MSNBC’s Chris Matthews on Tuesday joined with Democratic operatives in accusing the Republican Party of trying to “kill the black vote” through various election reforms, such as a requirement that everyone present identification when voting.
“This is rotten stuff, isn’t it? The Republican effort to kill the black vote in state after state. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Texas. We can all see what they’re doing. Believing they can’t convert the African-American vote, they decided to slaughter it,” Matthews said.
“Early voting, shrink it down to nothing, or kill it altogether. Sunday voting, souls to the polls, slam the door on it. Same-day registration, you got to be kidding. That’s like putting down a welcome mat for African-American voters. Look, this is murder in broad daylight,” he added.
Matthews’ violent imagery comes as the Democratic Party of Georgia weathers criticism for circulating mailers warning that a failure to vote Democratic could result in the deaths of African American youths.
“If you want to prevent another Ferguson in their future,” the mailer warns, referring to the recent shooting of an unarmed 18-year-old black teenager in Ferguson, Mo., then “vote. It’s up to you to make it happen.”
“If we want a better, safer future for our children,” the mailer added, “it’s up to us to vote for change.”
Also, supporters of a Democratic senator in North Carolina circulated flyers with photographs of a lynching and a warning that Republican victory will result in President Obama’s impeachment.
Matthews wasn’t finished with his monologue.
“One Republican after another is telling us just exactly what they’re up to. It’s not about reform or making elections more honest. The one thing they’re actually honest about, if you catch them at it, is motive. This whole thing is aimed at killing the African-American vote,” he said.”
“But maybe this is a good time to go back to the Republican Party roots. To 1854, when it started in Ripon, Wis., to battle the expansion of slavery into new territories. Wisconsin, the state now represented by [Reince] Priebus, that man who now leads the Republicans’ state-by-state strategy to make sure sons and daughters of slaves have the hardest possible time getting to the voting booth,” he added.
The MSNBC anchor ended the segment by asking where have all the “good” Republicans gone.
