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The host of MSNBC's "Hardball" and "The Chris Matthews Show" on NBC spoke at Franklin & Marshall College's Alumni Sports and Fitness Center. His audience filled most of the 700 seats.
Matthews began by talking about growing up in Philadelphia and becoming a journalist. He also worked in government as a speech writer for President Jimmy Carter and as the top aide to former Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr.
Discussing Obama's style of leadership, Matthews said the president uses the Abraham Lincoln model of bringing former political rivals, specifically Hillary Clinton, into his administration.
"There would be no unity in the Democratic party unless he got the white working segment, who largely backed Clinton, to support him," Matthews said. "He had to bring her in. It was very, very smart."
VIDEO: Chris Matthews on Obama: 3 great questions
He also noted the importance of having former President Bill Clinton's support.
"The Clintons have been team players," Matthews said.
But Obama also uses a Ronald Reagan style of leadership, in that he vigorously pursues the ideas that were the core of his campaign.
"Reagan's style was to use your mandate and do it quickly," he said.
With Reagan, it was tax cuts. In Obama's case, it is health care, which, Matthews conceded, is "very tricky" given the economic climate.
"Everyone can remember having more money and a bigger 401K and more value in their property," Matthews said. "This is a tough time to sell something that is a little scary to a lot of people."
As for bipartisanship, Matthews said Obama deals with the Republicans' attempts to derail his policies and criticize his leadership by ignoring the GOP leaders.
Instead, the administration often points out the rantings of talk show conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
"Take (GOP Minority Leader) John Boehner, who looks like he just came from the tannery. (Obama) never mentions their names," Matthews said. "But the Barack Obama crowd loves the birthers, Palin and Limbaugh."
Before Wednesday's talk, Matthews met briefly with the media.
Asked if there is a way out of Afghanistan for Obama, Matthews said, he "ought to to the right thing.
"The right will go crazy if he doesn't send in 40,000 troops, and the left will go crazy if he does," Matthews said. "If he does something down the middle, like give them 10,000, it doesn't justify itself. The worst you can do is throw a 50-foot rope to a guy drowning 100 feet from shore.
"You have to make up your mind if the guy's drowning or not. He has got to make up his mind. Are the consequences greater if we leave Afghanistan or greater if we stay?"
On the sharp division in Congress, Matthews said, "Bob Dole said today he thinks the Republican Party is out to defeat Barack Obama, period. There's no issue here. They just want to beat him."
Asked about health care and the much-debated public option, Matthews said Obama needs to decide where he is going to make his fight and take a firm stand.
"All that said, Barack's doing a pretty good job," Matthews said. "He has united the Democratic Party like it's never been united. And the world loves the United States right now. A new poll released Tuesday shows U.S. is number one in the eyes of the world. We haven't been there in a long time."
Wednesday's event was hosted by F&M's Center for Politics and Public Affairs and the Department of Government. Originally scheduled for the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts, which seats about 525 people, the event had to be moved to the fitness center after a larger-than-expected demand for the free tickets.
G. Terry Madonna, director of F&M's government department, was "genuinely surprised" at the turnout.
"We expected, maybe, 500 people," Madonna said. "We thought Barshinger, which seats about 500, would be appropriate. No one thought 1,500 to 1,700. Never expected that."
