GOP Has a Free Shot at Chris Matthews

Tonight is another GOP debate, and the moderator will be anti-Bush/Cheney rantor Chris Matthews. The NY Post has already called for Matthews to be dumped from the debate after his blast at Bush/Cheney the other night, and many are expecting the GOP candidates to take their shots at him during tonight's event.

Fellow MNSBC host (and former GOP congressman) Joe Scarborough asked Matthews how he'd react if he's accused of bias, and he had this somewhat unstable response:

I've been thinking about that....It's not my stage tonight. I don't have much standing to retort in real time.

However, I do have one sensitive point and that is, I don't mind being wrong -- I try to be right. I don't mind somebody saying I'm not fair -- I try to be fair. ... If someone says I'm not independent, it's going to be very hard for me to bite my tongue. ...

For twenty years I've paid the price of indepdendence. I've taken it from everybody ... every night of my life for the past twenty years. ...

If they accuse of me of being partisan, I'll go rip! ...

Matthews probably realizes that he stepped in deep doo-doo with his statements at the Hardball event and will to be very careful not to exhibit outright hostility towards Republicans tonight. I'd love to see the top candidates sneak in a cheap applause line or two at Matthews' expense just to see if they can rattle him. He actually believes he's fair and independent, but that notion could be quickly dispelled if he blows up or becomes defensive at a candidates's joke.

UPDATE: Investor's Business Daily has some questions the candidates should ask Chris Matthews.