Chris Matthews: Obama, Last Kennedy Brother

Chris Matthews says some stunningly ridiculous things.

On the Today Show this morning, Matthews was commenting on the death of Ted Kennedy.

Transcript

CHRIS MATTHEWS: He just wanted to bring back what Bobby and Jack had given us. He wanted to be his brothers' brother.

And then he turned that torch over last year to Barack Obama.

And the great thing about the Kennedys is they always grew as a family. They tended to get better as they got older. Some families, like the Long family of Louisiana, dissipated. This family got better.

The Kennedy commitment to civil rights was almost accidental. It began because of history, '63 and Martin Luther King's march. By Bobby, it became passion. By Teddy, it became real. And then Teddy turns it over to the first African American, says, 'You got the ball.'

Amazing history. Barack's now the last brother. It's history. It's history.

Good grief.

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UPDATE: The Associated Press refutes Matthews' remarks.

A torch extinguished: Ted Kennedy dead at 77

The greatest heights eluded Ted Kennedy over a lifetime of achievement and pain. No presidency. No universal health care, chief among his causes.

Instead, Kennedy built his Washington monument stone by stone, his imprint distinct on the Senate's most important works over nearly half a century. He toiled across the Potomac River from the graveyard of his fallen brothers.

The last of the Kennedys who fascinated the nation with their ambition, style, idealism, tragedies — and sometimes sheer recklessness — Edward Moore Kennedy died late Tuesday night at 77. A black shroud and vase of white roses sat Wednesday on his Senate desk, which John Kennedy had used before him.

So dropped the final curtain on "Camelot," the already distant era of the Kennedy dynasty.

...He was the last of the famous Kennedy brothers: John the assassinated president, Robert the assassinated senator and presidential candidate, Joseph the aviator killed in action in World War II when Ted was 12.

Matthews would beg to differ.