Matthews flip-flop on Sen. Allen's presidential chances: One day "he's one of the two top guys," and the next, he's a "stretch"

Summary: On March 30, Chris Matthews said of the presidential chances of Sen. George Allen (R-VA), "I think George Allen might be a stretch." But a day earlier, after interviewing Allen, Matthews said, "I say he's running, I say he's one of the two top guys to watch, he and [Sen. John] McCain [R-AZ]."

On consecutive nights, MSNBC host Chris Matthews made inconsistent statements on the prospects of a presidential run by Sen. George Allen (R-VA). On the March 29 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, Matthews followed an interview with Allen by stating: "I say he's running, I say he's one of the two top guys to watch, he and [Sen. John] McCain [R-AZ]." Yet on the March 30 edition of Hardball, Matthews questioned former recording industry lobbyist Hillary Rosen's suggestion that Allen is "making some progress" in his bid for the presidency, stating that "I think George Allen might be a stretch."

From the March 29 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Welcome back to Hardball. We just heard from Virginia Senator George Allen. He's a conservative Republican who is up for re-election this year and is testing the waters for a presidential bid in 2008. I say he's running, I say he's one of the two top guys to watch, he and McCain.

From the March 30 edition of Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Who is the most probable Republican [to be nominated for president]?

HOWARD FINEMAN (Newsweek chief political correspondent): Well, John McCain right now.

MATTHEWS: Do you agree?

ROSEN: No.

FINEMAN: Name somebody else. Who else would you name, that's the problem?

ROSEN: Well that's the problem, but I, you know --

MATTHEWS: Do you ever think about the Republicans? Let's take a look at one who --

ROSEN: I think George Allen and [former Massachusetts Gov.] Mitt Romney are making some progress.

MATTHEWS: No, I think George Allen might be a stretch.

—K.D.