On Friday night's Hardball, Chris Matthews showed how willing he was to carry Democrat water on their manufactured outrage at Rush Limbaugh for mentioning "that great liberal lion" Ted Kennedy. Matthews played the Democrat clip and came out with a sour face -- an odd pose, given Matthews tastelessly mocked Ronald Reagan in 1995 after his Alzheimer's letter on ABC for forgetting he left the country with a big national debt. He let Democrat strategist Bob Shrum roll out the talking point:  

MATTHEWS: What do you make of it?

SHRUM: It’s outrageous, it’s typical of him. He’s a tasteless guy. He’ll say anything. He appeals to haters.

MATTHEWS: Yeah.

SHRUM: And he is the face of the Republican Party right now, because no one else is doing a very good ...