BLESS HIS HEART: Chris Matthews dubs GOP Attacks on Pelosi ‘Ethnic Politics.’ And note this:

Matthews said, “Picking on somebody from one of the coasts, usually ethnic, and making them the poster person of the Democratic Party is old business for the Republicans. They did it with — way back to some guy from the Bronx back in the 40s. They did it with Bella Abzug from the west side of New York City. They did it to Tip O’Neill. They did it to Teddy Kennedy. Now, they’re doing it after Nancy Pelosi. They love to get an ethnic sort of person from one of the coasts and make them the bad person.”

As James Taranto likes to say, if you can hear the dog whistle, then you’re the dog — and nobody can hear imaginary dog whistles like Matthews.

But if being Irish-American like Teddy Kennedy or Tip O’Neill now makes one an “ethnic,” then (to borrow an old line from Dennis Miller), I am sick and tired of being racially attacked by The Man, baby.

(Classical reference in headline.)