50 Years After 'I Have a Dream,' This Is What Chris Matthews Has to Say About Obama's Political Opponents

MSNBC host Chris Matthews on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream" speech explained the real motivation behind criticism of President Barack Obama: racism.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Chris Matthews (Getty Images/Suzanne Freeman)

Speaking on MSNBC Wednesday, the "Hardball" host cited so-called “bitherism” among the president’s supposedly “racist” critics, and praised past racists for being more upfront and “honest” with their bigotry.

"At least they were honest [during King's era]," Matthews said. "Today in American politics you have people like Donald Trump who hangs around with Mitt Romney, talking about the president being an illegal immigrant, basically being a con artist on a street corner.”

Matthews went on, “You've got Ted Cruz out there. They never say their problem with Obama is that he's black. But look at the pattern. The pattern is rejection of his legitimacy at the first point, saying he's not really here legally."

MSNBC of course dedicated significant air time to Texas Republican Sen. Cruz's Canadian-Cuban background.

“It's rejection of the law he passed, the landmark bill passed in 2010. It's an attempt to impeach him on no grounds,” Mathews said. "These guys today use all the techniques of nullification and talking about illegitimacy and accusing the president of being a crook basically for even being president 'cause he's here illegally.”

“They talk about impeaching him on grounds they can't even come up with. At least in the old days they were honest about it. Today, they're not,” he added.

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(H/T: TPM). Featured image Suzanne Freeman/Getty Images.

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