It’s no secret that MSNBC host Chris Matthews fears what Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) could do to the Democratic Party if he receives the nomination, but he may have crossed the line this past weekend when comparing the socialist’s win in Nevada to Adolf Hitler taking over France.
“It looks like Bernie Sanders is hard to beat right now,” Matthews said. “I’m with Carville all the way in terms of the dangers of what lurks, what lies ahead in November. I’m very much aware that they’re sitting on so much oppo research on Bernie, what he said in the past about world affairs, how far-left he is … they are going to make the most of that in terms of world politics. They’re going to kill him.”
He continued, “I was reading last night, Brian, I know you’re a history guy too, I was reading last night about the fall of France in the summer of 1940, and the general, Renault, calls up Churchill and says, ‘It’s over.’ And Churchill says ‘How can it be? You’ve got the greatest army in Europe. How can it be over?’ He said, ‘It’s over.’ So I have that suppressed feeling. I can’t be as wild as Carville, but he is damn smart, and I think he’s damn right on this one.”
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews likens Sanders victory in Nevada to Nazi Germany overrunning France in 1940: “It’s too late to stop him … it’s over” pic.twitter.com/6GJetLoDkq
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 22, 2020
According to The Hill, as the weekend unfolded, social media erupted with calls for Matthews’ resignation, including from Bernie Sanders’ communications director Mike Casca. People were especially incensed that Matthews would mention Sanders and Nazis in the same breath considering that Sanders is Jewish.
“Never thought part of my job would be pleading with a national news network to stop likening the campaign of a Jewish presidential candidate whose family was wiped out by the Nazis to the Third Reich,” tweeted Casca.
never thought part of my job would be pleading with a national news network to stop likening the campaign of a jewish presidential candidate whose family was wiped out by the nazis to the third reich.
but here we are. https://t.co/2G1bqZ6bkI
— mike casca (@cascamike) February 22, 2020
“For once, I’m not being sarcastic here. I’m dead serious. I’m really, really insulted by a major pundit on an allegedly liberal news network comparing a Jewish candidate’s overwhelming caucus victory to the French losing a battle with the Nazis. Get this lunatic off the air,” tweeted reporter Alex Kotch.
For once, I'm not being sarcastic here. I'm dead serious.
I'm really, really insulted by a major pundit on an allegedly liberal news network comparing a Jewish candidate's overwhelming caucus victory to the French losing a battle with the Nazis.
Get this lunatic off the air. https://t.co/HZXWl3ceS7
— Alex Kotch (@alexkotch) February 22, 2020
“Chris Mathews has been generous to me on a number of occasions, even blurbing my book. However, his constant references to political violence and today Nazism to describe Bernie Sanders campaign is beyond the pale. [Matthews] must resign or be fired from MSNBC,” tweeted filmmaker Arun Chaudhary.
Chris Mathews has been generous to me on a number of occasions, even blurbing my book. However, his constant references to political violence and today Nazism to describe Bernie Sanders campaign is beyond the pale. @HardballChris must resign or be fired from @MSNBC.
— Arun Chaudhary (@ArunChaud) February 22, 2020
“Probably true but there are a million other ways he could have made his point that don’t involve the holocaust,” tweeted Yashar Ali.
Probably true but there are a million other ways he could have made his point that don’t involve the holocaust https://t.co/14fFnuPBnt
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 22, 2020
“[Chris Matthews] just compared Bernie Sanders and his movement to Hitler and the Nazis on national television. Sanders, who is Jewish and lost family in the Holocaust, is on track to be the nation’s first Jewish president. Enough with this. Matthews should not be on the air,” tweeted journalist Walker Bragman.
.@HardballChris just compared Bernie Sanders and his movement to Hitler and the Nazis on national television.
Sanders, who is Jewish and lost family in the Holocaust, is on track to be the nation's first Jewish president.
Enough with this. Matthews should not be on the air. https://t.co/TBC9bOmdfa
— Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman) February 22, 2020
On Sunday, MSNBC political analyst Anand Giridharadas openly rebuked Matthews on the air.
“Why is Chris Matthews on this air talking about the victory [of] Bernie Sanders, who had kin murdered in the Holocaust, analogizing it to the Nazi conquest of France?” Giridharadas asked. “People stuck in an old way of thinking, in 20th-century thinking, are missing what is going on. It is time for all of us to step up, rethink the dawn of what may be, frankly, a new era in American life.”