Matthews could be haunted by his own words

A simple YouTube search shows the possible perils of a Chris
Matthews Senate candidacy: foul language, inappropriate touching and an offer
to duel.

Speculation is growing that the MSNBC talk show host may challenge
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) in 2010. The campaign is “in its infancy,” with a
final decision expected early next year, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania
Democratic Party told a liberal blog Thursday.

“He’s just talking to people. Conversations are going on,
obviously,” Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesman Abe Amoros told TPM
Election Central. “We will know whether or not he’s a serious candidate
sometime early next year.”

{mosads}A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Matthews within striking
distance of Specter. The Republican is in the lead, but with a narrow 46-43
percent advantage over Matthews. Previous independent polls have shown a close
race, though with a wider margin separating the two. The poll, conducted Dec.
2, has a 4.5 percent margin of error.

But a potential problem for Matthews is that his candidacy would
be an opposition researcher’s dream. The loud-talking, combative journalist has
an 11-year on-air career, another 13 years in the print media, has written six
books and has a lengthy Internet Movie Database listing.

All that information could provide Specter and independent groups
with ample ammunition to attack the “Hardball” host.

For example, typing his name in the video-sharing website YouTube
brings up almost 10,000 results.

Some of the most popular include a 44-second “Chris Matthews
Swearing Montage” filled with clips of Matthews swearing on-air.

Then there is the infamous incident with former Sen. Zell Miller
(D-Ga.)

At the 2004 Republican National Convention, Miller addressed the
GOP delegates and appeared on “Hardball” afterward. Matthews asked him about
his criticism of then-Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry (Mass.).

The heated exchanged ended with Miller saying: “I wished we lived
in the day … when you could challenge a person to a duel. That would be
pretty good.”

This year, in what became a YouTube sensation, there was
Matthews’s appearance on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The popular daytime talk
show host is known for her love of dancing, and most guests show off a few
moves before sitting down.

When Matthews stopped by the show in March 2008, he spun DeGeneres
around and ended up grabbing her breast.

“That was best dance ever,” DeGeneres said after they sat down.

“It was a little too physical,” Matthews responded.

But a video that may raise questions about Matthews’s support
within the Democratic Party is the almost five-minute clip of Matthews
apologizing for what he said about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) this
election cycle. On Jan. 9, Matthews said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show that
Clinton got elected because her husband “messed around.”

“The truth, of course, is finer, smarter, larger than that,”
Matthews said in his lengthy apology.

The Clinton campaign often expressed its fury with MSNBC during
the presidential race, and critics claimed Matthews did not try to hide his
support for then-candidate Barack Obama.

And besides the made-for-TV moments, Matthews has given several
noteworthy print interviews, including his participation in an 8,100-word New York Times magazine profile.

The piece noted bloggers have accused Matthews of being sexist,
pointing to a YouTube video of him ogling CNBC host Erin Burnett.

Matthews vigorously defended himself to the Times, saying: “I don’t think
there’s any evidence of that at all. I’ve gone back and looked. Give me the
evidence. No one can give it to me. I went through all my stuff. I can’t find
it.”

Also in the profile Matthews pointed out he had 19 honorary
degrees, which he expected to add to, and advised the author to call people
like Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) for
quotes.

Plus, there are plenty of other revealing quotes, such as when
Matthews says: “I don’t think people look at me as the establishment, do you?
Am I part of the winner’s circle in American life? I don’t think so.”

And it was the Times article that set off the Senate
speculation. In it, Matthews said: “I’m a free man starting next June,” which
is when his contract with MSNBC is said to be up.

But a lengthy media career doesn’t always translate into electoral
disaster. Former “Saturday Night Live” star, radio talk show host and author Al
Franken overcame several criticisms of his past life during his Minnesota Senate
candidacy, including a racy piece Franken wrote in Playboy. Franken
remains in a hotly contested recount with Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).

On the other hand, a one-minute video can spell ruin for a
candidate, particularly in an age in which the opposition sends cameras to
record every move. In 2006, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) called a volunteer for
Democratic opponent Jim Webb’s campaign “macaca.”

The video became an Internet and cable-TV sensation, and Allen
lost his reelection bid.

Michael O’Brien contributed to this report.