Chris Matthews Forgets Obama is Black

This statement by Chris Matthews has caused a hullabaloo and some are calling the statement racist.

It's just the opposite. Matthews was remarking on Obama's ability to be seen a human, as the President, not as a "black man" or the black President.

Jesse Jackson never lets his audience forget about his blackness. Indeed, his blackness is at the center of his speeches.

People are taking offense, saying that Matthews is obliquely indicating that he's surprised that a black man could be that articulate.

Matthews is just expressing wonder that we, and he, could forget the significance of a black man speaking to a white audience. Further, our being able to "forget" is a mark of how far we've come in race relations. Lastly, it marks Obama as a genius of politics that he does not constantly remind us (as the Reverend Jackson WOULD).

Here's what Chris Matthews actually said:

I was trying to think about who he was tonight. It's interesting; he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour. He's gone a long way to become a leader of this country and past so much history in just a year or two. I mean it's something we don't even think about. I was watching and I said, wait a minute, he's an African-American guy in front of a bunch of other white people and there he is, president of the United States, and we've completely forgotten that tonight -- completely forgotten it. I think it was in the scope of the discussion, it was so broad ranging, so in tune with so many problems and aspects and aspects of American life. That you don't think in terms of the old tribalism and the old ethnicity. It was astounding in that regard, a very subtle fact. It's so hard to even talk about it. Maybe I shouldn't talk about it, but I am.

The blogosphere blew up quickly after his comments. One blogger at the Atlantic Vine, equates it to telling a women who has just spoken about football and beer "Wow, I forget you were a woman." That's not a compliment and he believes that saying you've forgotten someone is black should be held in the same vein.

I am not saying that it is a compliment but, I contend that Obama is one of the first black leaders/politicians on the national stage that doesn't constantly talk about his blackness. When Matthews says "I think it was in the scope of the discussion, it was so broad ranging, so in tune with so many problems and aspects and aspects of American life. That you don't think in terms of the old tribalism and the old ethnicity," that's what he's talking about. He's rightfully flummoxed that Obama isn't a broken record speaking about black America and black problems. Instead, he's representing America at large.

And yes, it's not impossible that a black man would do such a thing--but it IS the reason for Obama's success. White people vote for white people because they believe they will be represented. If a black man spends a lot of time talking about black issues on the national stage, they will never be voted into office because white (and even Latino) people will feel that they aren't represented. Instead, they become the black politician, serving the needs of black folk, not the rest of us.