Matthews at Q&A Cafe

(Photos: Adam Hurst) Chris Matthews stopped by Nathans Georgetown yesterday for Carol Joynt's Q&A Cafe. Some highlights: When Joynt asked Matthews if, it weren't for the fact that NBC had him in their clutches he'd be off competing against Russert ("Bob Schieffer will go away eventually," Joynt said), Matthews said, "that may have crossed a few minds." "That'd be great to do that," Matthews said, "because he's the best right now and we're #2." But Matthews said that he has not talked to any other networks ("Hardball"'s contract expires in '09). "I created both Hardball and The Chris Matthews Show," Matthews said. "They're my babies." Matthews on his busy life: "Even getting gas is recreation for me." (For his car, sickos...) On marriage: "We've got a great relationship, Kathy and I: I make the coffee." On whether she makes more money: "No comment." Matthews called for a moment of silence and prayer for Tony Snow. "He's a great guy, a really, really good guy." Conservatives he finds charming: Richard Perle. Bill Kristol. On '08: "I want a president who doesn't have a ranch...The country's ready for a hero." He thinks a Giulini/Haley Barbour ticket would be tough to beat. Giuliani v. Hillary would be "a subway series." Who he's hard on on "Hardball": "Dick Cheney. He's as tough as they come...He's a zealot." On growing up contrarian: He'd take the opposite positions as his brother. His brother rooted for the Navy, so Matthews rooted for the Army. His brother rooted for the Yankees, so Matthews rooted for Cleveland. And, yes, his brother rooted for the North in the Civil War, and Matthews rooted for the South. On Bush's mistakes: "Why did a guy who was skeptical of ideologiy in college buy it when he got in the White House?" The reason: "The people he let in the room let him do it." On frontloading the primaries: "This is a Terry McAuliffe's wet dream." Joynt: "That's an awful thought, an awful image." On the difference between Republicans and Democrats: "Democrats really do like chaos...If you go to the movies, everyone there on time is Republican...Republicans are much more organized people...Republicans like to follow the leader." On the 1984 ad: "Every Democratic instinctively roots for the women with the hammer and Republicans want to get that troublemaker out of there." On McCain: "He's torn between being himself and being a winner." On Hillary: Hillary has the "it factor" and "the halo of magic around her." But when she goes on the campaign trail, "her voice goes up two octaves. It's like nails on the chalk board and you think 'Not 8 years...'" On Scooter Libby trial: "Libby got caught up in the responsibility of the principle." On the "Russert doesn't like Matthews" rumor: "I could comment further at a different occasion...We had a nice talk afterwards. We chatted. I like the guy and really respect him. On Mary Matalin: "I love Washington. I love the characters...I don't enjoy the fact that she exists, necessarily." Favorite food: Starbucks apple fritters. "The greatst tasty rush of sugar in history." Also: donuts by the dozen. He actually invested in Dunkin Donuts recently.

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Matthews at Q&A Cafe

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