Smerconish, Wilkes -- and Matthews himself -- describe Kurtz's profile of Matthews as a valentine

Summary: Referring to Howard Kurtz's profile of him published in The Washington Post, Chris Matthews asked on MSNBC's Hardball, "Was that a Valentine's Day message?" Radio host Michael Smerconish said, "[Y]ou two are valentines, you and Kurtz," and Sybil Wilkes of The Tom Joyner Morning Show remarked, "It was a love letter, yes."

On the February 14 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, guest Michael Smerconish, host of The Michael Smerconish Morning Show, referenced a profile of host Chris Matthews published the same day in The Washington Post, telling Matthews: "I read Howard Kurtz today. Of course you have power." Matthews then asked Smerconish: "Was that a Valentine's Day message? A big article about me and our show, Hardball, on the front page of the Style section of The Washington Post today ... what grade would you give it, Michael?" Smerconish replied: "If I were Chris Matthews, A-plus -- man, you two are valentines, you and Kurtz." Sybil Wilkes, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Tom Joyner Morning Show, chimed in: "It was a love letter, yes." Smerconish added: "Holy smokes."

From the February 14 edition of MSNBC's Hardball:

MATTHEWS: We're going to have to get Bob Brady, the Philadelphia chairman, on this show and see if he can stand up against the tsunami of influence coming at us. By the way, when you said I'm going to be rendered powerless, that must mean that I do have power, Michael. I mean, are you yielding that to me?

[laughter]

SMERCONISH: Hey, come on. Hey, are you kidding me? I read Howard Kurtz today. Of course you have power.

MATTHEWS: Was that a Valentine's Day message? A big article about me and our show, Hardball, on the front page of the Style section of The Washington Post today. Would you give it -- what grade would you give it, Michael?

SMERCONISH: If I were Chris Matthews, A-plus -- man, you two are valentines, you and Kurtz.

WILKES: It was a love letter, yes.

MATTHEWS: OK.

SMERCONISH: Holy smokes.

MATTHEWS: Oh, God. You guys are reading my mail.

[laughter]

MATTHEWS: Anyway, thank you very much, Michael Smerconish, [former Ohio Secretary of State] Ken Blackwell. When are you going to run for something again, Ken?

—L.K.A.