I haven't watched MSNBC in over a year, but since I've heard and read so many good things about Paul Hackett, I decided to break my vow of sanity and watch a few moments of Chris Matthews' Noballs (when did Sam Brownback turn into Bert Convy? Will he host Win, Lose, or Filibuster Abortionist Heathen Judges?).
My mistake.
Hackett did the best he could, but he was basically grilled and pigeonholed by a dour and oddly bitter Matthews. After some laborious discussion of economics and what should be done in Iraq, Matthews asked him how he could call Bush a "chickenhawk" if he claimed to respect the office of the President. Then Matthews became oddly fixated on Hackett having a concealed carry permit. He asked Hackett if he currently had a gun on him. Hackett said no. Then Matthews sneeringly asked why he would have a permit if he did not have a gun.
Casual viewers would have had no idea why this race was important. All they saw was a somewhat nervous and blindsided man who was badgered over the most pointless of minutia by a man who acted like Hackett was something he'd just scraped off his shoe.
I can't imagine this helping Hackett much. It's not his fault. He's a brave man and I hope he wins. He did a decent job on Hardball. But it was ultimately a waste of time and he was treated with so much contempt, I wonder why he was ever asked on the show in the first place.
