The politicians who have found themselves in the verbal crosshairs of MSNBC’s Chris Matthews may someday soon find him on their side of the verbal shooting gallery. Widespread rumors have Matthews looking toward the US Senate in 2010. His MSNBC contract expires in June 2009. Matthews has political planks on his resume, including a failed run for Congress in 1974 and staff positions with Jimmy Carter and Tip O’Neill. However, the current resident, Arlen Specter (R-PA) has indicated that despite bouts with cancer and the fact that he is already past retirement age at 78, he fully intends to run and win in 2010.
According to some reports, Matthews is already staffing up for a campaign. However, he said that is completely untrue. Further, Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the new head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said he has been contacted by Matthews or anyone associated with Matthews regarding a possible run.
The moderate Republican Specter, who fought back a serious challenge from within his own party last time around, expects more of the same, with candidates coming at him from both the right and the left.
RBR/TVBR observation: Specter is an incredibly resilient politician, not to mention human. Still, many can’t help noticing that he is one of only four remaining Republican senators in the entire northeast part of the country. His seat is a virtual lock to be a prime target in 2010, keeping Pennsylvania on the list of battlegrounds with national cash flowing to broadcasters. But wondering whether Matthews will be part of the mix, or whether Specter will still be as game as he seems to be now, are matters of pure speculation.
