Don't bother.

I think what Elias wrote about Chris Matthews today is exactly right. Paying attention to Matthews, or Imus, or Howie Fineman, or Joe Klein for that matter, is a loser's game. Not that I haven't been caught up in it myself - I surely have, too many times. One of them would make an antiwar statement or allow a rare honest compliment to Kerry to drop from their lips, and I'd get excited, thinking to my deluded self, "FINALLY."

And then I'd tune in the next day to see the follow up. Which would be - every single time - a complete boomerang back to DC insider smartassery. And I'd feel like stupid old Charlie Brown after Lucy - once again - pulled the football away at the last second. (thank you, karynnj, for that perfect image!)

So Elias's advice is good advice.

In 2003, Chris Matthews would've happily cancelled democracy and crowned George Bush King-Emperor Pillar-of-Fire-on-Earth.

Never forget this, Chris Matthews is craven and untrustworthy he is a flatterer, a trimmer and a courtier not a newsman or even a pundit worth reading or watching.

This country would be a better place if we all turned off our tv's and refused to watch Hardball, Tucker, and Imus altogether. They are not worthy of our serious attention.