During the March 3 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews asserted that Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign is "[g]oing after" Sen. Barack Obama “in this Muslim issue” and claimed that she “g[ave] up a clear chance to dismiss these bad stories being pushed by bad people, that he's not the religion he is, clearly to try to disturb people.” Matthews added: “She had a clear opportunity on 60 Minutes to clear that up, and she didn't take it.” Later in the program, Matthews played a clip of Clinton's 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft in which the end of Clinton's answer was cropped such that it did not include a remark in which she clearly stated that she did not believe that Obama was a Muslim and added that she too had been “the target of ridiculous rumors.” Matthews then repeatedly highlighted only part of Clinton's comments to suggest that she had left Obama's religious beliefs in doubt.

While discussing Clinton's comments with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Norah O'Donnell, Matthews aired a clip of the 60 Minutes interview in which Clinton responded to three questions about whether she believed Obama was a Muslim. In response to Kroft's first question -- “You don't believe that Senator Obama is a Muslim?” -- Clinton replied: “Of course not. I mean, that's -- you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.” Matthews ignored the fact that Clinton said, “Of course not,” instead choosing to highlight an answer from Clinton that was truncated in the clip he played. In Kroft's third question, he again asked: “You don't believe that he's a Muslim -- or implying, right?” Clinton's full answer was: “No. No. Why would I? There's no -- [n]o, there is nothing to base that on, as far as I know. ... Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors. I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time.” However, on Hardball, the clip ended after Clinton said “as far as I know,” which Matthews then used to suggest that Clinton was leaving Obama's faith in doubt.

After airing the clip of the interview, Matthews asked: “What do you make of that, Joe Scarborough?” Scarborough replied, “Well, I make that Hillary Clinton says there's nothing to base that [the idea that Obama is a Muslim] on. ... She kept it pretty much down the center and said she didn't think he was a Muslim.” Matthews interjected: “As far as I know.” After continuing to discuss the “as far as I know” portion of Clinton's answer, Scarborough stated: “I think that Hillary -- I mean, Steve could have asked that question a hundred different ways. I think she answered it sufficiently the first time.” Moments later, Matthews said to O'Donnell, " 'I take him on the basis of what he says. I take him at his word, as far as I know.' Are those qualifiers? Do they suggest someone who wants to keep the pot a bit stirred, even if by the bad people in the country?"

The clip of Clinton's 60 Minutes interview as it aired on Hardball:

KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama is a Muslim?

CLINTON: Of course not. I mean, that's -- you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: And you said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim.

CLINTON: Right. Right.

KROFT: You don't believe that he's a Muslim --

CLINTON: No. No. Why would I? There's no --

KROFT: -- or implying, right?

CLINTON: No, there is nothing to base that on, as far as I know.

Matthews went on to play a clip of NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell asking Clinton whether her comments on 60 Minutes were intended to “raise any doubts about his [Obama's] being Christian.” Clinton replied:

No, not at all. No, not at all. I mean, obviously, I've been the subject of scurrilous rumors for years, and, you know, it's -- it's hard to get them to go away. And they, you know, they just keep coming back. And, you know, I really sympathize with Senator Obama. It is -- it's -- you know, it's disturbing to turn around and see this all the time. And, you know, obviously I hope that people get beyond it and ignore it.

Matthews then stated: “Let me ask Joe Scarborough again: What do you think is going on here with her answers to these questions? The second one was more self-regarding about her own challenges in facing down stories about her, but she said, 'Well, this is the business we have chosen,' basically seemed to be the answer. Tough, it's tough out there.” In fact, Clinton used similar language in her response to Kroft, saying: “Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors. I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time.” Additionally, ignoring the fact that Clinton told Mitchell, "[O]bviously I hope that people get beyond it and ignore it [the rumor that Obama is a Muslim]," Matthews said, “I don't know why we don't simplify this and end the conversation. Why is there an attempt to keep the conversation going with these long answers to the simple questions?”

Concluding his discussion with Scarborough and O'Donnell, Matthews asserted: "[I]t looks worse in print than she does when she says it. It sounds quite reasonable the way Senator Clinton made the statement." Yet later in the show, speaking with Clinton campaign adviser Kiki McLean, Matthews returned to the subject and stated: “But she said 'as far as I know.'... I'm just curious. Why would you -- why would people talk like that?” McLean replied: “I think people are picking hairs because they're looking for something to fight over.” Matthews then said: “No, no, I'm asking -- I mean, I was -- this was pointed out to me, about why she wouldn't just say, 'Of course he's not a Muslim, he's a Christian.' Why didn't she just say that?” McLean answered: “I think she believes she said that, and she said that. I think other people are picking apart words.”

From the March 3 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: Chrystia, it does seem to me that if you look at the Senator Clinton campaign over the last couple of days, over the last -- they are really doing the kinds of things that politicians do when they're losing. This very tough, “3 a.m. in the morning” thing suggesting that Barack Obama's not to be trusted at 3 o'clock in the morning. I don't know how you can read it any other way. Going after him in this Muslim issue -- we'll get to it in the next block of the show -- giving up a clear chance to dismiss these bad stories being pushed by bad people, that he's not the religion he is, clearly to try to disturb people. She had a clear opportunity on 60 Minutes to clear that up, and she didn't take it.

CHRYSTIA FREELAND (Financial Times): Yeah, that's absolutely right, and the fact is, they are losing. The Clinton campaign has tried quite hard to talk about this notion that there is a media bias against Hillary Clinton. But in one respect, I think she has really benefited from a nice media, which is, after losing these 11 straight primaries, people are still treating it as a two-horse race.

[...]

MATTHEWS: Welcome back to Hardball. The crunch time in the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has come upon us, and all bets are off. Joining me now is MSNBC's chief Washington correspondent, Norah O'Donnell, who's up in New York, and the host of MSNBC's Joe Scarborough. Joe, you're with us. Joe, let's take a look -- let's all take a look at this. Here's Senator Clinton last night on 60 Minutes:

[begin video clip]

KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama is a Muslim?

CLINTON: Of course not. I mean, that's -- you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: And you said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim.

CLINTON: Right. Right.

KROFT: You don't believe that he's a Muslim --

CLINTON: No. No. Why would I? There's no --

KROFT: -- or implying, right?

CLINTON: No, there is nothing to base that on, as far as I know.

[end video clip]

MATTHEWS: What do you make of that, Joe Scarborough?

SCARBOROUGH: Well, I make that Hillary Clinton says there's nothing to base that on. It doesn't seem to me that she's got the affirmative responsibility to jump up and down and point her fingers and get upset. I think she did all that was required of her. She did not veer off the road to strike anybody. She kept it pretty much down the center and said she didn't think he was a Muslim.

MATTHEWS: As far as I know.

SCARBOROUGH: Well, yeah, sure as far as I know, Chris.

MATTHEWS: OK. Well, Joe --

SCARBOROUGH: Well, you know, I --

MATTHEWS: You're on television with me right now, as far as I know.

SCARBOROUGH: You know, I am -- I am as far as I know. I don't know what's in your heart, but I think -- again, I think that Hillary -- I mean, Steve could have asked that question a hundred different ways. I think she answered it sufficiently the first time.

MATTHEWS: Well, suppose I said Albany is the capital of New York, as far as I know.

SCARBOROUGH: Well, but that's actually an objective fact. But it --

MATTHEWS: Yeah. Isn't the fact of a person's religion an objective fact?

SCARBOROUGH: Well, that's more subjective. That's in their heart. They know whether they are or not. If he says he is, then -- he said he is, and she said that, yeah, as far as she knows, he is.

MATTHEWS: Norah O'Donnell, “I take him on the basis of what he says. I take him at his word, as far as I know.” Are those qualifiers? Do they suggest someone who wants to keep the pot a bit stirred, even if by the bad people in the country?

O'DONNELL: Well, that's what critics of Senator Clinton are saying today. It was an unusual question, and it was an unusual answer on the part of Senator Clinton. This issue about whether Senator Obama is a Muslim or not is sort of a strange undercurrent in this entire campaign. He's responded to it just today saying he's a Christian, a devout Christian, even saying he prays to Jesus every night. I'm not sure what the suggestion would be to even asking the question, as if there were something wrong with being a Muslim. But that is sort of the undercurrent, and as some have pointed out, even Republican strategists, that it may play to Americans' xenophobia and may play to other fears that Americans have. Nevertheless, it's been -- it was a strange question.

MATTHEWS: Yeah, well, the answer was a bit hesitant, I think, “as far as I know,” and “take him on the basis of what he says.” I don't think it was very helpful to Obama the way she answered it, but maybe Joe's right. Why should she be helpful to Obama, except that those people concerned about the Middle East, Jewish voters, for example, hear that the guy is an Arab sympathizer or whatever. This is fraught with peril for him. Anyway, here's Senator Clinton today when asked about it by Andrea Mitchell.

[begin video clip]

MITCHELL: The question is, were you trying to raise any doubts about his being a Christian?

CLINTON: No, not at all. No, not at all. I mean, obviously, I've been the subject of scurrilous rumors for years, and, you know, it's -- it's hard to get them to go away. And they, you know, they just keep coming back. And, you know, I really sympathize with Senator Obama. It is -- it's -- you know, it's disturbing to turn around and see this all the time. And, you know, obviously I hope that people get beyond it and ignore it.

[end video clip]

MATTHEWS: That's Gail Sheehy sitting over there, her biographer. Let me ask Joe Scarborough again: What do you think is going on here with her answers to these questions? The second one was more self-regarding about her own challenges in facing down stories about her, but she said, “Well, this is the business we have chosen,” basically seemed to be the answer. Tough, it's tough out there.

SCARBOROUGH: Well, sure, it is tough out there. And Barack Obama, if the worst thing that he can have happening to him is for his opponent at the height of a primary season saying, “No, I don't think he's a Muslim,” then Barack Obama's got it pretty good. And Hillary Clinton -- and, again, I was part of a Congress back in the 1990s that went after her nonstop. She has been through the gauntlet, she's been through the wringer. She's -- it's hard to think of anybody that's in public life right now that's had a tougher run of it than Hillary Clinton. So, I'm sure she can sympathize with Barack Obama. But my gosh, this is child's play compared to what Hillary Clinton has endured since 1992.

MATTHEWS: Yeah, but suppose I said if --is Hillary Clinton a Methodist? And you'd -- and I would answer, “On the basis of what she says, yeah, as far as I know.” Doesn't that seem a little bit more complicated than simply, of course, just saying, “No, he's not”?

SCARBOROUGH: Well, again, I --

MATTHEWS: Again, I don't know why we don't simplify this and end the conversation. Why is there an attempt to keep the conversation going with these long answers to the simple questions?

SCARBOROUGH: You know, Chris, I said earlier in this election season that I thought Mike Huckabee, a guy I liked very much, I thought Mike Huckabee was playing on some doubts regarding the Mormonism of Mitt Romney. I did not pick that up here. I didn't think it was quite as --

MATTHEWS: Yeah.

SCARBOROUGH: -- I didn't think it was quite as crudely used as Huckabee's attempts to raise doubts about the Christian beliefs earlier of Mitt Romney. I just -- I just see it that way personally.

MATTHEWS: It does look worse -- it looks worse in print than she does when she says it. It sounds quite reasonable the way Senator Clinton made the statement. Here's Senator Obama, by the way, explaining his own religious faith to put this thing to rest, at least tonight.

OBAMA [video clip]: I am a Christian. I am a devout Christian. I have been a member of the same church for 20 years. You know, pray to Jesus every night, and try to go to church as much as I can when they're not working me.

SCARBOROUGH: Ugh.

MATTHEWS: Wow. Well, this weekend -- what? What, Joe? What is the hemming and hawing about?

SCARBOROUGH: Oh, my God, I -- talk about a religious test. I mean --

MATTHEWS: I know. I don't like this. I don't like this part of our country.

SCARBOROUGH: I don't like this at all. The guy -- the fact the guy --

MATTHEWS: This is not what we do in this country.

SCARBOROUGH: My God, the fact that this guy has to go out and say he's a devout Christian, he tries to pray to Jesus every night --

MATTHEWS: I don't want -- it's what I don't --

SCARBOROUGH: -- it makes me wince.

MATTHEWS: We are a free country, and that First Amendment should guide us, freedom of religion.

[...]

MATTHEWS: What about the Muslim thing? Is that a question? Is that one on the list of questions?

McLEAN: No. No.

MATTHEWS: So you think Hillary Clinton put that to rest yesterday?

McLEAN: I believe so, absolutely.

MATTHEWS: But she said “as far as I know.”

McLEAN: I think -- I think -- people -- people are picking --

MATTHEWS: I'm just curious. Why would you -- why would people talk like that?

McLEAN: I think people are picking hairs because they're looking for something to fight over that's --

MATTHEWS: No, no, I'm asking -- I mean, I was -- this was pointed out to me, about why she wouldn't just say, “Of course he's not a Muslim, he's a Christian.” Why didn't she just say that?

McLEAN: I think she believes she said that, and she said that. I think other people are picking apart words. I think that's not what this campaign is about, Chris. I think this campaign is about national security and the economy. I think Senator Clinton has been leading on those two issues, and I think that's why she'll do very well tomorrow night in Texas, in Ohio, in Rhode Island, and Vermont.