THINK IS MUCH FOR THAT AS ALWAYS ALWAYS.

ALWAYS. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> Tucker: CHRIS MATTHEWS OF

>> Tucker: CHRIS MATTHEWS OF MSNBC COURSE A LONGTIME FIXTURE

MSNBC COURSE A LONGTIME FIXTURE ON CABLE NEWS, 30 YEARS, SHOCKED

ON CABLE NEWS, 30 YEARS, SHOCKED VIEWERS TODAY AND QUIT HIS JOB

VIEWERS TODAY AND QUIT HIS JOB AT THE BEGINNING OF A SHOW ON

AT THE BEGINNING OF A SHOW ON THE AIR.

THE AIR. CHEAP BREAKING NEWS

CHEAP BREAKING NEWS CORRESPONDENT TRACE GALLAGHER

CORRESPONDENT TRACE GALLAGHER HAS MORE.

HAS MORE. >> AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW AFTER

>> AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW AFTER THE FIRST BREAK, MATTHEWS WAS

THE FIRST BREAK, MATTHEWS WAS GONE.

GONE. HERE’S WHAT HE SAID RIGHT OUT OF

HERE’S WHAT HE SAID RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.

THE GATE. WATCH.

WATCH. >> LET ME START WITH MY HEADLINE

>> LET ME START WITH MY HEADLINE TONIGHT.

TONIGHT. I AM RETIRING.

I AM RETIRING. THIS IS THE LAST HARDBALL ON

THIS IS THE LAST HARDBALL ON MSNBC AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN’T

MSNBC AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN’T FOR LACK OF INTEREST IN

FOR LACK OF INTEREST IN POLITICS.

POLITICS. AS YOU CAN TELL I LOVED EVERY

AS YOU CAN TELL I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF MY 20 YEARS AS HOST OF

MINUTE OF MY 20 YEARS AS HOST OF "HARDBALL."

"HARDBALL." >> THE WRITING HAS BEEN ON THE

>> THE WRITING HAS BEEN ON THE WALL FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

WALL FOR SEVERAL DAYS. MATTHEWS WAS NOT PART OF THE

MATTHEWS WAS NOT PART OF THE NETWORK SOUTH CAROLINA

NETWORK SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR THIS WEEKEND AND HE’S

GOVERNOR THIS WEEKEND AND HE’S BEEN UNDER PRESSURE TO RESIGN

BEEN UNDER PRESSURE TO RESIGN FOR A LITANY OF CONTROVERSIAL

FOR A LITANY OF CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS LIKE COMPARING

COMMENTS LIKE COMPARING BERNIE SANDERS VICTORY IN NEVADA

BERNIE SANDERS VICTORY IN NEVADA TO THE NAZI DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH

TO THE NAZI DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IN WORLD WAR II FOR WHICH HE

IN WORLD WAR II FOR WHICH HE LATER APOLOGIZED.

LATER APOLOGIZED. ACCUSATIONS OF SEXIST COMMENTS

ACCUSATIONS OF SEXIST COMMENTS MAY HAVE BEEN THE FINAL STRAW.

MAY HAVE BEEN THE FINAL STRAW. LISTEN TO WHAT ELSE MATTHEW SAID

LISTEN TO WHAT ELSE MATTHEW SAID >> COMPLEMENTS ON A WOMAN’S

>> COMPLEMENTS ON A WOMAN’S APPEARANCE THAT SOME MEN,

APPEARANCE THAT SOME MEN, INCLUDING ME, ONE OF WANTS AND

INCLUDING ME, ONE OF WANTS AND QUICKLY THOUGHT WERE OKAY WERE N

QUICKLY THOUGHT WERE OKAY WERE N NOT THEN AND CERTAINLY NOT TODAY

NOT THEN AND CERTAINLY NOT TODAY AND FOR MAKING SUCH COMMENTS IN

AND FOR MAKING SUCH COMMENTS IN THE PAST, I’M SORRY.

THE PAST, I’M SORRY. STICK A FORK CONTEST, MATTHEWS

STICK A FORK CONTEST, MATTHEWS WAS ACCUSED OF ASKING

WAS ACCUSED OF ASKING APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS DURING A

APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS DURING A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH

RECENT INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH WARREN AND THEN

ELIZABETH WARREN AND THEN FREELANCE JOURNALIST LAURA

FREELANCE JOURNALIST LAURA PRESENT SAID HE MADE

PRESENT SAID HE MADE INAPPROPRIATE CONTEST TRICKLE

INAPPROPRIATE CONTEST TRICKLE COMMENTS TO HER ON A FEW

COMMENTS TO HER ON A FEW OCCASIONS.

OCCASIONS. WITH ALL THAT, 20 YEARS OF

WITH ALL THAT, 20 YEARS OF HOSTING "HARDBALL" OVER."