Noted Dick Cheney-basher Chris Matthews, on Thursday's Hardball, finally found an area of common ground with the former Vice President – his endorsement of moderate Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison over Rick Perry in the Texas governor's race. However, even a bit of praise from the MSNBC host came with a vicious shot, as Matthews sneered, "You might think an endorsement from Dick Cheney would be like a dinner invite from Uday and Qusay Hussein, but not in Texas."

After making the comparison to the brothers who infamously tortured Iraqi athletes for losing on the field, Matthews went on to ponder: "Can the torture man boost her backing from conservatives in beating secessionist governor Rick Perry?"

The following Matthews outbursts were aired on the October 29, Hardball:

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Also you might think an endorsement from Dick Cheney would be like a dinner invite from Uday and Qusay Hussein, but not in Texas. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison says she's pleased to have the former Vice President's support in her race for governor. Can the torture man boost her backing from conservatives in beating secessionist governor Rick Perry? This is one of the races that matters to me and we'll break it down.

...

MATTHEWS: Former Vice President Dick Cheney is backing Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, proving, once again, that a broken clock is right twice a day. Astounding. Against the secessionist governor Rick Perry. [Sarah] Palin, by the way, the former governor of Alaska is backing, of course, Rick Perry.

—Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research Center.