Matthews: ‘As Long As Trump Bashes’ the ‘Ruling Class’ ‘World of Self-Congratulation,’ the More His Supporters Stick With Him

On Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Hardball,” host Chris Matthews argued, “As long as Trump bashes this world of self-congratulation,” of the “ruling class,” “the more his people will stay aboard his wobbly wagon train to who knows where.”

Matthews said, “I think a lot of the reason people refuse to get Trump, in fact, even at the end of this 100-day starter period, is that they do not get why people hate the ruling class Trump ran against, refusing to fathom why people saw Hillary as the symbol of that ruling class, makes it impossible to see why someone would vote for this guy, root for him now, and perhaps into the future. Look, the fact is, the political class Trump defeated is obnoxious to a lot of people. They don’t like the coterie of contributors, pressure groups, and perennial candidates that make up both parties. They don’t like the look of a political system that rewards the ability to get people to pay for your campaigns, the tv ads that destroy your opponents, and leave the voters stuck with nothing to vote for but them. They don’t like seeing politicians constantly, at some event or another, celebrating themselves. They don’t like hearing or seeing celebrity-packed parties they’re not invited to. As long as Trump bashes this world of self-congratulation, the more his people will stay aboard his wobbly wagon train to who knows where.”

He concluded, “If the political establishment is listening, please listen up to this, when you begin to identify more with the regular people out there in the country and less with the paying customers and the pressure groups, and yes, less with this country’s cultural winner’s circle, the better chance you’ll have of getting back into the country’s heart. If you want to know how bad things are, think of this, 100 days of Trump, and the old political establishment still doesn’t look all that desirable. And that, I believe, is the dreariest news as we reach this particular, 100-day landmark.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett