Chris Matthews
Christopher John Matthews (born December 17, 1945) is an American political commentator, retired talk show host, and author. Matthews hosted his weeknight hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, on America's Talking and later on MSNBC, from 1997 until March 2, 2020. He announced on his final episode that he was retiring, following an accusation that he had made inappropriate comments to a Hardball guest four years earlier. On that occasion, he stated: "The younger generation's out there ready to take the reins. We see them in politics, in media, in fighting for their causes. They're improving the workplace."[1][2][3][4][5]
Chris Matthews | |
|---|---|
Matthews at the 2011 Time 100 Gala | |
| Born | Christopher John Matthews December 17, 1945 |
| Education | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–2020, 2021-present |
| Employer(s) | NBCUniversal, Comcast |
| Television | Hardball with Chris Matthews |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Jim Matthews (brother) |
Early life and education edit
Matthews was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Mary Teresa (née Shields) and Herb Matthews, a court reporter.[6][7] Matthews's father was, he has written, "raised Episcopalian—Church of England," of English and Scots-Irish ancestry, and his mother was from an Irish Catholic family;[8] Matthews and his siblings were raised in the Catholic faith.[9]
Matthews attended La Salle College High School. Matthews is a 1967 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and did graduate work in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[10][11] Matthews was also a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics.[12]
Matthews served in the United States Peace Corps in Swaziland from 1968 to 1970[13] as a trade development adviser.
Matthews holds 34 honorary degrees from numerous universities and colleges.
Career edit
Political career edit
When Matthews first arrived in Washington, D.C., he worked as an officer with the United States Capitol Police.[14] Subsequently, Matthews served on the staffs of four Democratic Members of Congress, including Senators Frank Moss and Edmund Muskie. In 1974, Matthews mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in which he received about 24% of the vote in the primary.[15] Matthews was a presidential speechwriter during the Carter Administration, and later worked for six years as Chief of Staff to longtime Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O'Neill, playing a direct role in many key political battles with the Reagan Administration.
Matthews has said, "I'm more conservative than people think I am ... I voted for George W. in 2000."[16] Salon.com has called him the "most conservative voice" on MSNBC's primetime lineup.[17] Matthews has been accused by Media Matters for America[18] of having panels of guests that skew to the right and of supporting Republicans in his own questions and comments.[19][20]
On the April 14, 2008, edition of The Colbert Report, Matthews alluded to a possible run for the United States Senate from Pennsylvania.[21] On November 28, 2008, Matthews contacted senior staffers of Barack Obama's campaign about a possible Senate run.[22][23] On January 7, 2009, The New York Times reported that Matthews told his staffers that he would not run for the Senate.[24]
Newspaper journalist edit
Matthews worked in print media for 15 years, spending 13 years as Washington, D.C., bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner (1987–2000) and two years as a nationally syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Matthews covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first all-races election in South Africa, and the Good Friday Peace Talks in Northern Ireland. In 1997 and 1998, his research in the National Archives produced a series of exclusives on the Nixon presidential tapes. Matthews covered American presidential election campaigns from 1988 until his retirement in 2020.
Author edit
He is the author of eight best-selling books:
- Hardball: How Politics is Played, Told by One Who Knows the Game (1988)
- Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America (1996)
- Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think (2001)
- American: Beyond our Grandest Notions (2002)
- Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success (2007)
- Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero (2011)
- Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked (2013)
- Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit (2017)
Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero spent 12 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.[25] The book was lauded by critics. "Matthews excels in capturing the tribalism of the Irish Catholic culture and experience Kennedy both absorbed and overcame as he made his way ... [and] is at his best in describing political dynamics," The Washington Post said.[26] "Matthews proves a compelling storyteller," said The Boston Globe.[27] "Matthews has produced a valuable addition to the literature about the life and career of our 35th president," said The Christian Science Monitor.[28] "Matthews's stirring biography reveals Kennedy as a 'fighting prince never free from pain, never far from trouble, and never accepting the world he found,'" said Publishers Weekly.[29]
Television talk show host edit
In 1997, Matthews began his own weeknight talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which originally aired on America's Talking and then moved to MSNBC. Hardball with Chris Matthews featured pundits and elected officials as guests.
The Chris Matthews Show aired in syndication on weekends from 2002 until 2013. The show was formatted as a political roundtable consisting of four journalists and Matthews, who served as the moderator. He was estimated to earn more than $5 million a year.[citation needed]
In 2004, at the Democratic National Convention, Matthews predicted that he had "just seen the first Black president." The Huffington Post reported on Matthews's emotional expressions of support for Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential election, quoting him as saying: "I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often."[30]
While discussing proposed healthcare reform on the December 17, 2009, edition of Hardball, Matthews stated, "The Republicans will know they have lost ... Let them keep score and it's easy. It's complicated when liberals get to keep score. We're always arguing. Well, I'm a liberal, too."[31][32]
In March 2012, Matthews described himself as a centrist during an episode of his MSNBC talk show Hardball. That statement was questioned by Mediaite's Josh Feldman directly afterward, based on Matthews's frequent condemnation of right-wing political figures and his emotional expression of support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Feldman observed that Matthews has criticized liberals such as Hillary Clinton and occasionally even Barack Obama, and that this could explain Matthews's description of himself as a "centrist".[33]
In 2013, Matthews announced that he had signed a long-term contract extension with MSNBC but that he would no longer host The Chris Matthews Show in order to focus his efforts on Hardball, writing books, and producing documentaries. The final episode of The Chris Matthews Show aired on July 21.[34]
In December 2018, Matthews interviewed U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who stated she was "seriously considering" running for President.[35][36][37][38]
On February 7, 2020, during a panel discussion following a Democratic Party presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire, Matthews referenced Bernie Sanders's praise for aspects of Fidel Castro's Cuba, saying "if Castro and the Reds had won the Cold War, there would [have been] executions in Central Park and I might have been one of the ones getting executed and certain other people would be there cheering, OK? So I have a problem with people who took the other side."[39] His remarks were mocked by left-wing commentators.[40]
During the opening monologue of his Monday, March 2, 2020, show, Matthews announced his immediately effective retirement from Hardball. Matthews alluded to claims of inappropriate conduct that trailed him for years, resurfacing when GQ columnist Laura Bassett accused Matthews of making sexist remarks when she was a guest on “Hardball” in 2016.[41] MSNBC had executed a long-term contract with Matthews, in 2013, to retain him with the network at least through the 2016 election,[42] and he was expected to retire after the 2020 election cycle,[43] with an exit after Election Day in November 2020 likely.[44] Following his resignation, Matthews garnered well-wishes from professional colleagues in the news media and others, including from Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who noted Matthews's willingness to "criticize the neocon pro-war agenda."[45] In September 2022, Matthews returned to MSNBC as a political analyst making appearances on the network's "Morning Joe" program.[citation needed]
Controversies edit
Inappropriate comments edit
Throughout Matthews's career he has been criticized for making derogatory and sexist comments about women in politics including Melania Trump, Sarah Palin, and Erin Burnett.[46][47]
In October 2016, Laura Bassett appeared on Matthews’s program to comment on sexual assault allegations against then candidate Donald Trump. In February 2020, Bassett alleged that prior to that program, Matthews made inappropriate remarks about her makeup, clothing, and dating life. As she was having her television studio makeup applied, Matthews purportedly asked her: "Why haven't I fallen in love with you yet?" Bassett claims that when she laughed nervously and said nothing, Matthews followed up to the makeup artist with: "Keep putting makeup on her, I'll fall in love with her."[48][2] In 2017, Bassett had previously published a text about the incident, which did not identify Matthews by name.[49]
In December 2017, details surfaced of a 1999 settlement Matthews's employer, MSNBC, reached with a female producer of Matthews's program who alleged Matthews made inappropriate comments about her in front of colleagues in the workplace.[50][51][52][53][54]
In 2018 during a setup for a television interview with Hillary Clinton, Matthews stated out loud "where was the Cosby pill" that he brought with him.[55]
Nazi metaphors edit
After President Trump's inaugural address, Matthews characterized the speech as "Hitlerian", due to Trump's "America First" message.[56]
On February 22, 2020, commenting on the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucuses, Matthews invoked Winston Churchill's feeling of disbelief following the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940 as a metaphor for the feeling of disbelief experienced by establishment figures in the Democratic Party to Bernie Sanders's victory in the state.[57]
As members of Sanders's family were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust, his comparison was viewed as insensitive and prompted widespread negative reactions on Twitter calling for him to be removed from MSNBC.[58] Amid mounting criticism, Matthews issued an on-air apology to Sanders and his supporters on February 24. Sanders did not directly respond to the remarks.[59]
Personal life edit
Matthews has been married since 1980 to Kathleen Matthews, who was a news anchor at WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., before accepting a position as an executive vice president with Marriott International. In 2015, Kathleen Matthews launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for a House seat in Maryland's 8th congressional district, which has been represented by progressive Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin since 2016. The couple have three children: Michael, Thomas, and Caroline. One of his four brothers Jim Matthews, a Republican, is a former county commissioner in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
In 2002, Matthews was hospitalized with malaria, which he contracted on one of his visits that year to Africa.[60]
Matthews was the commencement speaker at Ohio State University on May 4, 2014[61] and Merrimack College on May 15, 2015.[62]
Awards edit
Matthews is the recipient of several awards, including The Pennsylvania Society's Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2005,[63] the Abraham Lincoln Award from the Union League of Philadelphia,[64] the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award,[65] and the 2016 Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award.[66]
Honorary degrees edit
Chris Matthews has received over 30 honorary degrees, among which are:
| Date | School | Location | Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2003 | Drexel University | Pennsylvania | Doctorate[67] |
| 2003 | College of the Holy Cross | Massachusetts | Doctorate[68] |
| 2004 | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | New York | Doctorate[69] |
| May 22, 2005 | Quinnipiac University | Connecticut | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[70] |
| May 20, 2006 | Fordham University | New York | Doctorate[71][72] |
| May 10, 2008 | Old Dominion University | Virginia | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[73][74] |
| May 16, 2008 | Washington University in St. Louis | Missouri | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[75][76] |
| 2008 | Temple University | Pennsylvania | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[76] |
| 2009 | Saint Joseph's University | Pennsylvania | Doctor of Communication[77] |
| 2012 | Howard University | District of Columbia | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[78] |
| May 20, 2013 | Suffolk University | Massachusetts | Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)[79] |
| May 4, 2014 | Ohio State University | Ohio | Doctor of Communication[80] |
| May 18, 2014 | University of Rochester | New York | Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.)[81][82] |
| September 28, 2014 | La Salle University | Pennsylvania | Doctorate[83] |
| May 15, 2015 | Merrimack College | Massachusetts | Doctorate[84] |
| June 11, 2015 | Peirce College | Pennsylvania | Doctorate[85] |
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (June 2018) |
Bibliography edit
- Matthews, Chris (2021). This Country: My Life in Politics and History. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-9821-3484-6.[86]
- Matthews, Christopher (2017). Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 416. ISBN 978-1-5011-1186-0.
- Matthews, Christopher (2013). Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4516-9599-1.
- Matthews, Christopher (2011). Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4516-3508-9.
- Matthews, Christopher (2007). Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success (1st ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6528-8.
- Matthews, Christopher (2002). American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions. New York: Free Press. ISBN 0-7432-4086-3.
- Matthews, Christopher (2001). Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think (1st ed.). New York: Free Press. ISBN 0-684-86236-0.
- Matthews, Christopher (1996). Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-81030-1.
- Matthews, Christopher (1988). Hardball: How Politics Is Played, Told By One Who Knows the Game. New York: Summit Books. ISBN 9780671631604.
References edit
- ^ Grynbaum, Michael M. (March 2, 2020). "Chris Matthews Out at MSNBC - Mr. Matthews's show, 'Hardball,' has been on the air since 1997". The New York Times. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "MSNBC's Chris Matthews absent from air amid sexual harassment allegations". The Hill. March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews, MSNBC's 'Hardball' Veteran, to Depart". Variety. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews resigns TRANSCRIPT: 3/2/20, Hardball w/ Chris Matthews". MSNBC. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ Shelter, Brian (March 2, 2020). "Chris Matthews retires from MSNBC after string of recent controversies". CNN. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ . Pabook.libraries.psu.edu. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
- ^ Matthews, Chris (November 2011). Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781451635102. Retrieved October 28, 2012 – via Google Books.
- ^ Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think, by Chris Matthews, pp.77–80, 2001
- ^ White, Deborah. . About.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
- ^ . MSNBC.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
- ^ "Chris Matthews (American)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
- ^ "Former Fellows by Year". Harvard University. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ "9 Famous Peace Corp Volunteers". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. February 17, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ Matthews, Chris. "American attitude – Hardball with Chris Matthews". NBC News. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ "PA District 04 – D Primary". OurCampaigns.com. March 21, 1974. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ October 3, 2003, and February 23, 2004, editions of Hardball
- ^ Kornacki, Steve (January 21, 2011). "Is Olbermann the victim of his own success?". Salon.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ S, A (May 31, 2005). . Media Matters for America. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ Gitlen, Todd (March 23, 2006). . The American Prospect. Archived from the original on April 14, 2007. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ B, J (January 6, 2006). . Media Matters for America. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ "Chris Matthews Tells Colbert: "I Want To Be A Senator"". Huffington Post. April 23, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
- ^ Quinn, Sean (November 28, 2008). "Chris Matthews Staffing Up for Probable Senate Run in 2010". Fivethirtyeight.com. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
- ^ Kraushaar, Josh; Michael Calderone (December 4, 2008). "Chris Matthews Inches Toward Senate Run". CBS News. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
- ^ Carter, Bill (January 7, 2009). "Host of 'Hardball' Decides Against Senate Race". The New York Times. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
- ^ Cowles, Gregory. "Best Sellers". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ . The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ Matthews, C. (2012). Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781451635096.
- ^ "Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero". Christian Science Monitor. October 31, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris Matthews". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ Shea, Danny (March 28, 2008). "Chris Matthews: "I Felt This Thrill Going Up My Leg" As Obama Spoke". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ . Fox News. Archived from the original on December 21, 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
- ^ "'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Thursday, December 17th, 2009". NBC News. December 18, 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
- ^ Feldman, Josh (March 25, 2012). "MSNBC's Chris Matthews Says He's A Centrist. No, Seriously". Mediaite.com.
- ^ Weprin, Alex (April 30, 2013). . Mediabistro.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Rep. Tulsi Gabbard plays Hardball. TRANSCRIPT: 4/11/19, Hardball w/ Chris Matthews". MSNBC. April 11, 2019.
- ^ MSNBC (December 12, 2018). "Tulsi Gabbard: "I'm Seriously Considering" Running For President"". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ MSNBC (June 26, 2019). "Tulsi Gabbard On Joe Biden Supporting The Iraq War: It Was The Wrong Vote". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ "'Dishonest' : Steve Schmidt presses Tulsi Gabbard on meeting Bashar al-Assad". MSNBC.com. November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Ukraine call TRANSCRIPT: 2/7/20, the 11th Hour with Brian Williams". MSNBC. February 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews' Wild Rant Connects a Bernie Sanders Win with Public Executions". Rolling Stone. February 8, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews to Retire From MSNBC". The Hollywood Reporter. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews Signs New Long-Term Deal with MSNBC". The Hollywood Reporter. April 30, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews retires from MSNBC after string of recent controversies". CNN Business. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews Out at MSNBC". The New York Times. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Tulsi Gabbard Lauds Chris Matthews: Last Liberal on TV 'Willing to Criticize the Neocon Pro-War Agenda'". Mediate. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Van-Syckle, Katie; Van-Syckle, Katie (May 4, 2016). "MSNBC's Chris Matthews Caught on Hot Mic Ogling Melania Trump". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Byers, Dylan (May 4, 2016). "Chris Matthews' Melania Trump remarks caught on hot mic". CNNMoney. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
- ^ Bassett, Laura (February 28, 2020). "Like Warren, I Had My Own Sexist Run-In with Chris Matthews". Gentleman's Quarterly Magazine (GQ). Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ Bassett, Laura (October 24, 2017). "Me Too, I Think? When Sexual Harassment Feels All Too Normal All women have stories. We're just not sure what to do with them". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ "MSNBC's Chris Matthews was reprimanded over comments about woman in 1999: report". NBC News. December 17, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- ^ Bowden, John (December 17, 2017). "NBC paid out severance to staffer who accused Chris Matthews of sexual harassment". The Hill. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Snider, Mike (December 17, 2020). "MSNBC's Chris Matthews reprimanded over inappropriate comments about woman in 1999". USA Today. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Parker, Ryan (December 17, 2017). "NBC Paid Severance to Female Staffer Who Accused Chris Matthews of Sexual Harassment". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ Tani, Maxwell (December 17, 2017). "NBC paid out a staffer who accused Chris Matthews of making inappropriate jokes in 1999". Business Insider. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ "Chris Matthews joked about his 'Bill Cosby Pill' before interviewing Hillary Clinton". The Washington Post. January 12, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
- ^ "Chris Matthews: Trump Speech Was 'Hitlerian'". The Daily Beast. January 20, 2017.
- ^ Arciga, Julia (February 22, 2020). "Chris Matthews Likens Bernie's Strong Nevada Showing to France Falling to Nazi Germany in WWII". The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ Bekiempis, Victoria (February 23, 2020). "Outcry after MSNBC host compares Sanders' Nevada win to Nazi invasion". The Guardian. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Grynbaum, Michael (February 24, 2020). "Chris Matthews Apologizes to Bernie Sanders for Remarks on Nevada Win; An on-air comparison to Nazis angered Sanders aides, who privately complained to executives at MSNBC". The New York Times. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ Petrozzello, Donna (July 24, 2002). "Matthews Hospitalized With Malaria". Daily News. New York. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- ^ Theodore, Michele (March 21, 2014). "Chris Matthews of MSNBC's 'Hardball' to be Ohio State Spring Commencement speaker". The Lantern. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Merrimack commencement speakers: Build connections with others". www.merrimack.edu. May 17, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- ^ . The Pennsylvania Society. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ . Daemen College. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ "Local Woman to Head National Hibernian Board". Catholic Herald. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ "Hardball's Chris Matthews to receive Tip O'Neill award". Boston Irish Reporter. July 6, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ^ "2,700 Grads, Philadelphians Patti LaBelle and Chris Matthews to Highlight Drexel's 116th Commencement Saturday". Businesswire.com (Press release). Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Commencement Archives". College of the Holy Cross. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "HWS: Office of Advancement". Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Quinnipiac College Commencement Address". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Chris Matthews to Speak at 161st Commencement". Fordham.edu. April 6, 2006. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ Shen, Vivian. "Research Guides @ Fordham: Fordham University History: Fordham Commencement Speakers 1941-present". Fordham University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "ODU To Award Seven Honorary Degrees at Spring Commencement". Old Dominion University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ Bowers, Matthew (April 23, 2008). "Journalists speak at ODU commencements". Pilotonline.com. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Washington University to award six honorary degrees at 147th Commencement". Washington University in St. Louis. May 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ a b (PDF). Washington University in St. Louis. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Recipients of Honorary Degrees (By Year)". Howard University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Robert Kraft, Chris Matthews and Paul Fireman to Speak at Commencement Exercises May 19–20". Suffolk University. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Facts on Spring 2014 Commencement". Ohio State University. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ "Chris Matthews to give Commencement address". University of Rochester. February 27, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ . University of Rochester. Archived from the original on June 10, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "La Salle University to Present Honorary Degree to MSNBC's Chris Matthews". La Salle University. September 24, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ Francis, Peter. "Merrimack College graduates 600". Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- ^ "Commencement speakers at area colleges". Phillyvoice.com. August 19, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: This Country: My Life in Politics and History by Chris Matthews". Publishers Weekly. March 16, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.