Matthews' obsession with Obama's ability to “walk[] into a dinette [sic]” continues

Written by Andrew Walzer

Published

A week after claiming that Sen. Barack Obama “can't walk into a dinette [sic] with five or six guys there, white guys, in some cases. He can't just shake hands and hang out,” Chris Matthews asserted, "[Obama] doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting."

On the April 24 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, referring to Sen. Barack Obama, host Chris Matthews said to NBC News political director Chuck Todd, “Chuck, let's talk about race. Let's mix in with class. I've said before -- people have criticized me for this -- he doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting.”

The week before, Matthews similarly asserted that Obama has “got another problem. ... He can't walk into a dinette [sic] with five or six guys there, white guys, in some cases. He can't just shake hands and hang out. He doesn't seem to, 'Hey, you know, how are the Eagles doing?' Or 'How are the Phils doing?' ” In addition, on the April 10 edition of Hardball, Matthews claimed that Obama is “not that good at that -- handshaking in a diner,” adding: “Barack doesn't seem to know how to do that right.” MSNBC correspondent David Shuster agreed, stating: "[H]e doesn't do that well." Matthews then asserted: “What's so hard about doing a diner? I don't get it. Why doesn't he go in there and say, 'Did you see the papers today? What do you think about that team? How did we do last night?' Just some regular connection?” During that same segment, Matthews and Shuster also critiqued Obama's reported request for orange juice after being offered coffee at an Indiana diner.

Media Matters has documented numerous other examples of Matthews and other MSNBC personalities and guests purporting to identify actions by, or characteristics of, Obama that they have suggested demonstrate that he is not a “regular guy.”

From the April 24 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Chuck, let's talk about race. Let's mix in with class. I've said before -- people have criticized me for this -- he doesn't seem to have the knack for walking into a dinette [sic] with regular people in it and just having fun, just connecting.

TODD: Right. I mean, I think this is as much of that as it is the overall race issue. I mean, look, there are some people who say race is a factor who -- because it's prejudice, and there are some who say race is a factor because they think their next-door neighbor won't support a black candidate, but they are hoping a Democrat wins and that's one reason they voted. So, I think somewhere in those numbers, there's a little bit of accountability for that.