MSNBC’s Chris Matthews says the Democratic Party has lost its way by embracing elitists who “think they’re better than everybody.”
The host of “Hardball” sat down with this colleagues on “Morning Joe” this week to talk about changes in the Democratic Party over the course of decades. He said Americans can “feel” that Democrats are “self-saluting” individuals who are more concerned with galas and fundraisers than issues that affect most voters.
“There are real liberals, and there are phonies,” Mr. Matthews said. “They’re pie in the sky. They’re always looking to the middle distance. They think they’re better than everybody. They went to Yale Law, whatever. Whatever they got, they claim they’re better than everybody. A true democrat, lower case ’d,’ thinks they’re no better than anybody else. That’s what a Democrat is.”
Mr. Matthews added that Democrats have eroded support among “white, black, Hispanic people, everybody” in recent years.
“There is so much elitism in the Democrat party. It’s outrageous,” he said. “And it all comes down to the notion of the meritocracy being academic based. … It’s all academic and it’s a game they’ve been playing with themselves — and it’s self-saluting. I’m telling you: The people feel it. There’s a party going on and they ain’t invited to it. … There’s too much self-saluting. Too many events that seem to be about saluting them. Too many galas. People are tired of it. I’m sick of them.”
“And by the way, I’m rooting against them,” he added. “Even though I may agree with their policies, I think there’s a party attitude of elitism and I think they got to get over it.”
The pundit ended his commentary by saying former Vice President Joe Biden’s sensibilities offer a better political blueprint for Democrats to follow.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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