Chris Matthews: GOP less patriotic than South African white apartheid leaders

MSNBC host Chris Matthews reacted to the death of Nelson Mandela Thursday night by saying that the Republican Party is less patriotic than South Africa’s white apartheid advocates.

“The difference between the way F.W. de Klerk handled the need for change and the inevitable election — democratic election of Nelson Mandela — legitimate election, he was never truly elected — for him to recognize his role in history which was to be a patriot at that point is so different than the way [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell handled the election of Obama,” Mr. Matthews said on MSNBC’s “Now With Alex Wagner,” according to Mediaite.

“They were willing, the McConnell people onto the far right, were willing to destroy the country in order to destroy Obama,” he said. “Whereas, to succeed in a country he loved, F.W. de Klerk was willing to see it transformed to black rule so it could be done successfully so he could have his country have a better future.”

Mr. Matthews credited fellow guest Rev. Al Sharpton with the observation and said it was one of the smartest and “perceptive” things he has heard in five years.

Mr. Matthews intimated that “the McConnell people” were the reason why the political landscape has been “poisonous” in the past five years.