Hardball opened today with a long look at those rumored to be atop John McCain's shortlist to be Vice President of his Space Trip to the Year 2013: Bobby Jindal, Charlie Crist and Mitt Romney. Norah O'Donnell and John Harwood gave reasonable commentary, but then Matthews turned to Pat Buchanan and asked for his "unmitigated response" - which is media code words for "Duck! Here come the crazy!"
Buchanan, of course, is MSNBC's appointed expert on the Tribe of Working-Class Whites and their clingy bitterness, so naturally, Pat Buchanan thought it was important for McCain to pick someone who could appeal to them. And, naturally, when you think about appealing to the sensibilities of dirt poor coal miners from Appalachia, you think Mitt Romney, his millions of dollars, his sons named Tagg, his mistreatment of dogs, and his many, many lies.
Buchanan was willing to admit that Romney needs to do more "bonding" with the working class, but still felt that Romney was "someone who can help him steal the Hillary Democrats," because he's Whitey White LeBlanc. But what will happen when the Bitter Working Class learn that Romney won't pay them a competitive wage to come work at his Sanctuary Mansion?
[WATCH.]
MATTHEWS: Let's to go Pat Buchanan. I want to run these three names by you and get your unmitigated response. Charlie Crist of Florida: bachelor. Bobby Jindal from south asian heritage. And Mitt Romney: LDS, Mormon. What do you make? Any one of these three guys for real?
BUCHANAN: I think he would consider all of them. My guess is he will win Florida by himself, and Charlie Crist would seal it. McCain would win it by himself. Jindal is a very popular figure with conservatives. But i don't see McCain going to Louisiana. I agree with Norah on that. I think McCain will go north. We've been talking about the Appalachians, the white working class. People like that. I think McCain should try to go for someone who can help him steal the Hillary Democrats and take them away from Barack Obama. Someone in one of those states that has those people. So i would think that these folks, these folks, I think, Romney would be the most likely.