I can’t stand to watch it, but Bob Somerby routinely suffers through the inanity of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews.” Check out the five questions Matthews recently asked New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, who is running for president, during an interview:

QUESTION 1: Welcome back to Hardball. Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico is a Democratic candidate for president. Governor Richardson, how do you break into top ranks of the guys and the woman, Hillary, fighting for the Democratic nomination?

QUESTION 2: Why are you better than Hillary?…OK—here is your chance. Why are you better than Hillary?

QUESTION 3: Hillary said a couple of days ago, a week or two ago, that she is equipped to deal with bad and evil men because of her dealings as first lady. What do you make of that assessment and that claim?

QUESTION 4: You mean—you really think that she was talking about Republicans on the other side of the health care debate, not her husband? I mean, that wasn’t a joke, it wouldn’t be a joke—there’s nothing funny about saying you had to go up against Republicans. There’s something funny about having to deal with a husband who has caused you pain. And I thought that’s what she was joking about. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been funny among all those women, would it have been? Would that have been a joke, to say “I had to fight with Tom DeLay?” That’s not funny!

QUESTION 5: OK. How do we—then I’ll let you go positive, Governor. How do we get out of Iraq?

It’s good to see Matthews is still focused on what’s really important!