What Chris Matthews Forgot

Posted By The Editors | January 29th, 2010 | Category: LDF Voices | 5 comments

By Lee A. Daniels

There can be no denying that cable TV talk-show host Chris Matthews’ intent Wednesday night was to compliment President Obama on the forcefulness of his demeanor and the effectiveness of his speech during The State of the Union address.

But neither can one deny that Matthews’ choice of words not only undermined his intent, they underscored just how wrong is the notion that America has reached—or is anywhere near—a “post-racial” status.

“I was trying to think about who he was tonight,” Matthews said as part of his commentary on Obama’s speech. “It’s interesting; he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour. He’s gone a long way to become a leader of this country and past so much history in just a year or two. … you don’t think in terms of the old tribalism and the old ethnicity.” (my emphases)

Leave aside for the moment the question of how American society could be classified as post-racial when stark racial disparities continue to exist in such areas as wealth, employment and unemployment, educational opportunity, housing, and rates of incarceration.

Just consider Matthews’ unintentionally revealing language:

Barack Obama is not “post-racial” “by all appearances” – unless one uses that term merely to define any black man dressed in a suit and speaking standard English to a large group of white people. By complexion alone, Barack Obama is not “post-racial.” His complexion has for centuries been one of the standard hues of the rainbow of shades of brown and ebony in which black Americans come. There are millions of black Americans of Barack Obama’s hue. Some of them are first-generation biracial. The large majority are not.

And no thinking person would declare the American people as a whole have gone “past so much history” and stopped thinking in terms of “the old tribalism and the old ethnicity.”

To cite just one example, Matthews himself apparently forgot the alarm and disgust he and many others expressed last summer at the lily-white cast of the Tea Party and Birther mobs and their virulent, racially-driven denunciations of Obama. The dynamic of their rallies then and now could hardly be characterized as “post-racial.”

Finally, what mental gymnastics enable one to “forget” one is looking at a black American? Would such a declaration be made — or even thought — about a white woman who had achieved a high status position?

Chris Matthews forgot that forging racial progress has always been a complex and arduous pursuit that’s depended on far more than white Americans admiring the achievements of one exceptional black person.

Indeed, as Manning Marable explores in this edition of TheDefendersOnline.com, Obama’s success was fueled by a dynamic far more multifaceted than the simple-minded claim that it resulted from whites ’ post-racial attitudes. His analysis reminds us that those who want to leave in the past “so much (American) history” and “forget” that part of the heritage of the current President of the United States is rooted in the black experience in America are on a road to nowhere.

Lee A. Daniels is Director of Communications for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. and Editor-in-Chief of TheDefendersOnline.

Tags: media, The Obama Presidency

5 comments
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Arclight69 January 29th, 2010 11:02 pm :
I find the views expressed here to be as racist as any so-called white racists. Blacks are more racist today than the majority of whites and they spew their venom on whites to continue racisim as it suits their needs to proliferate racism. The elimination of recism does not serve the purposes of those who make their living in the recist world they continue to foster. When are blacks going to treat all other nationalities as equal by calling them by their ethinicity and american as in Irish-American, Polish-American, Spanish-American, Scottish-American, Italian American, German American as the term used for all blacks is african-american. This does not describe all blacks but is used as a universal term. However other ethnic groups are descriminated against because their ethinicity is not included in their description but are labeled as whites. Blacks who cry racisism are hypocrites and hypocracy abounds at this and other so-called “black” sites. Blacks feed and take advantage of their own and will self-destruct as a result of this.
John January 30th, 2010 8:20 pm :
Dear Arcangel

I am what our society would call a white person. Being labeled as white or black I believe is not racist. The writer did not write the article about being called African-American. It was just strange how Mathews said “I forgot he was black for an hour”. What does that mean? I didn’t see any venomous words in the author’s tone…frustration? Yes. But just for the record, I have had the privelege of meeting, speaking with, and befriending many black people during my short time on this planet, and I just wanted to say that I couldn’t disagree more with your statement. I work at a social services organization that serves many homeless and low-income people, the majority of whom are black. Most of my co-workers are black. In fact, I’d say 80% of my time spent during the week is with a person of color. Many of my good friends are black and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support and guidance. I can only speak from my experiences, but black people are some of the kindest, humble, most compassionate, funny, curious, intelligent, genuine people I know. Also, through my experiences, I have observed that it is not black people, but our very own white brothers and sisters who, in your words, “spew their venom” toward the black race. I cannot count how many times a white person has used the N word in front of me. It’s disgusting. I do believe that if the author had the choice, he would instantly extinguish racism (and this website) from the planet and focus his time on something like cricket or a game of squash. To think that black people want others to continue hating them is a little far-fetched, don’t you think? However, It is precisely because of people like you that this website, and the race debate must continue. Do you listen youself speak? Do you read your words? They are frightening to say the least. Please try to soften your heart. The world isn’t getting any bigger. Also, please read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, as well as Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. They are great works from great minds documenting the struggles of the black population as recently as 40 years ago…
Bruce Baxter January 31st, 2010 12:16 am :
Well I think the end of this readers statements sums up where their anger comes from. That has been [t]he design from the very beginning from these Caucasoid race. There mission has been to destroy strength and unity of our race. It’s very obvious that we African Americans will never fit in this rat race of a society designed and build with bloody hands. Yes Chris Mathews, another fine example of the true ignorance.
Darrel Williams January 31st, 2010 12:33 pm :
Hey Arclight69, you need to learn how to spell. Your gibberish makes absolutely no sense! I think you are offended by black intelligence. Your insecurity is apparent.
sage smith February 18th, 2010 (4 weeks ago) 3:54 am :
I feel that Chris Matthews simply missed used his words. Interms of post racial i believe he ment the first African American President. Secondly when he said i forgot he was black for an hour he ment that the speech was great and that the speaker didn’t have a color. He could have worded it better. So i do agree with Mr. Daniels. I watch his show and I would make the safe assumption that he is not racist. I am African American and feel that this country has a lot more ground to cover when it comes to the racial problems. Not just with African Americans and Caucasians but all races. However i feel that we African Americans need to realise that yes race does matter in alot of cases but we can still do what we need to do and get to where we need to get. The up side is just like any problem facing it and dealing with it is the only way it will get resolved.

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