P.S. — A CONVENTION OF RACIST THUGS

LOOKS LIKE THE GENERAL RACISM AND THUGGERY OF THE RNC, briefly described here, was much more extensive than related (no surprises). Too bad Big Eddie wasn't ON LOCATION in Tampa; hey progressives, wouldn't it be fun to join up with Big Eddie and Chris, in a good old-fashioned barroom rumble? Just a thought — not really serious; not worth the consequences. Sadly. But everyone has a right to self-defense. So beating the shit out of scumsucking racists and wingnuts would be like a not-so-secret guilty pleasure, if you catch my drift. I mean, these right wing bottom feeders are no intellectual challenge at all. (See the Duchess trying hard to stave off boredom.) Big Eddie put it best: "It's like shooting fish in a barrel." Chris is right: What a "douchebag convention."

The close of the forum that officially nominated Mitt Romney for president brought with it twin stories of scuffles and shouting matches between Matthews, or members of his producing team, and delegates at the convention.

First, there was the shoving match that reportedly ensued between some hecklers and an MSNBC producer on Thursday. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the hecklers started shouting, "Hey Chris, how's that tingle up your leg?" This is a reference to Matthews' infamous comment that he felt a "thrill" going up his leg after hearing one of President Obama's speeches. He often gets snark thrown his way when he's in Republican settings; a 2010 interview with Michele Bachmann featured both a large sign mocking him for it and a jibe from Bachmann herself.

An MSNBC spokesperson dismissed the allegations in a statement.

"This story has been grossly exaggerated," the spokesperson said. "A few disruptive men in the audience were asked to be respectful during a live broadcast. No one was hurt. There is no investigation and police were never involved."

Matthews' popularity with the Republican crowd probably wasn't helped by his scorched-earth confrontation with RNC chair Reince Priebus on Monday.

Matthews himself had a run-in with some delegates at a restaurant early Friday morning. The Hill reported that, as Matthews was leaving the restaurant, he started getting booed and jeered, and went back in to confront his hecklers. Matthews said he told the group, "What is this, a douchebag convention?"