Note To Chris Matthews: Give PA Dems A Chance To Win...Don't Run

News Item: A Pennsylvania Democratic party leader says MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews may be considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Chris,

Please tell me you're kidding. I know you're a Philly guy, but that doesn't mean you need to run for public office to prove it. Eat a cheesesteak. Root for the Eagles. March with the Mummers. But run for the Senate? Puh-lezze. Philly loves the Phillies's Chase Utely but it's not like voters want him hitting legislation out of the box and that's not counting how many Democratic Pirates fans would be lining up to join the Specter team.

You run against Arlen Specter and the Right will eat you up alive. The Left will chew up the leftovers. When you have Sean Hannity and The Daily Kos on the same side you know your political foothold is about as solid as quicksand.

Who is your constituency? Hardball fans? Half your audience tunes in so they make sure they don't miss Countdown. Moderates? When were you ever moderate? The fact that you've taken potshots at both Democrats and Republicans doesn't make you objective and evenhanded any more than what he does makes Bill O'Reilly fair and balanced. Chris, it doesn't matter where you started, you're no more a Pennsylvania personality today than Bob Saget.

Arlen's ad budget would be READ MORE REASONS WHY CHRIS NEEDS TO STAY AT HOME

Award-winning TV writer, Steve Young, is author of "Great Failures of the Extremely Successful" (www.greatfailure.com) and blogs at the appropriately named steveyoungonpolitics.com

Comments

[Grulg]

This would be funny. Matthews is SUCH a blowhard, I think he'll find it's much much MUCH harder being on the Inside looking out. Don't think he'll run myself once he realizes it.

[YesIAgree]

Chris Matthews would be a great, wonderful, fantastic US Senator. We need him and more like him.

[ched]

Run, Chris. I'll vote for you.

But isn't your brother a Republican?

[HC4BO]

"Note To Chris Matthews: Give PA Dems A Chance To Win" ...

Lol ...

This makes what Chucky T. said today resound even more loudly now ...

He said, " an Al Franken win will make every Single Democratic Celeb think it is so easy to become a Senator and their decisions to run will eventually place the Democratic Party in Peril because you actually NEED qualifications to pass legislation that put the country in Trillions of dollars in debt ..." ...

[grasselli]

Chris Matthews can do and be anything he wants. He is smart, intellgent and can master what he needs to do at any job. He thinks outside the box, I like that, and would vote for him any time.

[ProgressDon]

True Chris Matthews has had his past mistakes and so has everyone. But he was the only opinion head on cable who saw something special in Obama and wasn't afraid to praise and defend him. While others stood idly by, it was Chris who sounded the alarm on the racially motivated and xenophobic attacks against Obama by the McCain-Palin campaign.
It was Matthews who expressed outrage when Bill Clinton belittled Obama's South Carolina primary victory to Jesse Jacksons victory there in '84 and '88.
It was Chris Matthews who let Michelle Bachmann burn up in flames and almost lose her congressional seat when she attacked Obama and congressional Democrats for 'anti-American' tendencies.
It was Chris Matthews who had the courage to go on the Tonight Show and declare that the 2008 elections would be a referendum on race relations in America. He hoped that if Americans paid no attention to Obama's race and judged him simply on merit, the election would be a landslide. He was right.
I'm not from PA, but I think the people there would have a loyal Democratic senator in Chris Matthews if they elect him to go work with Pres. Obama in Washington D.C.

[RonNYC]

steve

chris is very smart and knows all the players.
i think PA would lucky to have him.
he has the experience with carter and o'neil, knows how to write and talk, etc.
much more experience than most of the duds in congress.

get over it.

[honeydiva]

Specter is 78, has been very ill and I'm not sure is truly recovered. If Chris is getting laughed at just by floating the ballon...h­e's toast and a half. I am not a repub find nothing redeeming in Specter and I sure won't vote for Chris, I have my issues with him.

[DebM]

As a PA resident, I don't think Chris stands a chance against Specter. I have to admit, against Specter, I might even have a hard time voting for CM, no matter how much I enjoy Hardball. Now, if Specter loses the primary to some right-wing nutjob like Pat Toomey, then Chris might stand a chance.

[PATina]

You're right. Against Specter... Chris is toast.

[jcwtts1]

I think Specter is done. Age, a changing electorate, more dems in PA than ever. I think CM wins, he isn't a journalist he is a pol, Tip, Carter, its been a while but he isn't a novice. Name rec and money tell the tale. Who are the dems going to run, give me a better candidate and I'll agree he should sit it out. but who is going to take specter.

J