Chris Matthews of “Hardball” to speak Oct. 20 on campus

North Central College welcomes news anchor and political commentator Chris Matthews in an author talk and signing of his new book, “Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked.”

Matthews will begin his talk at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, in North Central’s Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave. Tickets that include a signing number are available with the purchase of “Tip and the Gipper” at Anderson’s Bookshops, 123 W. Jefferson St., Naperville. For more information call Anderson’s at 630-355-2665 or visit andersonsbookshop.com.

Matthews is anchor of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and the NBC-syndicated “The Chris Matthews Show.” He’s been following American politics since his teenage years and started working in the U.S. Senate after a term in the Peace Corps. He has worked as a presidential speechwriter in the White House and as top aide to Speaker of the House Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.). In the late 1980s, Matthews switched to full-time journalism as Washington Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Examiner before turning his career to television. He launched “Hardball” in 1997 and the show has been on the air every weekday night since. In 2002, NBC premiered Sunday morning’s “The Chris Matthews Show.” 

He’s the author of five best-selling books, in addition to the 2011 release “Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero” and the featured book, a personal history about conservative President Ronald Reagan (served 1981-1989) and liberal Speaker Tip O’Neill. As a top aide to O’Neill, Matthews saw firsthand how the two political leaders forged compromises that shaped America’s future and became one of history’s most celebrated political pairings—the epitome of how ideological opposites can get things done.

The two leaders fought over the major issues of their day—welfare, taxes, covert military operations and Social Security—but found their way to agreements that reformed taxes, saved Social Security and achieved their common cause of bringing peace to Northern Ireland. They each won some and lost some. Through it all, they maintained respect for each other’s positions and worked to advance the country rather than obstruct progress.

North Central College and Anderson’s Bookshops have cosponsored many author talks on campus. Previous authors have included Caroline Kennedy, Bill Bryson, Madeleine Albright, Tyra Banks, Tim Russert, Stacy London and many more.