Chris Matthews Compares NRA to Nazis, Decries Use of Nazi Comparisons
Apparently not even Chris Matthews listens to Chris Matthews. On Monday's Hardball, the liberal anchor compared the speeches at the National Rifle Association's 2013 convention to the Nazis. Three minutes later, he decried the use of Nazi comparisons. On the same program, Matthews insisted that the Republican Party has forgiven the assassination of GOP President Abraham Lincoln.
As he played clips of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck at this past weekend's convention, Matthews railed, "First of all, it's Hitlerian, generally speaking, demagoguery. It's always about righteous indignation. All great demagogic speakers talk about how they're coming to get us." The host then played a clip of Beck showing a satirical poster of Michael Bloomberg as Vladimir Lenin. Mistaking this for Nazis, Matthews huffed, "But this idea of making moderate politicians like mike Bloomberg, who's really a centrist, into some sort of...what? A Nazi?" [MP3 audio here.]
This isn't the first time the liberal anchor has compared his enemies to Nazis. He's also become angry over too much "hate" in politics.
Earlier, Matthews mocked the Republican Party's embrace of gun rights, bizarrely linking: "Guns killed Lincoln. Killed James Garfield. Killed McKinley. Killed– Almost killed Ronald Reagan." The TV host asserted, " All that's forgiven now by the NRA-infested Republican Party."
The Republican Party has forgiven the political murders of Garfield, McKinley and Reagan? Is there no end to Matthews unhinged ranting?
A partial transcript of the May 6 segment is below:
5:01
CHRIS MATTHEWS: The NRA wants you armed. They want you carrying a gun, preferably in way that everyone can see. You know, like in the cowboy movies. But better than cowboys, they don't want you walking into some saloon trusting some damn side arm. They want you armed for God's sake. No man should be without a semiautomatic handgun or rifle. Without an assault weapon in your hands, you're not really an American. Any true American is ready at all times to fight this country's elected government if it gets out of line.
And this is the NRA's America. Guns for everybody. Gun shows for anyone who wants to buy one. And ladies and gentlemen, that means anyone. Felons, criminally insane, wife beaters. By God, you stick by the NRA and you'll never have a problem getting your hands on any deadly firearm. Any one you'd like. And this NRA creed, by the way, it's all what I'm saying now, is the de facto platform of the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln. Guns killed Lincoln. Killed James Garfield. Killed McKinley. Killed– Almost killed Ronald Reagan. All that's forgiven now by the NRA-infested Republican Party. Today the leaders of the Republican Party marched in lock step behind the banner of Wayne LaPierre and no Democrat need apply.
...
5:05
MATTHEWS: This whole idea of righteous indignation, first of all, it's Hitlerian, generally speaking, demagoguery. It's always about righteous indignation. All great demagogic speakers talk about how they're coming to get us. That's how you get people excited.
...
5:08
[Matthews plays a picture of Glenn Beck at NRA convention. Beck has a picture of what looks to be a satire of a Lenin picture. Matthews thinks it's a Nazi salute.]
MATTHEWS: You know, I can't overplay how far right this country's gotten. And anybody who's watching, progressives or middle-of-the-roaders, if you don't see what's happening with these people, you don't have to cartoon-ize them. You have got a Nazi salute there, the mayor of New York because wants to have a limit on 16 ounce sodas. Let's put it in practical terms. He also wants– He did a pretty good job, I'll have to say this, on cigarettes in New York. They didn't bring that up because they know he was right on that one. But this idea of making moderate politicians like mike Bloomberg, who's really a centrist, into some sort of left– what? A Nazi?
-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
