Chris Matthews: Romney Campaign Is 'Race-Baiting' & 'Encouraging White Anger' to Win in November

MSNBC's Chris Matthews has been known to get emotional when discussing racism, with some -- like Republican Rep. Allen West of Florida -- wondering if he has taken his critiques and claims a bit too far (last week, West wondered if Matthews is "off his medications").

While his past comments have been controversial to say the least, the host's most recent rhetoric will surely rile his critics, who believe he's too hard on the GOP and that he uses charges of racism and bigotry unfairly in his analysis.

Take, for instance, Matthews' accusation this week that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign is "encouraging white anger" in its push to win the White House come November. These controversial words were uttered by Matthews during an appearance with MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell on Monday afternoon. The Atlantic has more:

Chris Matthews accused the Romney campaign of "encouraging white anger" in order to win in November during an appearance with Andrea Mitchell live from Charlotte on Monday afternoon. Matthews pointed to Mitt's use of a birther joke in Michigan, the campaign's welfare ads, the voter I.D. laws that Republicans are pushing as evidence. "Those aren't opinions. It's factual," Matthews told Andrea Mitchell after she tried to distance herself from his remarks.

Watch Matthews make this claim, below:

In another recent interview, he lambasted Republicans on their purported "race-baiting" and said that it is "disreputable for a presidential candidate to engage in race-baiting." He also praised himself for allegedly sticking up for African Americans in the U.S., distinguishing himself as one of the only individuals in media to do so.

And, also on Monday, Matthews' documentary about the president, "Barack Obama: Making History," aired on the network. In it, the MSNBC host seemed enamored -- as he has been in the past -- by the president. Newsbusters has more about Matthews words in the film:

"President Obama is the product of our turbulent history, all that came before led to him," Matthews insisted in the closing portion of his "Barack Obama: Making History" documentary that aired at 10 p.m. Eastern on Monday. As such, Obama "needs to continue making history," for "the moment he becomes just another incumbent president, bogged down in the status quo, he will lose something vital since we first met him: his historic self."

Clearly, Matthews sees himself as a positive force fighting against racism in the political schema. However, conservatives like West would point out that he's taking his critiques too far and unfairly maligning conservatives in the process. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.

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• ‘Off His Medications’: Rep. West Takes Chris Matthews to Task for Wild Chicago Theory
• Chris Matthews Sees More Racism: Gets Emotional While Describing How It ‘Won’t Go Away’