Matthews: I wronged Clinton with remark

[LynneSin]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_MATTHEWS_PROTEST?SITE=DEWIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Matthews: I wronged Clinton with remark

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer


NEW YORK (AP) -- With protests rumbling, MSNBC's Chris Matthews said Thursday that he was wrong to say last week that the reason Hillary Clinton is a senator and a candidate for president "is that her husband messed around."

Matthews discussed those remarks at the opening of his show "Hardball" Thursday, the same day feminist leader Gloria Steinem and the heads of four prominent women's groups complained in a letter to his boss that Matthews had shown a pattern of sexism.

"Was it fair to imply that Hillary's whole career depended on being a victim of an unfaithful husband? No," Matthews said. "That's what it sounded like I was saying and it hurt people I'd like to think normally like what I say (and), in fact, like me."

He said that while he has not always taken the time to say things right or be appropriate, "I will try to be clearer, smarter, more obviously in support of the right of women, of all people, to full equality of respect and ambition."

Matthews made the remarks about Clinton on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program Jan. 9, the day after the New Hampshire primary. Clinton's surprise victory in the primary was ascribed, in small part, on women angry that the press corps seemed to write her off after losing in Iowa.

On the program, Matthews said: "Let's not forget, and I'll be brutal, the reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner, is that her husband messed around."

He explained in a later interview with The Associated Press that it was a reference to New York Democrats asking her to run for Senate when she showed dignity in the face of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. He called it an "unexceptional statement."

But now, Matthews said Thursday, "I get it."

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Does Matthews really get it or will he continue his slam on HRC on non-issues. I'm not an HRC supporter in the primaries but I've seen how every vile thing coming out of Matthews mouth is pretty much a HRC deragotry

[EFerrari]

1. The man has no long term memory. He will continue to be the gift

that keeps on embarrassing.

[Sherman A1]

2. Matthews is a

goofball and a complete waste of time. I don't watch him and after MSNBC exclude Kucinich from their debates, I don't watch the channel at all.

[droidamus2]

3. Nice try

Nice try Tweety but that mea culpa sounds more like something your bosses forced you to say. It sounds to me like his initial stupid comments about Hillary brought on too much trouble for his bosses so they told him to go out and 'fall on the sword' for the good of the company.

[deacon]

4. MSNBC should suspend his sexist dumb ass. n/t

[KharmaTrain]

5. He Saw He Was Getting "Imused"

A touch word around GE/NBC these days. Methinks Tweety was read the riot act by the shitstorm he created on both the "debate" coverage and the following morning. Glenn Greenwald nailed this bastard as did Media Matters and the story was getting louder and louder. GE/NBC is almost as sensetive to being labeled mysognistic as much as racist and methinks someone tapped Tweety on the shoulder, played him back the tapes and told him to cool his fuckin' jets.

I don't think Tweety will be able to resist. He's impulsive...talking before thinking...and his "roots" are based on a world view where white men run things, women walk one step behind and minorities know their place. He may claim he's not affected by this, but be assured it will creep back as its at the core of his very being.

Just like Imus, Tweety will lose control someday...blurt out some remark and we'll be back right where we are now.

[Bentcorner]

6. If he admits that he wronged her, shouldn't he be fired?

MSNBC was pretty quick to fire Imus for saying something dumb about a group of basketball players. Why haven't they pulled the trigger on Tweety?