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Here's how he treats women at MSNBC on the air:
* On the August 10, 2007, edition of Hardball, during a discussion of financial news, Matthews told CNBC's Erin Burnett, "[Y]ou're beautiful," and "[y]ou're a knockout," before closing the interview by saying, "It's all right getting bad news from you." Matthews also asked Burnett: "Could you get a little closer to the camera?" Burnett replied, "My -- what is it?" Matthews then said: "Come on in closer. No, come in -- come in further -- come in closer. Really close." After Burnett began to comply, Matthews stated, "Just kidding! You look great! Anyway, thanks, Erin, it's great to -- look at that look. You're great." As Media Matters has noted, following the Burnett incident, according to a "Page Six" article in the New York Post, Matthews "told Page Six he was only fooling around with Burnett because the camera lens had already made her appear closer than usual. 'It was this weird fishbowl look. ... I was just kidding around.' " * As the Daily Howler blog noted following the Burnett incident, "[T]his very same sort of thing occurred on a Friday afternoon in late March," also during Hardball. According to Daily Howler, "[A]fter CNBC's Margaret Brennan delivered a financial update, Matthews blurted out praise for her youthful beauty, as he would later do with Burnett." From the Daily Howler: MATTHEWS (3/23/07): OK, it's Friday afternoon, OK? But I have watched that economic bulletin there. But let me just tell you -- the next time the producer has to choose between a picture of more of Margaret Brennan and that oil derrick, that offshore oil derrick, stay on Margaret Brennan, OK? (GROUP LAUGHTER -- ALL MEN) MATTHEWS: She's a beautiful woman. She's a very bright reporter. She makes us feel good. I am sick of looking at that offshore oil drill. It drives me crazy. Bring back Margaret! Thank you, dear! Thank you! Back by popular demand! Happy Friday! And she's 6 feet tall, besides. You're gorgeous, and I hate that oil drill. I hate the oil drill. Do you want to comment on that? BRENNAN: More of the oil boards? Hey, well, you know, sure. More air time -- I'm not going to complain about. But I'd love to be more on your show there, Chris. MATTHEWS: OK. Thank you, dear. You are on right now. Thanks for the -- held over by popular demand, dear. Thank you. Happy Friday. Anyway, Mike Barnicle, that was a -- that was -- I'd rather see her than you guys, anyway. Thank you. Mike Barnicle's coming on right now, and Ron Christie. [emphases in original]
* As the Daily Howler blog noted following the Burnett incident, "[T]his very same sort of thing occurred on a Friday afternoon in late March," also during Hardball. According to Daily Howler, "[A]fter CNBC's Margaret Brennan delivered a financial update, Matthews blurted out praise for her youthful beauty, as he would later do with Burnett." From the Daily Howler:
MATTHEWS (3/23/07): OK, it's Friday afternoon, OK? But I have watched that economic bulletin there. But let me just tell you -- the next time the producer has to choose between a picture of more of Margaret Brennan and that oil derrick, that offshore oil derrick, stay on Margaret Brennan, OK? (GROUP LAUGHTER -- ALL MEN) MATTHEWS: She's a beautiful woman. She's a very bright reporter. She makes us feel good. I am sick of looking at that offshore oil drill. It drives me crazy. Bring back Margaret! Thank you, dear! Thank you! Back by popular demand! Happy Friday! And she's 6 feet tall, besides. You're gorgeous, and I hate that oil drill. I hate the oil drill. Do you want to comment on that? BRENNAN: More of the oil boards? Hey, well, you know, sure. More air time -- I'm not going to complain about. But I'd love to be more on your show there, Chris. MATTHEWS: OK. Thank you, dear. You are on right now. Thanks for the -- held over by popular demand, dear. Thank you. Happy Friday. Anyway, Mike Barnicle, that was a -- that was -- I'd rather see her than you guys, anyway. Thank you. Mike Barnicle's coming on right now, and Ron Christie. [emphases in original]
MATTHEWS (3/23/07): OK, it's Friday afternoon, OK? But I have watched that economic bulletin there. But let me just tell you -- the next time the producer has to choose between a picture of more of Margaret Brennan and that oil derrick, that offshore oil derrick, stay on Margaret Brennan, OK?
(GROUP LAUGHTER -- ALL MEN)
MATTHEWS: She's a beautiful woman. She's a very bright reporter. She makes us feel good. I am sick of looking at that offshore oil drill. It drives me crazy. Bring back Margaret! Thank you, dear! Thank you! Back by popular demand! Happy Friday! And she's 6 feet tall, besides. You're gorgeous, and I hate that oil drill. I hate the oil drill. Do you want to comment on that?
BRENNAN: More of the oil boards? Hey, well, you know, sure. More air time -- I'm not going to complain about. But I'd love to be more on your show there, Chris.
MATTHEWS: OK. Thank you, dear. You are on right now. Thanks for the -- held over by popular demand, dear. Thank you. Happy Friday. Anyway, Mike Barnicle, that was a -- that was -- I'd rather see her than you guys, anyway. Thank you. Mike Barnicle's coming on right now, and Ron Christie. [emphases in original]
Considering this context of Chris Matthews drawing attention to women's appearance & sexual attractiveness, it's a lot less plausible to think, "he only hates Hillary because she was married to Bill." And it's a lot more plausible to think that he doesn't respect women, and especially a woman who defines herself by knowing more about the details of policy than any other candidate, as opposed to acting demure or submissive.
What if Chris Matthews were praising every African American man with compliments about athleticism and musicality? And then he picked on a single African American politician as "not winning on the merits." Would you really think he didn't have any racist attitudes in his brain?
Of course I'm not defending his arguements, but to label someone, you should more closely follow the definition.
Matthews' comments are not aimed at getting those women into bed with him, because he knows he's got no chance with them. He's saying those things only to demonstrate his power over them. He's the man and those women are only there to please his eyeballs, and he gets to pass judgment on them.
That's definitely sexism.
Unfortunately, Matthews is a powerful sexist pig. That MSNBC apparently (we would't be privy to personnel action) didn't (based on his continued sexist on-air behavior) engage in disciplinary action after these comments is disappointing. Can't wait for a smart lawyer to represent a woman employee and sue Matthews and MSNBC for failing to protect her from a professionally humiliating work culture of accepted and chronic sexual harassment. Clearly the expected response from women who want to remain employed is to be "good natured" in response to MSNBC star Matthews' unprofessional and degrading behavior and to "laugh it off" or "take it as a compliment" or just accept it as just one of the "boys being boys."
He is an ass. And so is Bill O'Reilly. "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity."
