Matthews lauded McCain's "maverick reputation," "jib"; admired Romney's chin

On the February 13 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, during a discussion of the Michigan Republican presidential primary, host Chris Matthews said that "there are a lot of people there ... who like the cut of [Sen.] John McCain's [AZ] jib, his independence, his maverick reputation."

Media Matters for America has documented numerous examples of the media referring to McCain as a "maverick," in addition to noting numerous reasons why that is not an apt descriptor for the senator.

Matthews also stated of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), "[H]e's got a great chin, I've noticed." MSNBC political analyst and former Reagan communications director Pat Buchanan similarly described Romney as "an extremely handsome man." As Media Matters has noted, Matthews has previously said that Romney "has the perfect chin, the perfect hair."

From the February 13 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: John McCain won that big fight up there in Michigan back in 2000 against President Bush. Does John McCain still have the power up there that this guy has to take down? There's a lot of Catholics in Michigan. A lot of people there are sort of Reagan Republicans, who like the cut of John McCain's jib, his independence, his maverick reputation. How does Mitt Romney -- the straight arrow -- cut into that?

[...]

BUCHANAN: Everything I know about Romney speaks very well about him. I've got a lot of friends who say he lights up a room when he comes in; he's got a fine personality; he's friendly; he's an extremely handsome man, as his father was; and he's always got a big smile. I think in the personality contest, he's all over Hillary.

MATTHEWS: Well, can he -- he's got a great chin, I've noticed. Does that mean -- is he going to be -- does that mean he might not have a glass jaw, is what I'm asking. Let's take a look here.

BUCHANAN: I'm afraid his dad did.

—R.C.