By Mark Leibovich

Whenever Chris Matthews says something he likes, which happens a lot, he repeats it often and at volumes suggesting a speaker who feels insufficiently listened to at times. Tim Russert finally reeled the big marlin into the boat tonight,” Matthews yelled — nine times, on and off the air. Matthews believed that Russert (the fisherman) had finally succeeded in getting (the marlin) to admit that she was wrong to vote in favor of the Iraq war resolution in 2002. “We’ve been trolling for that marlin for what, a year now?” Matthews said to Russert.

Comparing Hillary Rodham Clinton to a big flopping fish will do nothing to stop criticism — from Clinton’s presidential campaign, among others — that Matthews and his network, MSNBC, have treated the former first lady unfairly.

The Article

ShareThis