Chris Matthews bows out of Senate run



MSNBC host Chris Matthews told his staff yesterday that he had decided not to run in next year's U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, ending months of speculation. During a late afternoon meeting before his daily Hardball show aired, Matthews told his team of producers that he would not seek the Senate seat, network spokesman Jeremy Gaines said. Matthews, who is in contract talks with MSNBC, declined to comment. He has often said that his childhood dream was to be a senator. Television Journalist Chris Matthews served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Swaziland in the 1960's.

Chris Matthews bows out of Senate run

Chris Matthews bows out of Senate run

By Thomas Fitzgerald

Inquirer Staff Writer

MSNBC host Chris Matthews told his staff yesterday that he had decided not to run in next year's U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, ending months of speculation.

During a late afternoon meeting before his daily Hardball show aired, Matthews told his team of producers that he would not seek the Senate seat, network spokesman Jeremy Gaines said.

Matthews, who is in contract talks with MSNBC, declined to comment. He has often said that his childhood dream was to be a senator.

For several months, Matthews explored the idea of seeking the Democratic nomination to take on Republican Sen. Arlen Specter. He spoke with party powerbrokers and consultants about what it would take to win such a race, and word of those conversations leaked, sparking a flurry of news reports.

Matthews, 63, is a Philadelphia native who lost the Democratic primary for a Northeast Philadelphia congressional seat in 1974. He was a speech writer for President Jimmy Carter, worked as a top aide to the late Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill (D., Mass.) and held other posts on Capitol Hill.

The possibility of a Matthews candidacy put MSNBC on the spot, with media critics saying it would be unethical to keep him on the air if he were serious about running. Network executives in recent weeks prodded Matthews to make up his mind.

Many speculated that the host was using the possibility of a Senate run as leverage to get a better deal with MSNBC, though several people close to Matthews said they did not think he could ever give up a job he loves.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2009; RPCV Chris Matthews (Swaziland); Figures; Peace Corps Swaziland; Directory of Swaziland RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Swaziland RPCVs; Journalism; Television

When this story was posted in January 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

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December 14, 2008: This Month's Top Stories Michael Adlerstein to make UN green 21 Nov Harris Wofford writes: America at a turning point 14 Nov Margaret Krome writes: Obama win shows power of idealism 11 Nov Joseph Acaba to fly on February Shuttle Mission 11 Dec Mary Matterer caught in Bangkok protests 6 Dec Gen. Victor Renuart Jr. son served in Peace Corps 6 Dec Kim Kohler opposes mega-projects in Guatemala 5 Dec Gretchen Snoeyenbos' small town in Mali 5 Dec Tim Shriver Calls for 'Dept of Development and Service' 4 Dec Phil Lilienthal brings camp to kids in South Africa 3 Dec New Peace Corps for Kids Web Site 3 Dec Ilene Gelbaum brings infants into the world 26 Nov Jonathan Zimmerman writes: Nepal's ban on private schools 26 Nov George Packer writes: Will Obama Change? 25 Nov Aly and Buddy Shanks exhibit African art 23 Nov Luke King heads Mercy Corps in Congo 23 Nov Echoes of JFK unavoidable in Obama Presidency 23 Nov Joseph Opala Connects Africa to Gullah Community 21 Nov William Yeatman writes: Coal in Kyrgyzstan 20 Nov Doyle may become next PC Director 14 Nov Michael O'Hanlon writes: How to Win in Afghanistan 14 Nov New: More Stories from October and November 2008.

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