anybody who has the guts to challenge him. He is so like my younger brother...the more they are losing the argument, the louder they get and the more bully-like they become. I've heard Mika and Joe make little snits before about Mattthews and it is wrong and rude. Chris Matthews has it right most of the time...yea..he can get up in your face...and you know on some level...Matthews is a teddy bear...Joe....not so much! Say you are sorry to Chris Mika and Joe.....you were very bad hosts today. What ever happened to a show of unity even though there may be disagreements behind the scenes...in business...even when your work mate may have a different opinion...in front of the public...a unified front....behind the scenes..you can fight it out...not on the air please. Rude, Rude, Rude.....
Chris Mathews did what he had to do in the face of silliness…When
more people standup and face these grown-up acting like kids the better off
this country will be, more verbal spanking is needed. Thank you Chris for being
the superstar you are.
Great job, Chris! Too bad Joe and Mika tried to shut you up. Typical. #!/LeftAction/posts/459761864057606
Chris, I watch you everyday. I was watching this morning also. I could see you playing with your tie. I was waiting for you to tell the truth. You got it right !! You get it right everyday keep up the good work. F.Y.I. Mitt, just hates all middle class people. Ryan has been heart broken by strong women. Now he is trying to take it out on women through his policies. @ Wade what do they do on Fox?
I agree
Chris Mathews has just taken the "Blow Hard" title away from Joe Biden. Second, shame on Joe and Mica for not taking control of that situation...they looked weak while blow hard mathews had some more tingles up his leg and Joe should have shut down that 5 minutes of diatribe and demagoging coming out of mathews blow hole. Horrible, Horrible show..now I now why the ratings are so poor for msnbc...check that PMS-NBC.
Do us a favor then stop watching.
Pure nonsense and blather from Chris Matthews as usual. Sad and tired coming from someone who should really know better. And who says there is no bias in the media....oh yeah, Chris Matthews.
I would not call it bias, but someone courageously standing up for truth in a world of spin.
So it is 'spin' when it comes from the right, and truth when it comes from the left? The 'spin' that I see is that anything that is directed toward Obama is labeled as racist, which has left the country in a void of truth about the true agenda of the president. What I know to be true is the regardless of where he was born, what he ate when he was a child, where he went to school, who he associated with as a student and adult, the world that I live in has not improved under Obama's watch. That is not spin.
Actually, the world has improved. In 2008/9 the U.S. economy was heading for a Modern Day Depression. I assure you the 20s and 30s would have been a picnic if that had happened. While i agree that I'd also like to see more and faster improvement; there's no doubt that the economy is s-l-o-w-l-y recovering. If you don't like this then watch what may happen if the Repubs get in there lower taxes - cutting off revenues, and deregulating banking, finance, and industry to send even more jobs overseas to avoid the little taxation they do leave in place. 2008 was the pre-game show!
MomSense In MO Its also not spin that Bush messed this country up the previous 8 years.
Go Chris Matthews! I congratulate you on being one of the few journalist with enough guts to make the GOP answer questions about the racist campaign Mitt Romney is choosing to run. You have earned my respect, and historian will say that Matthews was a true journalist and a voice of sanity in this era of Republican hysteria. I can't thank you enough for bringing historical context to the discussion and pointing out this generation of Republicans doesn't even understand what they are doing and how dangerous it is to our Democracy. Thanks again Mr. Matthews.
Chris is a passionate man with a strong moral compass. I am so tired that Americans seem to play the spin game, namely that it is okay to let politicians minimize or not take responsibility for their bad behaviour, lies and general immorality. The truth is the Mitt Romney is lying about the work requirement being taken out of welfare. How can you fault a man for standing up for truth rather than spin? Does Priebus have a conscience or does he justify going along with bad behaviour. If he was a child you would put him in the naughty chair for telling whoppers. Priebus and the Republicans are continuing to try to portray Obama as the "other", not American. It is easy because he is black. It is disgusting and disgraceful. Can they not campaign on issues?
oh but some how its ok to claim romney is a tax cheat, its ok to say romney caused that womens cancer, its ok to say romney is a fellon......oh thats right its not spin or smear when it comes from pms-nbc....again how are the ratings at msnbc?.....not good. but thats where all the dregs end up...brashir, maddow, shultz,sharpton, lewis, odonel,...all liberal hacks that make dan rather look good.
good luck with that
OK, if Romney is not a tax cheat, why won't he show his taxes like every other presidential candidate has? Nobody said he caused a women's cancer. The point of the ad was that the companies Bain Capital destroyed and sold for their own profits, cost people their jobs, and healthcare, she had no healthcare when she died. Now do you understand. Truth is not spin. Chris Matthews pointed out their racist campaign-everybody knows that is what it is.
Mitt Romney didn't cause anybody's Cancer any more than President Obama caused the worst Recession in the History of the United States that has our economy in the state it is today! Nobody believes Romney killed that poor lady. And if it wasn't for TV news no one would have ever heard about it, because it never aired as a paid commercial. The Repubs made it a story when they got their hands on the video. Romney is a tax cheat though. Today he said on TV that he never saved any taxes by putting his money in those offshore accounts - not one penny! My question then is why do it?? If you had to pay taxes anyway, why put your money in an offshore tax-sheltered account?? He actually wants us to suspend reality in order to believe that.
I was only going to give $25 to Romney but after watching the Chris Mathews smear attack on the RNC chair this morning.....now Im going to give $100 to the Romney campaign. Obama and his liberal minions in hollywood and the liberal thugs over here at msnbc have nothing to run on, btw, how is the economy doing chris, ed, martin, mica.et.al? how is unemployment doing? where's the budget, havent had one in over 3 years, wheres the energy policy? So we know Obama has nothing to run on, so whats the next best thing...send out the goons at pms-nbc to smear Romney and the chair of the RNC when he volunteers to come on your show. ...again how are the ratings doing over there at the nbc?.........Joe and Mica owe Prebus an apology, big time. Mathews is worst show host and it shows.
And what does Romney have to run on? The Republicans don't have anything to offer Americans and so they resort to trying to appeal to unhinged racist who support them. Romney hasn't put forth anything that hasn't been done by the GOP before. The same lame "cut taxes" crap that got us into this recession. Your party has worked to sabotage the economy since he came into office and now you have been engaged in trying to roll back voting rights and women's rights and in the process, pushing us toward being a third world theocracy. Shameful! I applaud Chis Matthews for challenging this backward leaning silliness.
You were encouraged to give more money to Romney based on what you say this morning? I thought Priebus looked ridiculous. His credibility took quite a hit as Matthews took him to task over republican rhetoric. His response was to grin like a fool. I am quite certain that Mr. Priebus's future television appearances will be confined to Fox News, where all he has to do is read from the script.
after reading your comment,,im giving Obama 200$.Empoyment numbers are up,,Economy,is doing fine,been up all month,Bin Laden is dead,Al Q.is no more,the troops are coming home,the banks are regulated,,i say things are looking up.Surley looking better in this four year then we looked in any of GWB eight,thats for sure.President Obama has plenty to run on,and collecting more things as we speak.
I am giving to the Obama campaign too.
Chris Matres and MSNBC are the racist. They are the ones who thinks anytime food stamps or welfare is discussed they always will assume they are referring to African Americans. they think the only ones who receive food stamps and welfare are African Americans. Why is That? Is it because they are Racist?
IF a said to MSNBC i love fried chicken and watermelon they would assume I'm black
This is your GOP party? Wow. America, this is what I am talking about. I don't know what your point is but you do understand that we all see through these tired racist tricks. You see, if you were a student of history you would understand the GOP hasn't come with anything new. Racist, tired out of date, and out of step with mainstream America.
But your whole statement sounds racist,and stereotyped,so white ppl dnt eat chicken and watermelon.So if you said that why would msnbc think your black?You just exposed yourself,by using those stereotypes.Everyone is prejudice,to some degree,must ppl just dnt sugar coat comments and say them out loud,to a national audience.This isnt the good ole days when ppl are'nt social mature enough to read between the lines,and determine if a comment is racisit or not.Come on Grow up Repub.Own up to your beliefs.
the same reason anytime someone brings up welfare or food stamps MSNBC thinks they are talking about the black community and there for are racist
I'm not the one who is stereotyping anyone MSNBC is by their assumption that it must be about the black community if its about food stamps or welfare
When a tea bagged republican says anything about welfare you can be 100% correct to judge them as making a racist statement because everyone of you tea bagged republicans repeat the Reagan welfare queen racist belief that black inner city single moms are pumping out 12 to 14 kids to collect more welfare, a system that doesn't exist because of the 90's welfare reform to collect benefits a person has to be working a fact that tea bagged republicans ignore. No one is sitting on their sofa's collecting welfare checks watching flat screen TV with cable. How do we know that Reagan was making a racist statement very simple Cadillac was used in the welfare queen lie because in the 70's and 80's blacks were known to prefer Cadillac over other vehicle makes.
it's funny how the president is considered muslim because his father was born in africa, but what about slick mitt. has anyone questioned the fact that his dad was born in mexico?? from the moment this man took office, the "white fright" began. chris matthews has earned alot of respect and fans for standing up and saying the truth!
The tirade that Chris Mathews exhibited on "Morning Joe" is down right sad. I think he went off the rails ala Keith Olberman! He greatly reduced his franchise value and showed has lack of control, or his age or who knows what. MSNBC needs to take a close look at his behavior and come to some conclusions on his viability as a real political analyst. I felt sorry for his fellow Morning Joe members having to put up with him as they did. Maybe Chris needs to find something else to do with himself during the election period. It really is too bad.
You watch Fox news don't you? You must be joking. That fake news organization that has caused a political party to think that they do not need to work with a sitting President, simply for political gain is awful. The Republicans claim they love the constitution but they apparently hate Democracy. In this country we elect leaders than we work together to better the country, if the parties don't work with the other party's president democracy no longer exists in America. Do you understand how awful and traitorous the GOP has behaved during the last three years. They have worked to keep the economy bad, they don't care if Americans suffered because that what they wanted. They want rich party bosses who are to unsavory to get elected to run their puppet candidates such as Romney who don't have a conviction in their body. Obama '12 and everybody who is sane already know this.
whats sad is them trying to play the race card,then sugar coat it,like they did with Weapons of mass destruction,try an down play it,shame on them.Its not working this time Conservatives and Repub.The world can see through fairydust.
Shame on Scarbrough for not having the balls to stop him; perhaps he was afraid that if he did the right thing as host, MSNBC would retain Mathews and boot Joe. Still, Scarbrough looked pathetic just sitting there while crazed Mathews went off on his crazed rant.
Tragic that the other folks are apologetic that someone attempts to hold someone accountable for their words. In addition it is NOT true that Democrats do the same thing. Shame on you Tom Brokaw...there is no moral equivalent on the issue Chris Matthews was addressing.
i have a question, the president is called a muslim because his father was born in africa, but nobody questions the fact that slick mitt's dad was born in mexico. chris matthews called it right! the president has been called everything but american and no one saw a problem with it. chris matthews had the guts to say it to the republician partys face that they were racist. now only if someone will tell rush that his tan line from the sheet he's been wearing is starting to show.
Romney taken "off message." Doesn't appear so. He loves being taken "off message" about who he is and what he plans. He is hiding what he really has in mind to "fix" America. He doesn't really want to talk about the economy because he would have to get specific instead of the old touting lower taxes and no regulation. Romney tries to link lower taxes to lowering the national debt, when in fact lowering taxes will only increase the debt. Romney knows, like we all do, what his policies would do to this country - and it ain't growth! So, talk about birth certificates, talk about same sex marriage, talk about anything but the specifics of what the corporates want to take from this country...and talk about anything but Romeny's taxes.
Matthews' relentless attack was uncalled for and an embarrassment to himself and to MJ as a whole. Either Joe or Mika should have cut him off. He's showing his age and appeared fatigued. Shame on MJ and Chris. Romney's remark was in good humor and not even close to racist. Matthews' tingling leg has an overdose of Kool Ade coursing thru its veins, and it's painfully obvious.
Schmuck!
How calm he didnt find Romneyhood funny?ITS TRUE.Im not here to make any friends,and could care less if they read this or not.i just put the truth in the air.He wasn't joking,and it wasn't funny,it was a cheap shot.Take the mask off,your kool aid comment wasn't suppose to be racisit,& just in good humor too?The funny thing is, only the KKK would think that was funny.And we all know,there is no racisim there right?Chris Mathews deserves a raise,& a pat on the back.Finally some one calling it like it is,& for what it is.
Romney's Birth Certificate Comment followed by the complaint that President Obama is running a divisive campaign
Mister Romney either has made calculated comment, or he committed what is referred to in classical psychoanalysis as a parapraxis. A parapraxis, is an error in speech, memory, or physical action that is interpreted as occurring due to the interference of some unconscious ("dynamically repressed"), subdued wish, conflict, or train of thought. Often such comments are expressed as a joke. Therefore if the RNC Chair is correct ant Mister Romney made joke he is not off the hook.
If his remark is calculated, he is engaging in divisive politics and joins the likes of Donald Trump and Orly Taitz, the dentist-lawyer who keeps filing all of that birther nonsense litigation, all of which keep getting thrown out of court and are commonly viewed as racially motivated. If his comment is a parapraxis it may be reflecting that he believes all of those racially motivated conspiracy theories.
My concern is that NBC reports that there are at least seven birthers scheduled to deliver remarks at the GOP convention, including Sherrif Joe Arpaio and therefore we can only conclude that Mister Romney's comment was calculated and it is he who is engaging in a divisive campaign, not President Obama.
Sadly, if Mister Romney's comment was a Freudian slip it does not say much about his character and I'd be worried about him representing America on the world stage or at home where a large percentage of Americans are encompassed by that birther slur.
Frankly, I think that what Mister Matthews said was necessary for the health of our political discourse and long overdue.
For what it's worth I am a registered Independent.
Romney bringing up the 'birth certificate' is definitely playing the race card. It doesn't take a genius, to know what that comment was all about! Welfare work requirement as dicussed by the GOP has been proven wrong by every fact checker in America. So, I think the GOP is pandering to the white Southern base.....
I've been a watcher from the beginning. Today is the FIRST time I had criticism for Mika. Those were big boys on stage today they cab defend themselves. You don't have to tell him "tone" but not do the same when Joe goes on his conservative rant.
What is most telling is no one is asking for Romney's birth certificate. Nor did they ask for his dad's birth certificate AND he was born in Mexico. Even sadder is Natural Born flows through the birth parents as well as being on US soil.
Chris was right! and it was about time. I'm considering watching CNN going forward. I'm finding Soledad Obrien to be a fact checking journalist. Mika let me down.
joe-you always seem so sheep-ish when the outrageous is right in front of you
you know we conservatives are embracing a post racial society and we wish success for everyone-the percentage of nutty racists is really small
this tactic is really tired-people are smarter than this
you always seem so high and mighty when a repub makes a mistake but you are rather docile when something like this happens(mathews rant)
the media and foot in mouth joe biden are trying to get us to talk about anything but the mathematics of our economy
come ON, joe! what happened to you?
Do you watch the stocks?If the economy is doing so bad,how calm apple hit another record high this month?Ive been watching,and excluding europe,the economy has been up all month and last month.So whats so important to talk about there?Let me guys what your next issue is,,The unemployment issue..Blah blah,those numbers are up as well.I dnt even want to hear about the debt,,that was GWB bill,he left behind.Everything cant be done in four years,,thats why we need this other four.With the war being over,that money can fuel the economy up fast,and help pay debt,easy fix.I think this exactly what they need to be talking about,Gop and all the above playing the race card,its gone on for four years now,,lets get it on the table,and get it handled.Keep up the good work Chris.
What is exactly wrong with our economy,,the math on that has been up the last to months.All the experts agree the economy is showing signs of improvement,same as employment numbers,all showing signs of improvement,nothing much to talk about there.I think this race card issue is right where we need to be shining light on.Its been going on for four years now,uncontested,.Good job Chris,put pressure on these closet racist,make them explain there so call good humor comments.
Chris, it was a refreshment to see you confidently confront the hypocrisy and double-speak of what has become the Romney campaign. Bravo!
For the defenders of Mathews on this thread-I have but one thing to say and say it in rap cadence!
Obama!
Yo Momma
Dats Rite!
U Nose
Dis Brother
GOTS TO GO!!
You, hot daddy-4087878, are another walking example of a terminally ignorant Republican.
I agree,he has got to go,for another four years.Its our only logical choice.Im not the smartest individual,and may misspell words here and there,but this is the most shallow comment on this thread.Come on ,Obama yo mama,,and also supports my claim,when you tell it like it is,the way Chris has,this is the only defense they have,ignorance.Terrible ryme by the way,,may sound better in a country,or folk.
So let me get this straight, Bush can mess up the whole damn country in 8 years and Obama only gets 4 four to fix it?......lol jackasses.
Thank you Chris for firmly stating what should be obvious for anyone objectively obseriving politics over the last 20 years. Why, Mikka, are you so concerned about Chris's adamant stance? We should be more concerned about the lies and misguided inuendo being presented to the American people as "fact". Anyone who lies, no matter the Party, should be denied the office of President of the United States! Why would you need to lie to win the office? If they lie about some group, how could you know what their platform truly is? If you accept them lying about 'that other group', you can expect they'll lie at your expense at some point to win what they want. These folks have refused to work with the President or Democrats to benefit America and the American People, have used abortion, religion and race as their cloak to hide behind and carry them into office as they know those they claim to represent are passionate about these issues. Yet want to get back in office to run amok again (filling their coiffers at the expense of the average american as was evident when they brought America to it's knees 3.5 years ago). Who will pay for the Military, Police, Roads, "Boarder Control" when the upper middle/ middle and lower income classes are decimated? If Americans don't pay close attention, we may find ourselves living the way of Old European Feudalism, indentured servitude, slavery or the futuristic possibility as in " The Hunger Games". We'll wished we'd not gotten distracted by these issues and paid attention to the policies of these folks, not what is coming out of their mouths. The money behind them really don't care about these issues or the common American people; their goal is more money, power and control. Pay close attention, don't be fooled at your own expense. History can repeat itself.
I have been observing Mikka of recent saying amen to every thing negative that is said about Obama and when it comes to Romney she plays dumb just like Joe will talk over any body that comes to the show to criticise Mitt Romney. Pribus has been using all kinds of dirty word on Obama and has never been called to order on morning Joe. Mikka and Joe has been behaving of recent as if President Obama is the one that is beign too negative. Let us not forget how Romney made it this far. How he won the Republican ticket through running very negative campaign and every since he has embraced every bad thing that has been said about The President. Can somebody tell me where Mitt Romney have condemned anybody either on the campaign train or any of his aide that says anything negative about the President. Mitt Romney have been approving adverts that are lies and vey negative but Obama have not run direct advert that people said is very ugly.
Honestly me thinks that Chris Mathews did not really go strong enough on Pribus because i have never seen somebody really challenging the Republicans and calling them out on their lies. If Chris came to the show to criticise Obama Joe wouldn't have asked Chris to clarify. Joe played dumb as if he did not know that some people really got offended with what Mitt Romney said.
Go Chris go. Mikka wake up and thumbs down for Joe.
LOL! Chris Matthews shut that place DOWN! Preibus looked like a damn fool and Joe had the nerve to have a look on his face as if to say that Mitt and the Republican party hasnt been playin the race card; it was a joke. A joke my ass. Preibus was running his mouth trying to lie until daddy Brokow shut him up with the truth. The leaders of the GOP have been playing the race card since before Obama took office. With all the comments like tar baby, Obamas baby mama, monkey pics, he's not american, the secret meeting during the inauguration, voter supression, etc .People just need to admit that some leaders of the GOP dont like the fact their boss/leader/POTUS is a black man. They hate it, hate hate him and are doing all of what they can to make him look like a failure. Noone but Jesus can fix a 8yr. problem in 4yrs. I bet if Obama called Romney a member of the KKK or a cracker all hell would break loose and they'd be asking for Obamas head. But it seems perfectly fine for the GOP to do it to him according to some and Preibus ass know dang well he hasnt spoke out like he said he has. Have Mercy Lord. Forgive America for our sins.