A Night Out with Chris Matthews

By Sarah Wildman for the New York Times

THE waiters at Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown see a lot of Chris Matthews, host of the opinionated “Hardball” and the lower temperature, eponymously named Sunday-morning discussion hour on MSNBC.

“It’s very Christmas-y here. Very pubby. I’ll have clam chowder and prime rib,” he said, in his trademark rapid-fire delivery. He’s been a regular here since 1971. “It was a big State Department hangout. C.I.A.It’s got that reputation. Old Washington.”

It was exactly one week to Election Day and Mr. Matthews was in the “Truman booth” offering his opinion on everything.

On Web versus print: “If you don’t get newsprint, you don’t get the peripheral vision — you don’t pick up the odd story.”

On empty-nesting: “I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge: the house is empty and I’m like ‘Where’s my gruel?’ ”

On his wife, Kathleen, a Peabody Award-winning anchor who is now an executive for Marriott International, the hotel chain: “She’s a charming event.”

He then went on to prognosticate: “Three hundred and forty electoral votes,” he said, predicting Democratic victory while talking to two long-time waiters. “I’ve been trying to figure it out. Maybe 59 Senate seats, 31 seats in the House.”

While Mr. Matthews hasn’t formally endorsed anyone, it’s not hard to figure out which way he’s leaning. During the MSNBC primary coverage he claimed, with typical hyperbole, to feel “a thrill go up his leg” when Obama spoke.

Kathleen Matthews blew in the door with a gust of cold air, wearing a snug candy-apple red leather jacket. “I had this before Sarah Palin did,” she said, laughing. “But I got mine on a summer discount: 75 percent off.” She joked that Ms. Palin should have traded Neiman Marcus for Loehmann’s.

Mr. Matthews ordered her a pinot noir and a hamburger.

“Think of the Kennedys,” Mr. Matthews said, when asked the impact on Washington if Obama wins. “A mixed administration. Pragmatic. Some liberal tendencies, not overwhelming. Very tough. Very smart. Thin ties — are you looking at this?”

He demonstrated on his own black silk tie, folding it in half. “Well-turned-out men. No sloppiness. Just work.

“It will be zesty,” he added.

A 60-something man in cream-colored corduroys came up to introduce himself. “George Negus,” he said, shaking hands all around. “I sort of do what you do, Chris, but in Australia.”

Mr. Negus is to be the host of an election night show for his Australian television audience at the Newseum here. “If you pick the wrong president the world is in deep trouble,” he said.

Ms. Matthews switched to anchor mode. “Who is the wrong president?” she asked.

Mr. Negus offered his opinion.

“I never met an Aussie I didn’t like,” Mr. Matthews said warmly.

“I guess we’re not making it to see ‘W’ tonight,” he said to his wife as they made their way to the door. A man with frizzy red hair clapped him on the arm. Mr. Matthews turned to a reporter.

“Want to meet the guy who wrote the evil empire speech?” and then walked out with Anthony Dolan, a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, into the cold Washington night.

Photo by Michael Temchine for New York Times