Tammy Haddad Out As Chris Matthews EP

We hear that "Hardball" exec producer Tammy Haddad is officially out thanks to Chris Matthews becoming the lowest-rated host on MSNBC primetime. Matthews — a front-and-center face at MSNBC and certainly a go-to pundit on all things political, including election coverage in November and chosen as to moderate one of MSNBC's two kickoff presidential debates in April, along with NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams — has seen his ratings clock in consistently below Keith Olbermann — who is getting a network try-out this Sunday — and even Dan Abrams, who stepped in for Joe Scarborough amidst some changes to the show, yet still manages to consistently beat Matthews' ratings. Only Tucker Carlson , who is on at 4 and 6 pm, has lower ratings on the network.

Haddad, who has been with "Hardball" since 2004, caught, er, heck from Matthews last month when he unwittingly dropped an "s-bomb" on the air when he didn't know he was being broadcast. Rumor had it that Matthews wanted Haddad out after the episode, but there was no fallout, at least not then.

Last July, Haddad was named Vice President, Washington, for MSNBC, and MSNBC General Manager Abrams had this to say about her: "'Hardball' is the smartest political program on cable, and one of the reasons it is so good, is Tammy Haddad. She is one of the most tenacious, driven and energetic producers out there — she takes tremendous pride in her work for the network and for Chris Matthews and we are thrilled to have her on our team."

From the same press release:

"Tammy has been my friend for over twenty years," said Chris Matthews. "She is a big-time winner who delivers on her grand ideas."

Haddad has a long and storied career of success in cable news, including pioneering "Larry King Live" for CNN, being part of the team to take NBC's "Today Show" to number one, and was called "the most influential woman behind the TV news camera in Washington" last year by U.S. News' Paul Bedard. That she will land on her feet is a foregone conclusion; for Matthews, an old face at a network with new stars rising, things may not be so easily predicted.

We hear that MSNBC will be making the announcement shortly; email queries to the network have not yet been returned.

Update: Confirmed by TVNewser, which has more.

Clarification from MSNBC: "Tammy remains MSNBC's VP, Washington and will continue to oversee all of our political coverage, including super Tuesdays, primary coverage, debates and the College Tour."

Comments

[alatocean]

If anyone should go it should be him.. he is unwatchabl­e.. how can he continue this farce with guests when all he does is talk... ask a five minute question and expect a two word answer and even then he breaks in... cannot and have not watched him for sometime now... he needs to be replaced .....

[chocco]

After watching Chris Matthews with Erin Burnett, I figured out why the show is really called Hardball.
But of course, the name of the show should be called "hard balls". Matthews is a complete jerk who has his head so far up Bush's ass, he couldn't find it if he tried. I hope his ratings continue to tank until they hit rock bottom and the network yanks him.
If they put Keith Olberman on 6 hours a day, their ratings would skyrocket. Keith is FABULOUS!! He gives it to the wingnuts every single night. And he's hotter than hot!

[Wilbur]

The ratings for MSNBC (More Salacious Nutty Brand of Conservatism) with K.O. on 6 hrs/day would skyrocket ONLY if his show avoided that fluff-stuff he has on in the latter part of his current one-hour "Countdown" show. I watch K.O. religiously, but even I tune out the last 20 minutes most of the time, save for his "Worst Persons in the World" segment.

Wilbur

[imusintheevening]

They need to double the amount of Schuster type reporting and cut out half of the entertainment tonight rehash of dumb blondes getting arrested. I rationalize that the Countdown format and worst person is an attempt to get younger viewers.

[TerryFL]

.

A man of the cloth once told me that in hell the only TV show is "Tucker". It plays 24/7.

I have been on the straight and narrow ever since.

.

[VOTER]

LOL

[JessWonderin]

. . . same show, over and over and over . . .

[anniekins]

Chris Matthews is in trouble. I think it started when he co-anchored the Gerald Ford funeral and, in my opinion, made some inappropriate remarks. Then follow that up with his Ann Coulter Special. David Schuster is an excellent reporter and needs more air time. Keith Olberman is super. The first time I heard his "Special Comment" I thought he was going to lose his job. He just keeps getting better. However, he needs to lighten up on the Worst Person in the World segment, he is overdoing it on Bill O'Reilly. Ugh.

[UCantPolishATurdblossum]

Hey, Matthews looks more like the Mr. Hyde version of Tweety in that picture.

Check this out for comparison:


http://www.kevinmccorrytv.com/hytw.jpg

[JacobT]

I honestly can't believe all the hatred towards "Hardball" and Chris Matthews. Let us not forget that Keith Olbermann gives credit to his EP for his show running so smoothly. If a show isn't going the way it is supposed to be, then boys and girls some blame does go to the EP. Maybe I'm stupid, but Matthews isn't a right wing water boy. He doesn't work for Fixed Noise. I really don't think you all really watch or pay attention to his show with an open mind. If any of you all had a show like his and you know your guest aren't about to even try answering your question, wouldn't you all cut them off? Let's be serious, Matthews wants straightforward answers from his guest. I really believe every poster on here wants Matthews to suck up to liberals and kick the ass of every conservative. Let's look at his show on Friday, when he took on conservative Melanie Morgan, when she didn't even try to answer the question he was asking about Dick Cheney and his prediction on the Iraq war. He wasn't trying to suck up to her, he was asking a question and she wasn't even trying to answer it or understand it. Go to MSNBC.com and watch the clip, she didn't even try to understand what he was saying. Also, he does have a nice range of different guest nowadays. I suggest watching recently, it allows you to have a real opinion.

Tucker Carlson is a true lost cause. I try to watch it, but really can't. This is a case where the entire show idea should be cancelled. His ratings were good when he was on at 4/3central, yes, he is only on once a day now, at 6et/5c. I guess if you watched the show, or at least turned to MSNBC you all would know that. They promoted it for a couple of weeks before it happened, the MSNBC Live format continues until 5et/4c. The Tucker format is just bad.

[Witchitalineman]

Chris Matthews is a sexist, opinionated and at times very rude to his guests. He is so caught up in himself and his own voice that he really doesn't listen to what others are trying to say. So he took on Melanie Morgan, how about Ann Coulter. It looked like a love fest. I really disagree with you on this one.

[demsaredangerous]

Just like Air America, Far Left loons like Matthews can't cut the mustard. His incessant blathering about Scooter Libby and Valerie/Joe Wilson put off many listeners. Mainstream America does not believe Far Left idiots...

[Wilbur]

I think you meant to say "Far RIGHT loons like Matthews." Nice try, though!

Wilbur

[hoya1960]

I started watching Matthews when he first started but finally got so fed up with him asking a guest a question and then answering it himself I quit watching altogether including his Sunday morning show.

Then he started having that bastion of print journalism integrity, Mike Barnicle substitute for him which was a joke. The whole show just went to the dogs very quickly.

Olbermann and Abrams are A-1, first class hosts and...... Carlson is the class clown for certain.

[JimLarkin]

( * )( *) did you mention ron christie?

[SoFlaJet]

that snarky little Matt Continetti is the worst though

[markydefad]

Matt Continetti should be drafted and sent to Iraq

[markydefad]

And that cross-eyed African Queen Cheney apologist, Ron Christie??? Gag me!!!!

[savertime]

Carlson and Matthews are journalists? I have always oonsidered the two "talk show hosts" or just opinionated jacka$$es (i.e. pundits), but many comments refer to them as journalist.
Does anyone know their "journalism credentials?"

[dr4Will]

Chris makes sense 10% of the time!!obvious his right wing thinking has gotten the best of him and he is a failure--fox noise will pick him up

[timtimes]

Matthews can take that open position as White House spokeman soon as Tony Snow is gone. Watching his show is about the same as watching Fox. Tucker is worse for sure. Olberman gets high marks because he's the ONLY one calling the crooks and liars out.

Really sad for Matthews. I used to watch him when his shillery was a little less obvious. Had high hopes for him. Changing the show's producer will only work if it was the producer setting the agenda of supporting blatant administration propaganda. Maybe Chris gets a big cut of some government slush fund (Office of Strategic Disinformation) for every bit of rightwing hooey he peddles? Couple that with a special 'bonus' from G/E (his owner/boss), and pretty soon the only thing he's curious enough to questin are the candidate's (e.g.) fashion sense.

Enjoy.

[RecklessAbandonArteest]

Actually, one time Chris said on his show that his dream job would be U. S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Don't know of any President that would nominate him for that post, but he did let it slip that that was what he would like to do.

Maybe his butt kissing is partially motivated with that appointment in mind, albeit I am sure he knows it's a pipe dream.

[Phrank]

The relsationships between an executive producer and the "talent" have to be complex in the pseudo-seious media. Add in the demands of the network that PROSCRIBES so much important material, but demands success and you have the inherently unstable situations. Let's face it CM's act is getting stale as well as unproductive. The change in executive producer does open the possibility for a change in the production. (You know like when Tucker went from the bow tie to the open collar look.) Frank

[SoFlaJet]

Rachell Maddow or David Schuster would be great. I would like to hear what Keith eventually has to say about Matthews after he goes over to Fox-just like Imus though, he won't comment on a co-worker-or can't comment, whatever the deal is...

[xargaw]

I cannot speak about Ms Haddad, but Matthews is someone that used to be good and in the last couple of years has become a blithering unreasoned interviewer. He druels over Delay and Boehner when the whole world knows they're lying beyond coherance. He interjects appearance, sex appeal and body fragrance out of context in political discussions. Is he drinking again? I have never seen such a rapid decline before. He is on his game about once every 10 shows. Finally, most of us just quit watching. Tucker is incapable of reasoned analysis. If they weren't the lead in to the first 20 minutes of Olbermann, they'd have no audience at all. Lastly, why not let Olbermann do an hour of good hard political journalism and forget the dumb stuff in the last half.

[markydefad]

Exactly... the level of my vitriol is based on the fact that I used to respect Matthews..­.and I can't quite believe what's happened to him...I thought it was just me...until I started to read the comments here.

I have a feeling there is no love lost between Matthews & Olbermann.­..making them co-host things like election coverage gives me the feeling of tension on the air---keep them apart--let them host segments separately--is what I feel the producers are saying behind the scenes...

[Wilbur]

Actually, Matthews started going haywire during the latter part of the Clinton administration, when he constantly harangued the Clintons and pushed for Clinton's impeachment by the House of Reps and conviction by the Senate. His ditz-bang blathering is NOT of recent vintage!

Wilbur