Chris Mathews has no business at a GOP debate

NY Post Editorial:

So, should viewers of Tuesday's Re publican presidential debate expect an exchange of views between the candidates - or between the candidates and one of the event's moderators?

It's a fair question, given the jaw-dropping comments Thursday evening from MSNBC blowhard - and scheduled debate moderator - Chris Matthews.

Matthews was celebrating the 10th anniversary of his "Hardball" program at a Washington event, when he let loose a broadside at the White House.

Bush & Co., he declared, had "finally been caught in their criminality."

He compared this White House's behavior with another one, saying, "Spiro Agnew was not an American hero."

Of the vice president, Matthews said, "God help us if we had Cheney during the Cuban missile crisis. We'd all be under a parking lot."

Now, "Hardball" is an opinion show, and Matthews is certainly entitled to his opinions - however offensively he chooses to express them.

But why should any Republican candidate expect fairness from Matthews now?

More to the point, why should potential voters expect Matthews to treat the candidates' views fairly?

By engaging in this sort of intemperate rhetoric, Matthews has effectively disqualified himself as an "honest broker" for this coming debate.

NBC needs to replace him as a debate moderator immediately. The job - by definition - requires an attempt to display objectivity going into an event.

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Mathews is not only wrong on the facts he is wrong in his attitude toward the current administration and Republicans in general. He has become part of the Democrat smear machine and has no place at a Republican forum. At the last one he attended his questions wre insipid and more revealing of his bias than the views of the candidates. If he still has "worst person in the world" Keith Olberman as his side kick it will just prove that NBC is not interested in a fair debate. Michelle Malkin has more on the Mathews mistake.