History of Chris Matthews in Timeline

Chris Matthews is an American political commentator, author, and former talk show host. He is best known for hosting 'Hardball with Chris Matthews' on MSNBC from 1997 to 2020, a weeknight hour-long talk show focused on politics and current events. Matthews retired following allegations of inappropriate comments made to a guest on his show. Before his career in television, Matthews worked as a political aide and speechwriter. He has also authored several books, primarily focused on American politics and history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1940: Historical Reference to Fall of France

In February 2020, Chris Matthews made a reference to Winston Churchill's feeling of disbelief following the fall of France in 1940. He made this comparison while commenting on the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucuses.

December 17, 1945: Chris Matthews Born

On December 17, 1945, Christopher John Matthews was born. He would later become a political commentator, talk show host, and author.

Others born on this day/year

1967: Graduation from College of the Holy Cross

In 1967, Matthews graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He later pursued graduate work in economics.

1968: Peace Corps Service Begins

In 1968, Matthews began his service in the United States Peace Corps in Swaziland.

1970: End of Peace Corps Service

In 1970, Matthews completed his service in the United States Peace Corps in Swaziland, where he worked as a trade development advisor.

1974: Unsuccessful Congressional Campaign

In 1974, Chris Matthews unsuccessfully campaigned for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, receiving approximately 24% of the vote in the primary.

1980: Marriage to Kathleen Matthews

In 1980, Chris Matthews married Kathleen Matthews, who was a news anchor at WJLA-TV and later became an executive vice president with Marriott International.

1987: Becomes Washington, D.C., Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Examiner

In 1987, Chris Matthews became the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner, a role he held for 13 years.

1988: Began Covering Presidential Election Campaigns

In 1988, Chris Matthews began covering American presidential election campaigns, a role he continued until his retirement in 2020.

1997: Began Hosting Hardball with Chris Matthews

In 1997, Chris Matthews launched his own weeknight talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which initially aired on America's Talking before moving to MSNBC, featuring pundits and elected officials as guests.

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1997: Hardball with Chris Matthews Debut

In 1997, Chris Matthews started hosting his weeknight hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, initially on America's Talking before moving to MSNBC.

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1997: Research in the National Archives

In 1997, Chris Matthews's research in the National Archives produced a series of exclusives on the Nixon presidential tapes.

1998: Research in the National Archives

In 1998, Chris Matthews's research in the National Archives continued to produce a series of exclusives on the Nixon presidential tapes.

1999: MSNBC Settlement

In 1999, MSNBC reached a settlement with a female producer of Chris Matthews's program who alleged that Matthews made inappropriate comments about her in front of colleagues.

2000: Ends Tenure as Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief

In 2000, Chris Matthews concluded his 13-year tenure as the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner.

2000: Voted for George W. Bush

In 2000, Chris Matthews stated that he voted for George W. Bush, which led to discussions about his political leanings and perceived conservatism.

2002: The Chris Matthews Show Aired

From 2002, The Chris Matthews Show aired in syndication on weekends. The show was formatted as a political roundtable consisting of four journalists and Matthews, who served as the moderator.

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2002: Hospitalized with Malaria

In 2002, Chris Matthews was hospitalized with malaria, which he contracted during one of his visits that year to Africa.

2004: Predicted First Black President

In 2004, at the Democratic National Convention, Chris Matthews predicted that he had "just seen the first Black president."

2005: The Pennsylvania Society's Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement

In 2005, Chris Matthews received The Pennsylvania Society's Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement.

April 14, 2008: Allusion to Senate Run on The Colbert Report

On April 14, 2008, during an appearance on The Colbert Report, Chris Matthews alluded to a possible run for the United States Senate from Pennsylvania.

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November 28, 2008: Contacted Obama Campaign Staff About Senate Run

On November 28, 2008, Chris Matthews contacted senior staffers of Barack Obama's campaign regarding a possible Senate run.

2008: Emotional Support for Barack Obama

During the 2008 Presidential election, Chris Matthews expressed emotional support for Barack Obama, famously saying he felt a "thrill going up my leg" when hearing Obama's speech.

January 7, 2009: Decision Not to Run for Senate

On January 7, 2009, The New York Times reported that Chris Matthews informed his staff that he would not be running for the Senate.

December 17, 2009: Comments on Healthcare Reform

On the December 17, 2009, edition of Hardball, Chris Matthews commented on proposed healthcare reform, suggesting that Republicans would recognize their loss when liberals keep score, while also identifying himself as a liberal.

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March 2012: Described Himself as a Centrist

In March 2012, Chris Matthews described himself as a centrist during an episode of his MSNBC talk show Hardball, a statement that was questioned based on his frequent criticism of right-wing figures.

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2013: Contract Extension with MSNBC and End of The Chris Matthews Show

In 2013, Chris Matthews announced a long-term contract extension with MSNBC but also announced he would no longer host The Chris Matthews Show, with the final episode airing on July 21, to focus on Hardball, book writing, and documentaries.

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2013: Long-term Contract with MSNBC

In 2013, MSNBC executed a long-term contract with Chris Matthews to retain him with the network at least through the 2016 election.

2013: The Chris Matthews Show Ended

In 2013, The Chris Matthews Show aired its final episode, concluding its run since 2002 as a political roundtable program.

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May 4, 2014: Commencement Speaker at Ohio State University

On May 4, 2014, Chris Matthews was the commencement speaker at Ohio State University.

May 15, 2015: Commencement Speaker at Merrimack College

On May 15, 2015, Chris Matthews served as the commencement speaker at Merrimack College.

2015: Kathleen Matthews's Congressional Campaign

In 2015, Kathleen Matthews launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination for a House seat in Maryland's 8th congressional district.

October 2016: Laura Bassett Appearance

In October 2016, Laura Bassett appeared on Chris Matthews's program to comment on sexual assault allegations against then-candidate Donald Trump.

2016: Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award

In 2016, Chris Matthews received the Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award.

2016: Inappropriate Comments Accusation

In 2016, freelance journalist Laura Bassett accused Chris Matthews of making sexist remarks when she was a guest on "Hardball", which contributed to his later retirement.

December 2017: Details of 1999 Settlement Surface

In December 2017, details surfaced regarding a 1999 settlement that Chris Matthews's employer, MSNBC, reached with a female producer of Matthews's program who alleged Matthews made inappropriate comments about her.

2017: Published Text About Incident

In 2017, Laura Bassett published a text about the incident involving Chris Matthews, without identifying him by name.

December 2018: Interview with Tulsi Gabbard

In December 2018, Chris Matthews interviewed U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who mentioned she was "seriously considering" running for President.

2018: "Cosby Pill" Comment

In 2018, during a setup for a television interview with Hillary Clinton, Chris Matthews stated out loud "where was the Cosby pill" that he brought with him.

February 7, 2020: Controversial Remarks About Bernie Sanders and Fidel Castro

On February 7, 2020, during a panel discussion, Chris Matthews referenced Bernie Sanders's praise for aspects of Fidel Castro's Cuba and suggested there would have been executions in Central Park had Castro and the Reds won the Cold War, drawing criticism from left-wing commentators.

February 2020: Bassett Alleges Inappropriate Remarks

In February 2020, Laura Bassett alleged that in October 2016, prior to appearing on Matthews's program, Matthews made inappropriate remarks about her makeup, clothing, and dating life.

February 22, 2020: Churchill and the Fall of France Analogy

On February 22, 2020, Chris Matthews invoked Winston Churchill's feelings after the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940 as a metaphor for the disbelief of Democratic Party establishment figures over Bernie Sanders's victory in the Nevada caucuses.

March 2, 2020: Retirement from Hardball

On March 2, 2020, Chris Matthews announced his immediate retirement from Hardball, alluding to claims of inappropriate comments that had resurfaced.

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November 2020: Expected Retirement Date

In November 2020, Chris Matthews was originally expected to retire after the 2020 election cycle, but he retired earlier in March.

2020: Retirement from Hardball

In 2020, Chris Matthews announced his retirement on his final episode of Hardball with Chris Matthews following an accusation of inappropriate comments made to a guest four years earlier.

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