Chris Matthews plays Hardball

Chris Matthews bitchslaps John O'Neill of Smear Boat Veterans for Bush. Highlights from the transcript:

MATTHEWS: Gentlemen, first of all, according to this Associated Press story, Kerry got a Purple Heart for getting shrapnel in his left arm above the elbow.  If the shrapnel had hit him in the eye, the doctor said it could have blinded him.  No. 2, he was wounded with a piece of shrapnel on February 20, this time in the left thigh.  Doctors decided to leave the shrapnel in place—it is still in his leg—rather than make a wider opening to remove it. 

The third time, he got it from a dangerous situation in March of that year, life-threatening.  A mine exploded near Kerry‘s swift boat and enemy snipers were shooting around him.  He won the Silver Star for chasing—beaching his swift boat, chasing after some V.C. in V.C. territory and killing one of the V.C.  He won his Bronze for saving the life of Mr.  Rassmann, as he pulled him into the boat in enemy territory....

All of this is true.  And you‘re building a case against the guy on behalf of a guy running for president with absolutely no military experience in the field....

Well, I‘ve already heard enough that he‘s done more than I ever did for my country and a lot more than anybody else—and more than the president.

Oliver Willis has more. Unlike me, he even includes some of O'Neill's comments. (I would've -- but the lying a**hole is getting too much attention as it is.) I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Why is every GOP smear campaign against John Kerry treated as legitimate news? "Media whores" is an apt description.

This smear campaign may in fact be fizzling. The guy who cuts my hair is kind of a bellwether -- he's conservative, but not ignorant. (Yes, there are a few.) There's a chance he might even vote for Kerry, if he doesn't sit this one out altogether. And today he dismissed O'Neill and his gang as liars. John McCain's denunciation was enough for him.