What is it with Chris Matthews, and why do they keep letting him moderate?  Ever debate for the right wingers he hosts he has to waste our time taking shots at the candidates and trying to attack their answers instead of just letting them live or die on the weight of their own words.

Moderators should steer the questions, but they are supposed to be theoretically neutral.

As for Fred!, I was not disappointed really.  He made some solid sensible answers and handled the surprises very well.

He was not flashy, he was solid, which I think will win out in the long run.  Captain Ed has more analysis:

Fred Wins, Chris Loses (Update: My Prediction Comes True)

The first debate with Fred Thompson was expected to reveal whether the lanky actor had what it takes to make a national run for the office. Instead, it revealed Chris Matthews as a hack of the first order, one who tried his best to torpedo Thompson — and failed utterly. He got so desperate that he demanded to know whether Thompson knew who the Canadian Prime Minister was — and he did. Matthews grew so frustrated that he openly critiqued one of Thompson’s answer for being too detailed, which prompted a scolding from Thompson.

That was the game behind the debate, and Thompson stomped Matthews into a laughingstock. In the rest of the debate, Thompson showed that he was comfortable and prepared, even for the silly attacks from other candidates. Mitt Romney went into a long, telegraphed, and obviously gag-written punch about how the debates resemble “Law and Order” and how Fred shows up last, which Fred neatly returned by feigning surprise that he wasn’t the best actor on the stage — jabbing at Romney’s perceived plasticness.

Fred’s in now, and he will find new momentum after this performance. Matthews will become more of a joke, if such a thing is possible at a network that employs Keith Olbermann.

UPDATE: Earlier this morning, as Rick Moran reminded me during the Debate Central roundtable, I urged Republicans to engage against Chris Matthews:

Mike Allen at The Politico believes that Chris Matthews will be lying in wait to find a “gotcha” moment for Thompson. Allen thinks it will come from an economics question, but it could just as well come from a foreign-policy query. Matthews has been accused of having a “man crush” on Thompson by some of his critics on the Left, and will no doubt want to establish some credibility with a tough attack on Thompson. Thompson will have an equal opportunity to pop Matthews’ bubble by responding calmly and in the same 30-second generalities as everyone else on stage.

I guess I had that about right, didn’t I? Also, I suggested that “the candidate who can push back best against Matthews’ potential low blows should be strongly considered for the nomination.” I think Fred qualifies as someone who can fight for himself.

Some bloggers are less then impressed, wanting something flashy, but I think at this stage, Fred! has clearly announced he is here to stay, and for the Republicans anyway, the race has now begun. 

If he stays consistent, he should take it easy.

I hope so, I really do, and not because I think he can take on Hill-Bama.   I like his hands off approach, his root cause approach and his state’s rights beliefs.

 Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, , DeMediacratic Nation, Right Truth, Big Dog’s Weblog, The Populist, Shadowscope, Webloggin, The Bullwinkle Blog, Pet Haven Blog, The Amboy Times, Conservative Cat, Adeline and Hazel, Nuke’s, third world county, Faultline USA, DragonLady’s World, The World According to Carl, Pirate’s Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, Republican National Convention Blog, Dumb Ox Daily News, High Desert Wanderer, Right Voices, and Wake Up America, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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