Chris Matthews and Newt Gingrich

Once again, one must ask: Why does MSNBC have someone like Chris Matthews on the air?

Matthews' latest revolting remarks: Newt Gingrich looks like a "car bomber." He "loves torturing." He has a "crazy Mephistophelian grin." He's "too frightening for people."

Matthews has really outdone himself this time.

Video.



Transcript, from NewsBusters:

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me ask you this thing, they're starting to fire people over at Fox because they're just trying to double-dip. They're trying to go both ways now. Newt [Gingrich] and [Rick] Santorum are clearly running right now, Clarence. I think anybody else on the list ready to jump in? I don't think Newt's a factor. How many times he been married? I mean I just think this whole experience with Newt - you can't just wipe the board clean and say, "That wasn't just me that got kicked out of the Speakership" for totally embarrassing the country with ethics in his personal life. I mean how can he walk back and in and say, "That wasn't me?"

CLARENCE PAGE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Well this is Newt's time to run, though. I mean the party's base is fired up. He's always been probably the leading fundraiser out there, at least before Sarah Palin came along. He has a good shot at winning the nomination. Winning the general is a whole different matter. But this...

MATTHEWS: But he looks like a car bomber. He looks like a car bomber. Clarence, he looks like a car bomber. He's got that crazy Mephistophelian grin of his. He looks like he loves torturing. Look at the guy! I mean this, this is not the face of a president.

PAGE: But don't kid yourself, Chris. We in the media, we in the media love Newt, though. Because he's just a sound bite machine. You talk about a gaffe-maker. I mean and he's very affable. You know he, he just can't stop talking and saying what's on his mind, which we in the media love. There's not a media primary out there, but he'd win it.

MATTHEWS: Well do you think? Look Sam [Stein] do think this guy's mien, his presentation, is a little too Mephistophelian? A little too frightening for people, to be a presidential candidate? Don't you have to sort of have to like the guy first, before you vote for him? Just a thought.

What was that about a new tone, a new civility?

Don't look for it on MSNBC. You won't find it.