Recently, Matthews sparked a firestorm of criticism after saying, also on MSNBC's Morning Joe, that “the reason” Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) “may be a front-runner is her husband messed around,” and that "[s]he didn't win [a Senate seat] there [New York] on her merit." Media Matters for America noted that Matthews' comments on Morning Joe were the latest in a string of sexist remarks he has made about Clinton and numerous other prominent women.
MATTHEWS: I have got to unfortunately take a night off from my business here, where I should be up here. But I'm gonna be in Philadelphia emceeing the Philadelphia Academy Ball, which is the big white tie up there.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI (co-host): Well, that's pretty big.
MATTHEWS: I haven't had a white tie on since the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in 2002.
SHUSTER: That's a big honor. That's a big honor to be doing that.
BRZEZINSKI: That's pretty big.
MATTHEWS: But you're right. Tom Brokaw did it last year. He had Rod Stewart. I've got Billy Joel and the Blue Man Group. But it's a big fundraiser for the 151-year-old Academy of Music. It's the big social event of the Philadelphia season, if you will.
BRZEZINSKI: All right. You know what, Chris Matthews, I'll let you have one night off, but I will miss you in our coverage. I don't know how I'm going to watch it without you.
MATTHEWS: I might phone in, but the white tie might get in the way.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah, right, and the margarita.
SHUSTER: Yeah, now that you're this big shot.
MATTHEWS: I don't actually. Despite the ethnic reference of that, I have not had a drink since 1994.
BRZEZINSKI: Really?
MATTHEWS: That's why my mind is so acute and so able to take on the issues of the day.
BRZEZINSKI: You see the things we learn in the morning?
SHUSTER: Can you get us Billy Joel tickets, given that you and him are gonna be buddies?
MATTHEWS: He has not had a drink in about, well almost a year, I think. I mean, he's really been trying to clean up his act.
SHUSTER: Billy Joel tickets, Philadelphia Orchestra, we're expecting something in return.
BRZEZINSKI: OK.
MATTHEWS: I'll getcha Christie Brinkley. Ha!
BRZEZINSKI: All right.