'Hardball's' Matthews Backtracks on Clinton Comment

Jan. 18, 2008 — -- MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews issued an on-air apology yesterday after a comment he made about presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton enraged several leading women's right's groups who said the remark was sexist.

The apology followed a protest outside his studio yesterday by a group of women's right advocates who also sent a heated letter of complaint to the network's top executive.

During a guest appearance on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show "Morning Joe" last Wednesday after the New Hampshire presidential primary -- in which Clinton prevailed over Democratic competitor Sen. Barack Obama -- Matthews made a comment that some interpreted as attributing Clinton's political success to her husband's infidelity.

"The reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around," Matthews said.

In the following days, women's rights groups -- namely the National Organization for Women and the National Women's Political Caucus -- decided to speak out, saying that the statement was the latest in what they believe to be a string of sexist comments Matthews has made about the Clinton candidacy and other female politicians.

"There was a movement building with all of our groups about the way that Chris Matthews has been treating Hillary Clinton," said Claire Giessen, executive director of the National Women's Political caucus, one of the four groups to sign the letter that was sent to Steve Capus, president of NBC News.

"We'd been writing about [Matthews] as far back as last March in regard to his sexist comments about female politicians," said Kim Gandy, president of NOW. "Finally it came to a head in the days leading up to New Hampshire and then afterward."

On "Hardball" last night, Matthews spoke at length about the comment, acknowledging that what he said wasn't right and emphasized his "good heart." He also emphasized how proud he was that his show and his commentary remain both "blunt" and "tough."

"Was it fair to imply that Hillary's whole career depended on being a victim of an unfaithful husband? No," said Matthews. "And that's what it sounded like I was saying, and it hurt people who I'd like to think normally like what I say; in fact, like me."