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:
Hey Chris, how can Repubs/GOP listen to you, you have a college degree or is it two (Masters also)? You know to get them to listen you have to be a college flunkout like Limbaugh, of dropout like Hannity, Rove, Beck.... O'Reilly is about the only one over there with much education and he apparently does not like to show his smarts much because he is afraid to talk over the heads of 99% of the Foxnews audience. Somone with MSNBC or Current TV needs to do a little research and breakdown the air minutes given to those with BA/BS, MA/MS, PhD, MD and top military officers compared to Foxnews airing them in interviews. My guess is that MSNBC, Current TV, CNN, PBS have ten times more minutes given to grad degreed level participants...this would point out the GOP/Repubs war on education and science/tech/math/economics - do an academic background evaluation. But they will say look at Bill Gates, dropped out of Harvard...because he could have taught some of his classes as well as his professors.
Stop haten! I am sorry if the truth hurts.
There was a documentary made recently on Bullies, which everyone agrees are generally overbearing, unreasonable, name-calling and unable to see any one elses point of view. Chris Matthews has made a whole career out of being a bully. His shoutdown and name calling of Rince Priebus was a disgrace for any "news man", whihc he has proved time and again he is not. His absolute belief that any one who challenges President Obama is a racist is stupid and wrong. (there are black people who do not like him- are they racist too?) Racist is one of those words designed to stop any conversation or dialogue, and his frenzied rant this morning was an attempt to stop dialogue and shout louder than any one else. What a disgrace he is! Thosa of you who think he is a hero need to look at your definitions and your own blind spots. I think even Mika was embarassed!
Yer'a'goofball.
If Preibus weren't scum he wouldn't be the GOP chair. It's noteworthy that Matthews got up on his hind legs whilst sitting next to Mr. Genteel -play along with the lies- Gop boot licker Brokaw and serial liar Scarborough. It's interesting to see someone stand up and say the GOP is scandalous and completely unscrupulous in this modern world of mainstream media corporatism. The GOP is the absolute bottom of the barrel and Romney is a threat to the future of the country. Romney is a bottom dwelling shark, and the GOP is generally a party of racist, antisocial, narcissistically disordered, lying delusionists. . .
I really didn't see what was funny about the so-called joke! If it wasn't directed at the President; then why bring it up? The GOP apologists are just trying to offer an excuse that the media will run with. And the regular Morning Joe crew did just that! Mika is always embarrassed! She never stands up to Joe or the GOP.
Hooray for Chris Matthews! When the Republicans first order of business is to pledge allegiance to Norquist before pledging to represent the people who elected them, and whose second order of business is to oppose anything and everything Obama - no bi-partisanship, no compromises, no working across the aisle - just get him out of office at all costs.... Well, it is pretty telling. What makes Obama different from any other Democratic president? COLOR. End of comment. Republicans have been so set on simply opposing Obama that they have lost all integrity - they were willing to state that all women are entitled to only 70% of the income their male counterparts earn, they were silent on condemning Limbaugh for his SLUT and voyeurism remarks regarding Sandra Fluke, they have an ongoing commentary about birth certificates and anti-Americanism. Excuse me, you are speaking about the President of the United States of America, and like or dislike his politics, he is our President, who did take down Bin Laden, and should be given the respect that the title President deserves. You have undermined the office of President, you have overlooked your responsibility to the people who voted you in, you have perpetuated racism,you have belittled women, and you have sold out to big wealthy interests. Shame on you.
MSNBC should be ashamed of themselves putting on such crap. Chris Matthews is obviously heading up the efforts to re-elect Obama. Will never bother to watch any of the NBC affiliates again.
Perfect - thanks Chris - someone in the media has to call them out on the lies and racist "jokes"
Romnuts may not openly state those things but you can be sure his campaign promotes and encourages it
The rest of the media needs to watch Chris to see what they are suppose to do. Hell of a great job Chris. THANK YOU!!!!!!
NBC needs to send a memo out telling everyone else to follow your lead in doing REAL reporter work. That was Awesome!!!!! I can't wait to watch your show at 5:00pm Chris.
I have now become an humble follower of Chris! He stuck to his points and didn't let the Republican off with his spouting of lies.
I am forever your listener, Chris!
Mika was simply pathetic.
Mika is a corporate bot.
Joe Scarborough knows exactly what Chris is saying is correct but he doesn't have the BALLS to go against his own Bigoted party who can't look passed a persons color Old habits are hard to break. Michael Steele is another one who will sit there a nod north and south just to stay in good graces with the GOP even after they voted him out of his position.
Scarborough is a serial pathological liar.
alwaysready;
you really need to watch something else besides MSNBC.
I do watch other things besides MSNBC , I watch FOX NEWS , CNN. I only watch Fox News to see whatch the enemy is thinking.
I do watch other things besides MSNBC , I watch FOX NEWS , CNN.
Thank you Chris. As we all should know, it will take white people speaking out to remove the blinders! You showed courage which is sorely lacking in journalism today and your studio compatriots showed nothing but discomfort and cowardice and the "both sides do it" mentality which makes the term "moral relativity" the standard in most television today. Please don't walk it back. Thanks again.
Well done Chris ... we need more of that ;)
Welcome to corporate owned journalism where actual Journalism is not the norm. It makes no sense that the GOP can lie with abandon and get away with it. It makes no sens that the American public is as misinformed as it is, and that they can get away with it because the media is a willing partner with them in the dumbing down of America. Its sad that there is no Edward R Murrow or anyone else willing to stand up. Chris did a good thing here, but there needs to be more of it.
certainly one of the best moments on television, reminiscent of true journalism of the old days . . . great job, chris!
Thank you to Matthews for being the ONLY ONE on that panel having the courage and decency to expose the increasingly ugly racial politics employed by a desperate and dirty Romney campaign.
Mr. Matthews;
you know the saying; "It is better to be thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Are you kidding me?
Is it possible?? Have we actually seen a substantive exchange?? or is this some kind of web-mirage??? Congratulations Chris. Such a brief, shining moment!! Thanks, I needed that.
Brokaw, "comes the other way from the Dems"???. Really??? I am not the only one who is not interested in another attempt at false equivalences. It is not "all the same". In fact, it is ALL different. This is boring and lazy and no longer an effective fall back position. This attitude is just enabling and justifying bad behavior. STOP!!!!
CNBC: I want to see more of Chris and more of Chris on Morning Joe. I am tuning in tomorrow even though this is not something I usually watch (and NEVER would have watched during a convention)
CNBC: This is not about entertainment and watching people rip each other up. Plenty of places to go for that......you cannot compete. Substance; hey that is something unique!! Keep it up!
Reince Preibus: Guess he thought it would be like Meet the Press: message to David Gregory. Still missing Tim Russert........
Guess most here still have that tingle running up and down their leg when Obama speaks. Good going Chris, you look like a mad man. Isn't that tingle working well for you?
I applaud and respect Chris Matthews for the position he took on MJ defending the President and calling out the RNC for their under-handed, coded attacks, which both Joe and Mika know are real and intentional. I don't understand why there are not more bold and honest reporters, but you can say what you want about Chris Matthews - HE would get my vote for President. He is passionate, honest and not afraid to get in your face for what he believes. The Republicans have played the race card since 2008, and Mitt Romney DID play it on that remark in Michigan last weekend. Case closed.
Why is so many of the so-called members of mainstream media is always, always trying to give cover to those individuals making comments about President Obama birth certificate, calling him the welfare president, and the rest of the Racist dog whisper. Michael Steele and those like him are so dishonest when it comes to race in america that they actually are a big part of the problem. America will never live up to the ideas that it love to go around the world to advocate to other, until it come face to face with it past, and current racial issues. Ignoring those problems isn't going to solve anything. We as a country, and as people will continue to have to deal with. Mitt Romney is a such a dishonest person, all one had to do is listen to this man on time and his flip flops from issues is shocking.
Way to go Chris. Speak truth to power. The rest are cowards, liars or just plain ignorant.
KUDOS! Mr. Matthews for having the 'audacity' to speak the Truth. You gave voice to what the American people have known for som time. Romney's hypocritical, DO /SAY anything to win!
Hello Chris: I love your comments and questions to the RNC Chairman. My problem with Mr. Romney began in the Republican Primary. He was asked about the incident in college when he and some friends held a young man down using sissors cut his hair. The young man was supposedly gay. Mr. Romney could not remember the incident. How degrading for this young man. I think this indicates a seriousl character flaw in Mr. Romney. I would also like to address the welfare and food stamps issues and how it applies to our community but will postpone toa later date. Take care.