Chris Matthews Hardball has a lot of bite

Chris Matthews (MSNBC, Hardball, 5:00 & 7 p.m. Eastern time) had Senator John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth as his guests last night. At one point, Mrs. Edwards made a comment about her husband not being good at telling jokes. A couple of sentences later Matthews said,
"Does she always bite your balls like that?"











The Edwards's were momentarily stunned by the remark. Somehow "bite" has more bite than "bust" which, I'm guessing Matthews meant to say, although I don't think asking John Edwards if his wife "busts" or "bites" his testicles was an appropriate question for him to pose.

I expected to see a comment or two about this somewhere today. I was only able to find one reference to it on a blog called the Kentucky Democrat. This was it:

Bonus Quote of the Day
"Does she always bite your
balls like that?"Chris Matthews, Hardball with Chris Matthews,
December 12, 2006

I read the transcript on the Hardball website, and they changed "bite" to "bust". Why? Come on. Let's play hardball!

E. EDWARDS: There are not that many politicians who are actually very
good
at jokes. John spoke one time and I said I wouldn‘t even go because
it
was—he was supposed to be funny and I didn‘t think he could carry it
off.

CROWD: (LAUGHTER)

MATTHEWS: I love it. You‘re great. Behind
every great man, there‘s a woman trying to kill him.

CROWD:
(LAUGHTER)

E. EDWARDS: He has great characteristics.

MATTHEWS:
What is it? Does she do this? Does she bust
your balls like this when you come home? When you get (INAUDIBLE), does she do that?

CROWD:
(APPLAUSE)

E. EDWARDS: My children are watching this.

CROWD:
(LAUGHTER)