One argument for the GOP nomination Mitt Romney has over his rivals is that his time in the private sector gave him enough experience to effectively create jobs, and because unemployment figures are so dismal, the nation should put Romney in charge so he can fix it. But with the latest numbers showing unemployment is steadily dropping down to 8.3 percent, Chris Matthews wondered if Romney will be able to sustain that argument for much longer.

During a SOTU preview segment on Tuesday evening’s Hardball, MSNBC contributor Howard Fineman made an observation about a rankling trend among certain opponents of President Obama, the tendency not to address him by his hard-won title. Framing it in the context of those who question the President’s legitimacy, Fineman noted “I have never heard Newt Gingrich call President Obama ‘President Obama.’”

I thought I’d put Fineman’s claim to the test, using last night’s debate. The results were surprising.

Chris Matthews took notice of Ron Paul‘s presidential campaign today, and wondered how long it would be before the libertarian congressman would finally give up his bid to get the Republican party nomination and run as a third-party candidate. Matthews recalled another fiscally conservative independent who did very well against two establishment figures: Ross Perot, almost twenty years ago. Matthews compared the two candidates and discussed with the panel whether Paul could be just as successful running as an independent.

During MSNBC’s Iowa Caucus coverage, The Huffington Post‘s Howard Fineman divulged to Chris Matthews that Michele Bachmann‘s “inner circle is in the process of telling her it’s time for her to drop out.”

With the Iowa caucuses on the horizon for Tuesday, the strain started to show today on some of the few people in America putting in 100% at work today: the Republican presidential candidates. This is particularly true for Newt Gingrich, who started crying during a talk when prompted to talk about his mother, but his breaking up was excused today on Hardball, where Chris Matthews broke down the “brutal” dynamics of the political game and gave Gingrich the benefit of the doubt.

On his show today, Chris Matthews and panel discussed the very likely possibility of a Barack Obama-Mitt Romney showdown in the 2012 election, and amongst all the talk of class warfare and business experience, Matthews asked if American voters would embrace or resent Mitt Romney for his vast wealth and business ties given the anti-business climate in America encouraged by the Occupy Wall Street protests.

On his show today, Chris Matthews asked his panelists to name President Obama’s biggest mistake in office. Howard Fineman, Editorial Director at the Huffington Post, suggested it was none other than the controversial health care reform bill pushed through the Congress last year.

Chris Matthews contrasted President Obama’s dwindling poll numbers with the sudden invigoration of the Republican presidential campaign, and wondered why the president has not clearly laid out a plan for tackling the big economic issues like the national debt. Howard Fineman said that while Obama has been generally popular among liberals and independents, many people in both groups are beginning to have doubts about their confidence in his effectiveness.

Chris Matthews was interested in the impact on the Republican primary if Texas Governor Rick Perry potentially decided to enter. Although most on the panel agreed Mitt Romney was the stronger overall candidate, Howard Fineman warned that Perry might be far more appealing to today’s Republican party, despite Perry being like a Saturday Night Live imitation of former President George W. Bush.

Chris Matthews and his Sunday morning panel evaluated the upcoming presidential election and Matthews stated about the potential Republican nominees, “every one of the top candidates comes with a potentially huge flaw.” As Matthews seemed truly interested in learning whether any of the candidates could be appealing enough to win enthusiastic support from conservatives, the panel seemed to be largely in agreement: this is a very weak Republican field of candidates.

Sarah Palin took a rather unusual turn over the weekend by attacking beloved conservative Gov. Chris Christie, leaving the media to figure out what, exactly, she’s up to. Is it a sign she’s running for president? Is it a sign that he is? On The Last Word tonight, the Huffington Post‘s Howard Fineman told host Lawrence O’Donnell it’s more likely a sign that Palin feels increasingly irrelevant.

Perhaps anticipating that the media would begin ripping Sarah Palin‘s interview with Sean Hannity earlier tonight underestimated the speed of the news cycle. Less than an hour later and a network away, Palin’s fellow conservative David Frum responded to her comments with a good-natured plea for her to just “stop talking now.”

On Monday night’s Hardball, Huffington Post’s Howard Fineman revealed to host Chris Matthews that President Obama had told him that he thought some “Republicans and conservatives who oppose him” were “ignorant.”

While it seems unkind, Matthews’ original question was whether the President thinks his opponents are “evil,” so the level of insult is somewhat relative.

Is it silly season already? Howard Fineman is reporting exploratory discussions between New York Mayor (and media mogul) Michael Bloomberg and MSNBC’s Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough regarding “whether they could be an independent presidential ticket in 2012.” If that sounds absurd, Fineman also reports that “The White House is nervously watching what is going on.” Update – Scarborough denied the report on Morning Joe and a source close to the situation tells Mediaite that “Fineman is being played.”

On the cusp of the first major national elections since the Supreme Court ruled corporations have the First Amendment right to speech in politics, the echo chamber of public political discourse sounds all the louder with all those extra voices. While on legal grounds it’s unclear what it is about Citizens United that seems to evoke hysteria in many talking heads, they have good reason to want to lower the volume: to better hear themselves talk.

After her very public and somewhat controversial exit from the HuffPo yesterday, Mayhill Fowler has published an article titled “Why I Left The Huffington Post” on her personal blog. The citizen journalist’s post voices her primary complaint: “I want to be paid for my time and effort.” The self-proclaimed clueless journalist started contributing to HuffPo in 2007 without pay, as is the norm at a vast number of new-media sites.

Howard Fineman is the latest big name to depart Newsweek since the Washington Post Company sold it and editor Jon Meacham departed. Brian Stelter at the NYT broke the news this afternoon.

Chris Matthews closed out this week’s show by asking his panel of guests who they thought might make a third party run in 2012 should President Obama‘s poll numbers remain in the tank. Conclusion: It has less to do with Obama than whether Sarah Palin is the nominee.

Here’s a new entry into the GOP 2012 presidential field (and by new I mean so old he’s new again): Jeb Bush. On his show this morning Chris Matthews pondering “who might beat Barack Obama?” This of course is the question plaguing the Republican Party. For all the attention and hoopla surrounding Sarah Palin no one is really convinced that even if she could snag the Republican nomination she has any shot at beating President Obama in the general. But Jeb might.

On a beach? Relaxing at home? Wondering how to spend your post-BBQ stupor? Here is some patriotic Fourth of July weekend reading from Mediaite’s staff, columnists and contributors. Enjoy!

Famous young internet journalist Michael Calderone has penned an in-depth analysis of famous young internet journalists and their newfound relevance in the media market– and what it means for the older, established class of print reporters. Needless to say, the people who spent most of their twenties reporting on lost puppies and local fires are not too happy about the success of people like Ezra Klein and Chris Cillizza.

A segment from last night’s Countdown is generating a lot of heat in the conservative blogosphere, with the general consensus being that Keith Olbermann cried “Racism!” on the Massachusetts special election, and cited Scott Brown’s pickup truck as an example.

I watched the exchange between Keith and Howard Fineman last night, and I don’t think the right is being fair to Keith. In fact, I think they might owe him an “attaboy” or two.

A recent Newsweek column makes a bold, if slightly counter-intuitive pronouncement that pairs media and politics: “Roger Ailes is the real head of the GOP” argues Howard Fineman in “Life of the Party.” But it just sounds so familiar… Ah, yes — we have been making a similar case for months. A column by our own Colby Hall called Ailes “The Most Powerful Political Figure In America.”

It’s a New Yecade! I am going to keep saying that until it catches on. But either way, we’re four days in and everything feels COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Actually, and weirdly, it sort of does — maybe it’s because of all the decade-end stuff, but “2010″ looks, well, normal. Which is a very good sign. Which means we can now share all our shameful secrets from 2009. Like loving “Party In The USA.”