Chris Matthews: ‘I Forgot Obama Was Black’

Sandra Rose January 28, 2010

A verbal miscue by MSNBC host Chris Matthews once again stirred debate across the Internet following last night’s state of the Union Address when he said U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech made him forgot Obama was black.

Matthews later strained to clarify his remark by saying Obama is just now leading this country from its racial past “at least in presidential politics.” But as Hot Air points out, African Americans are not strangers to Washington politics:

Matthews has it exactly backwards. John Kennedy may not have had an African-American cabinet member, but his successor did, and we have had African-Americans in high federal office for at least five decades. His “at least in presidential politics” qualifier is exceedingly strange after an address to Congress, which has a strong and influential Congressional Black Caucus.

CHARBEE1

He needs to sit his AZZ down somewhere.
scorpio

I think he meant it as to say. In a world where it use to be, you would see black right off the bat, it has gotten to a point where it’s not the first thing you think or see now. We’re getting more color blind very slowly, but you don’t think black president, you just think President. Although he still should not have said it.
http://myspace.com/amax79 AKAtastrophy1908

I dont know where Chris Matthews was going with this. He is usually right on the money with issues of the day. The only thing that even remotely makes sense to me is that maybe he was saying that this is the first major speech that President obama has given where he didnt have to mention or discuss race at all. I don’t know. I aint buying the “Obama is a sellout” kool-aid though (which I think is the underlying point of this article. He is married to a REAL black woman that he adores and respects the black community. That is that.
scorpio

But at the same time I will say. White America in this past year has really shown itself to still be very color struck even though they have pretended all this time not to be.
african_dude

being married to a black woman is now a validation of one`s blackness?? just a question
s_johnson07

@scorpio

I completely agree…
Quitta

Chris Matthews is an azz.

I heard this morning that he was trying to dress it up saying he heard him speak last night to America and that he didn’t see a color (was what he meant), he heard a good speech and that it wasn’t a black or white issue and yadda yadda yadda…

Even before this happened I thought C. Matthews was a jerk and still is. Taste your words before you start blurting out smelly sh*t.
CivilEngineer

I hope he didn’t mean it in a “blacks can’t be articulate” kind of way…
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

All these fearful-not-so- intelligent white male talk show hosts just want some attention for their corny azz shows. Next.

What I learned today is not to seek validation from people who are unqualified or unskilled to see or respect your worth.

Now this does not mean that you close your mind to correction and truth that will take you to the next level in your human experience. But don’t listen to people who are unqualified to assist you in building a better you.

Racist people are unqualified to tell Black folks anything. So ignore his dumb azz.
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

Obama is on CNN.
CivilEngineer

Thanks @attorneymom….I just tuned in!
http://myspace.com/amax79 AKAtastrophy1908

@ african_dude: you are right- Barack’s being married to Michelle does not validate Barack’s blackness. I was going somewhere with that but my mind was on work at the time.

I was going to say that many anti-Obamaians try project to the black community that Obama has turned his back on them or has sold out or isnt black enough. Chris matthews statement, however chopped and screwed, will only ignite that belief in people who want that to be true. Barack has done what many black men have done. He was raised poor by a single mother, went on to get an excellant education, married his wife, raised his family and orchestrated a stellar career. Other black meen have done that and more black men SHOULD do that but because it is not the norm for black men- because he is not on tv screaming adnauseum about slavery, reperations and other things past, but focusing on what we can do right now and for the future- he “ain’t black enough”. believe this, if he ws “black enough” by the majority’s standard, he couldnt even visit the White House, let alone live in it.
onlinefan

i thought Chris Mathews was an Obama stan, so i hope he didn’t mean it as it sounded
talldrink

One of CM’s major problems is he has diarrhea of the frickin’ mouth.He was boound to say something stupid. He even cuts his guests off on his show constantly. He always has Pat Buchanan, the hardcore racist on the show with his racist views. I can’t stand his stupid ass. I quit watching his pompous ass long ago.

When some YTs try to show how racist they aren’t, just shows how racist they are.
african_dude

attorneymom Says:

Obama is on CNN
““““““““““““““`

hmm as usual…!
KaraZ

Chris Matthews must be an alcholic
african_dude

AKAtastrophy1908 Says:

@ african_dude: you are right- Barack’s being married to Michelle does not validate Barack’s blackness. I was going somewhere with that but my mind was on work at the time.

I was going to say that many anti-Obamaians try project to the black community that Obama has turned his back on them or has sold out or isnt black enough. Chris matthews statement, however chopped and screwed, will only ignite that belief in people who want that to be true. Barack has done what many black men have done. He was raised poor by a single mother, went on to get an excellant education, married his wife, raised his family and orchestrated a stellar career. Other black meen have done that and more black men SHOULD do that but because it is not the norm for black men- because he is not on tv screaming adnauseum about slavery, reperations and other things past, but focusing on what we can do right now and for the future- he “ain’t black enough”. believe this, if he ws “black enough” by the majority’s standard, he couldnt even visit the White House, let alone live in it
“““““““““““““““““““““““

sorry to say this but hmm obama always refers to himself as a “mutt“ aka mulatto..once again sorry but mulattos are not black
keely107

WOW! Hate! Hate! Hate!
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

Why did a Black woman ask Obama what programs will put in place to help her brother- who has 33 drug felonies at the age of 26- get a job? Blank stare. She was a plant by Obama’s camp. I know the screen folks before they ask questions. Her azz is going viro today. She going to be all over youtube.
ReadTheBlog

Attymom, the only program that will help that man would likely be prison. He’s better off spending his life in jail, cause at age 26 and that far in the game, he can’t do nothing but become a rapper, and even they are having a hard time these days!

The author of ‘Catcher in the Rye’ died
african_dude

@ attorneymom

they do “plants“ all the time..lol
ReadTheBlog

Oh, and since we’re talking about it. You see how the race card was played, and do you see who played it? Not Obama! And 97% of the time we don’t play it, or mention it. It’s them.
msnicole

Maybe its just me, but I didn’t see anything at all wrong with what Chris Matthews said. He’s telling the truth. Look at the whole video clip on MSNBCs site and I think he explained his point well.
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

@ReadTheBlog, with 33 felonies, his behind should be in jail. I take it he does not live in Cali.
indesign18

Ms. Nicole, not just u, I feel the same way. Most white american are used to Black men in two perceptions either passive and apologetic, or aggressive and out of control, so to see a black man strong, comfortable in his skin, keenly aware of his situation and his place in the world and non apologetic is not what we see as a black man and I think he was impressed, in awe and a little bit proud. He came from an era where that black man stayed in their place or faced the wrath so I have never understood how we are supposed be aggresive and violent. Who knows!

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