If a Republican did that they'd be all over him like, well, white on rice.
Colorado tanker:
I think what Matthews is trying to do is imply that Republicans are anti ethnic-Catholic. He himself is an Irish-Catholic so he implicitly is saying that the reason that Pelosi is getting attacked is because of her ethnic (Italian) and Catholic background.
You are correct what this is sort of the attitude that WASP had towards Italians, Poles and Irish as well. Unfortunately for the Left, there are many Americans of Italian ancestry, the late Justice Scalia, current Justice Alito, former mayor Giuliani, former Justice Department attorney DiGenova who left the identity politics of the left during the Reagan movement (which would include me as well).