Chris Matthews abruptly announced his retirement on Monday night during his show “Hardball” on MSNBC. Then, he was gone.
“I’m retiring. This is the last ‘Hardball’ on MSNBC, and obviously this isn’t for lack of interest in politics,” said Matthews, 74. “As you can tell, I’ve loved every minute of my 20 years as host of ‘Hardball.’ Every morning, I read the papers and I’m gung-ho to get to work. Not many people have had this privilege.”
In his defense, Matthews said: “A lot of it has to do with how we talk to each other. Compliments on a woman’s appearance, that some men, including me, might have once incorrectly thought were okay, were never okay. Not then and certainly not today.”
The network went to commercial, and when they came back, Matthews had disappeared. POOF.
BREAKING: @MSNBC veteran "Hardball" anchor Chris Matthews abruptly resigned from the network tonight, leaving his colleagues shocked after he announced his resignation and did not return after the commercial break. #BreakingNews #ChrisMatthews #Hardball pic.twitter.com/tNz93vHLqe
— Chris Weidner (@CWNewser) March 3, 2020
The surprise announcement came just three days after the longtime anchor was accused of sexual harassment by GQ columnist Laura Bassett.
In a GQ piece Friday headlined, “Like Warren, I Had My Own Sexist Run-In with Chris Matthews,” Bassett claimed Matthews had used sexist language several times when she appeared on his show as a guest.
Basset wrote that Matthews had sexually harassed her in 2016, saying, “Why haven’t I fallen in love with you yet?” while she was getting her makeup done for an appearance,
The number of on-air incidents is long, exhausting, and creepy, including commenting to Erin Burnett, for example, “You’re a knockout… it’s all right getting bad news from you,” while telling her to move closer to the camera. Behind the scenes, one of Matthews’s former producers told The Daily Caller in 2017 that he allegedly rated his female guests on a numerical scale and would name a “hottest of the week,” like a “teenage boy.” In 1999, an assistant producer accused Matthews of sexual harassment, which CNBC, the show’s network at the time, investigated. They concluded that the comments were “inappropriate,” and Matthews received a “stern reprimand,” according to an MSNBC spokesperson.
This tendency to objectify women in his orbit has bled into his treatment of female politicians and candidates. He has repeatedly lusted over women in politics on air, including remarking in 2011 that there’s “something electric” and “very attractive” about the way former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin walks and moves, and noting in 2017 that acting attorney general Sally Yates is “attractive, obviously.” But he has reserved a particular contempt for the woman who made it closest to ascending the heights of American political power, Hillary Clinton, calling her “witchy,” “anti-male,” and “She-Devil.”
Not surprisingly, liberals came out of the woodwork to defend Matthews (so much for the #MeToo movement). And not one of them said, “I believe her.”
“Chris Matthews is a friend of mine. He and I have flirted unabashedly for 20 years. This is an atrocious end to a noble, happy-warrior career. I will continue to be his friend. Angry column to follow,” Kathleen Parker, a syndicated columnist at The Washington Post, wrote on Twitter.
Chris Matthews is a friend of mine. He and I have flirted unabashedly for 20 years. This is an atrocious end to a noble, happy-warrior career. I will continue to be his friend. Angry column to follow. #ChrisMatthews #NoCryingInBaseball #Hardball
— kathleenparker (@kathleenparker) March 3, 2020
Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with Mika Brzezinski, also got Matthews’ back.
“Mika and I were deeply moved by @SteveKornacki’s tribute to Chris Matthews. Actually, we are wiping tears from our eyes. We love Chris and will miss him every night in our home at 7pm. As Steve said, Chris was the most human TV guy and ‘I say that as the highest compliment,'” he wrote.
Mika and I were deeply moved by @SteveKornacki’s tribute to Chris Matthews. Actually, we are wiping tears from our eyes. We love Chris and will miss him every night in our home at 7pm. As Steve said, Chris was the most human TV guy and “I say that as the highest compliment.” pic.twitter.com/M7uGj61kAB
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 3, 2020
Mike Barnicle, a journalist and regular guest on MSNBC shows, said: “Chris Matthews resigned from MSNBC tonight. He is an honest, honorable, kind and compassionate human being and we wish him only the best in his career which is far from over.”
Chris Matthews resigned from MSNBC tonight. He is an honest, honorable, kind and compassionate human being and we wish him only the best in his career which is far from over.
— Mike Barnicle (@mikebarnicle) March 3, 2020
Robby Soave, senior editor at Reason magazine, said: “A question: Why does Christ Matthews have to retire, but Joy Reid can get away with lying about her past homophobia and getting hacking? She’s woke, he’s not, is that the difference?”
A question: Why does Christ Matthews have to retire, but Joy Reid can get away with lying about her past homophobia and getting hacking? She's woke, he's not, is that the difference? https://t.co/VYMoTTjbie
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) March 3, 2020
For her part, Bassett, the author of the GQ story, wrote: “All I gotta say is… it’s about time.”
Then she added: “No, I have more to say than that. Since calling out Chris Matthews, this week has been really rough. The harassment has been invasive, cruel and personal. And it’s all worth it if he will never have the platform to demean and objectify us again.”
No, I have more to say than that. Since calling out Chris Matthews, this week has been really rough. The harassment has been invasive, cruel and personal. And it’s all worth it if he will never have the platform to demean and objectify us again. https://t.co/YS1FxW25zt
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) March 3, 2020