Matthews on Bill Clinton: "[T]hings always change when he inserts himself"

On the February 5 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, discussing the 2008 Democratic presidential race, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson asserted: "The tenor of the race did change when [former President] Bill Clinton inserted himself in the race." Host Chris Matthews responded: "By the way, things always change when he inserts himself." Later in the program, Matthews stated: "Eugene Robinson, thanks for that nice line about the injection by Bill Clinton. ... [I]t's your line, not mine." Robinson responded: "Oh, no, no, no ... no, no, no."

From the February 5 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Is this Obama's spirit rising? Is this the great feeling of, "Let's have an African-American, a young guy with an interesting background who can talk" -- and that's rare in politics today, somebody who can talk --

ROBINSON: Yeah.

MATTHEWS: -- or is it Clinton fatigue? This sitcom's just gone on too long. We're tired of hearing what Bill's doing: Bill can't talk this week; he can talk; he's in the doghouse this week; he's not in the doghouse -- are we just tired of the sitcom?

ROBINSON: Well, but, you know --

MATTHEWS: You know that's an issue.

ROBINSON: The tenor of the race did change when Bill Clinton inserted himself in the race. When it was [Sen.] Hillary [Rodham Clinton (D-NY)] versus [Sen.] Barack [Obama (D-IL)], it was one kind of race. When it was Barack versus Hillary --

MATTHEWS: Things tend to change when --

ROBINSON: -- and Bill --

MATTHEWS: By the way, things always change when he inserts himself.

ROBINSON: Well -- ooh, ooh, ooh.

BUCHANAN: I think if I've got --

ROBINSON: Moving right along.

BUCHANAN: I think -- look. There's -- nobody can deny that Obama has a tremendous movement. It's larger than Reagan's in '76.

MATTHEWS: Right.

[...]

MATTHEWS: Everybody's going to be here all night. We'll be staying alive on pizza and cookies all night tonight. Eugene Robinson, thanks for that nice line about the injection by Bill Clinton. And --

ROBINSON: You're very welcome.

MATTHEWS: -- it's your line, not mine.

DEE DEE MYERS [former Clinton press secretary]: Hnh-hnh. Hnh-hnh.

MATTHEWS: Anyway, Dee Dee Myers --

ROBINSON: Oh, no, no, no. I'm claiming --

MATTHEWS: -- it's your line.

ROBINSON: -- no, no, no.

MATTHEWS: -- Washington Post columnist. Dee Dee Myers, thank you. Pat Buchanan. Do not go anywhere tonight. Our live prime-time coverage of Super Duper Tuesday starts in just a minute.

—M.B.B.