Politics

Chris Matthews: Beck, Limbaugh have an ‘ethnic disdain’ for the first family

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Who knew those who live in glass houses actually do throw stones?

On Thursday night’s “Hardball” on MSNBC, despite charges of misogyny toward conservative women and very bizarre on-air behavior toward female professional colleagues, host Chris Matthews derided conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh and Fox News host Glenn Beck, charging them with “ethnic disdain” toward the first family. The source of the charge: Limbaugh’s critical remarks about first lady Michelle Obama’s dietary habits in the wake of her campaign to combat childhood obesity.

“I think it’s race, too again,” Matthews said. “I rarely raise this flag, but I think there’s this disdain from people like Limbaugh for this first family as a family. There’s a disdain towards them. He wouldn’t talk about another first family who were white like this. He has a disdain which has come on again and again. [Glenn] Beck has it, too. It’s ethnic disdain and they feel happy doing this, because they know their followers out there like it. They’re in the business of keeping a radio listenership. They know it doesn’t offend their type ditto heads, or they wouldn’t be saying it.”

Matthews questioned whether any similar disdain toward the families of former Republican presidents was ever shown by the left.

“Who went after Laura Bush? Who went after Barbara Bush?” Matthews asked. “When you to give me a list an attack by anybody on the left, center-left ever on Laura Bush, ever? Any attack on Barbara Bush, ever?”

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But in fact there was a Comedy Central sitcom and an animated show mocking the Bush families. And even Fox’s “The Family Guy,” created by Seth McFarlane, an admitted lefty, had “Laura Bush killed a guy” as a catchphrase in an episode. So it has happened.

Nonetheless, Matthews still insisted the “disdain” toward the Obamas was motivated because they weren’t white.

“Usually you exercise discretion on this program,” Matthews said to his guests. “You can defend anything. These full-mooners now – you’re defending them, attacking the guy’s wife. It’s disdain.”