Chris Matthews

Christopher John Matthews, more famous as simply Chris Matthews, was born on 17th December in the year 1945. His biography began from his birth in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the family of Herb Matthews and Mary Teresa Matthews. His father worked as a court reporter. While the mother of Chris Matthews had Irish roots and was Catholic in faith, the father of his was a Protestant with Scotch-Irish roots. Chris Matthews appeared to be a Catholic.

Education

Christopher Matthews studied at Pennsylvania’s Catholic La Salle College High School. Later, the future journalist graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, located in Massachusetts, and the University of North Carolina. Moreover, Christopher Matthews was a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics of the Harvard University.

Up to date, Christopher Matthews is a holder of many honorary titles from a large number of universities, including Temple University, Villanova University, Fordham University, Howard University, Washington University, and the Ohio State University.

Career Experience

Right upon the arrival in Washington, D.C., Chris Matthews started to work as a police officer. Later, he was a member of the staff of four Members of Congress from the Democratic Party. In 1974, Chris Matthews attempted to get elected into the House of Representatives, but failed. When Jimmy Carter became the President, Chris Matthews became a speechwriter in his administration. Thereafter, he was a chief of the staff of Tip O’Neill, then a speaker of the House of Representatives, and he played a key role in political squabbles with the Administration of Reagan at that time.

Chris Matthews, however, deserved his fame not thanks to his political career, yet to incredible efforts in journalism. A big number of times he had to choose between a career in journalism and in politics (he even pondered running for the presidency in 2008), and he has always turned in the direction of journalism.

He started his career of the journalist in 1987 when Matthews became in charge of the San Francisco Examiner’s bureau in Washington, and he held that post until 2000. In particular, he covered a number of significant events, including the fall of the Berlin Wall. However, Chris Matthews became an even more authoritative journalist after launching the “Hardball with Chris Matthews” show in 1997, which featured many experts, pundits, and officials. In 2002, he also launched “The Chris Matthews Show”, where he had been a host until 2013. He left the show in order to get more time for writing books and hosting the Hardball show. Then, he started to work over producing documentary movies.

As a journalist, he also wrote a series of books, some of which became bestsellers. Up to date, his net worth is believed to be $16 million. At the same time, his salary for the “Hardball with Chris Matthews” amounts $5 million per year.

Personal life

In 1980, Chris Matthews married Kathleen Matthews. He and his wife have three children: Caroline, Thomas, and Michael.

There is also an NFL player under the name Chris Matthews.

Publications

During his career of the journalist, Chris Matthews has written 7 books, some of which became bestsellers:

1) Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America (1996)

2) Hardball: How Politics Is Played, Told By One Who Knows the Game (1999)

3) Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think (2001)

4) American: Beyond Our Grandest Notions (2002)

5) Life’s a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success (2007)

6) Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero (2011)

7) Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked (2013).

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