Sometimes when Chris Matthews asks a question, the only appropriate response is, “What?” Tonight, Matthews had NBC White House correspondent David Gregory on a special edition of Hardball to discuss the Bush/Blair press conference. Matthews asked some, er, interesting questions. The first was regarding Bush’s admission that saying, “Bring it on,” was a mistake:

MATTHEWS: Do you think, as kind of a macho guy that he is, do you think he found it easier to make that confession to a woman — a woman from another country — rather than one of you toughies from the press room?

Well, at least Matthews got the “from another country” part right. The premise of his question — that the reporter was a woman — was completely wrong. As this video clip demonstrates, the reporter who asked the question was clearly male. Even the normally excitable David Gregory appeared flummoxed. “I didn’t see who actually asked the question,” he stammered. But even if the reporter had been a woman… what?The next topic was Iran. Matthews asked Gregory:

MATTHEWS: Let me ask you another really hard question about Iranian policy. Only one question tonight, I recall, asking him why we haven’t responded to that sort of prayerful dispatch that came out Tehran a couple of weeks ago addressed to the West, why he hasn’t re-engaged in some kind of dialogue with the radical president — although elected president — of Iran. He said, “They’re the ones who walked away from the table.” That’s a technical sort of response, isn’t it?

First, and just to rule it out, the question said nothing about a “prayerful dispatch” — “back-channel overture” were the exact words. Second, in that “prayerful dispatch,” the (elected?!) president of Iran accused the U.S. government of complicity in the 9/11 attacks!

All governments have a duty to protect the lives, property and good standing of their citizens. Reportedly your government employs extensive security protection and intelligence systems — and even hunts its opponents abroad. September eleven was not a simple operation. Could it be planned and executed without coordination with intelligence and security services — or their extensive infiltration? Of course this is just an educated guess. Why have various aspects of the attacks been kept secret?

That’s the “prayerful dispatch” from the “elected president of Iran.” It was — in the understated words of Condi Rice, “not the place that one would find an opening to engage on the nuclear issue or anything of the sort.” Yet of Bush’s rather straightforward answer, Matthews asked, “That’s a technical sort of response, isn’t it?”

Isn’t… what?!

If I posted a video clip every time Matthews said something weird, we’d run out of room on our servers. But sometimes, he’s just so over the top, I feel compelled to share.

Enjoy.