Republicans won't do it because they aren't cowards

October 6, 2007 -- So, should viewers of Tuesday's Re publican presidential debate expect an exchange of views between the candidates - or between the candidates and one of the event's moderators?

It's a fair question, given the jaw-dropping comments Thursday evening from MSNBC blowhard - and scheduled debate moderator - Chris Matthews.

Matthews was celebrating the 10th anniversary of his "Hardball" program at a Washington event, when he let loose a broadside at the White House.

Bush & Co., he declared, had "finally been caught in their criminality."

He compared this White House's behavior with another one, saying, "Spiro Agnew was not an American hero."

Of the vice president, Matthews said, "God help us if we had Cheney during the Cuban missile crisis. We'd all be under a parking lot."

Now, "Hardball" is an opinion show, and Matthews is certainly entitled to his opinions - however offensively he chooses to express them.

But why should any Republican candidate expect fairness from Matthews now?

More to the point, why should potential voters expect Matthews to treat the candidates' views fairly?

By engaging in this sort of intemperate rhetoric, Matthews has effectively disqualified himself as an "honest broker" for this coming debate.

NBC needs to replace him as a debate moderator immediately. The job - by definition - requires an attempt to display objectivity going into an event.

Yes, the distinction between "objective journalist" and "opinion-maker" in recent years has been blurred to the point where they're nearly indistinguishable. But Matthews' comments obliterated any possible distinction.

Earlier this year, the Democratic presidential candidates refused to participate in a debate on Fox News on the grounds that the channel was "biased." That's baloney, of course - certainly the debate wasn't going to be moderated by Fox's prime-time opinion hosts.

That is, the Fox network's Chris Matthews analogues.

Given Matthews' outrageous rhetoric - and if MSNBC doesn't haul him off the debate forthwith - the GOP candidates would be well within their rights to stay home, too.

Otherwise, viewers should just change the channel.

"Fox network's Chris Matthews analogues"? I get the point the Post is trying to make but in point of fact Fox doesn't have any "Chirs Matthews analogues". Yes they have partition commentators like Sean Hannity who make no secret of being conservative and representing the conservative point of view and I'll admit that Hannity isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Fox simply does not have anyone who even comes close to Matthews in stupidity and obnoxiousness.

What's that?

Geraldo Rivera.

Never mind.