Chris Matthews: 'I'm Getting Giggles!'

On an evening where Barack Obama was on the verge of clinching the Democratic nomination and there was news that Hillary Clinton wanted in on the ticket, it was all too much for Chris Matthews to handle. The "Hardball" host couldn't contain his glee as he blurted on the 5pm edition of Tuesday night's show: "I'm getting giggles!"

Matthews made the following admission as he concluded a panel segment, with the "Politico's" Roger Simon and NBC's Andrea Mitchell and Chuck Todd, that discussed such topics as Obama's locking up the nomination and the possibility of Hillary Clinton landing the VP spot, on the June 3 "Hardball":

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Anyway, thank you Roger, thank you. What a night! I'm getting giggles! It's so exciting here -- Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell -- because there's news in the air.

Here is the fuller transcript of the last portion of the media panel segment:

CHUCK TODD ON KEEPING CLINTON OFF TICKET: You know I had another idea, you know the other way he [Barack Obama] can do this is he might get an assist. You know he’s already got Nancy Pelosi saying that the dream ticket is not a good idea. Maybe Al Gore comes out and does this for him. To, "It’s not a good idea to have Obama–"

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Oh that’s a good way to--

TODD: You know you get a couple of senior statesmen that are well-respected by the party to go out there and try to cut this off at the pass.

MATTHEWS: And say, "I’m going to lay on you an inconvenient truth." Well, it’s I don’t know if he’s that magisterial yet that Al Gore can rule above like Jehovah. Or maybe, maybe. You think he’s that big Andrea?

TODD: He’s running the environment.

MATTHEWS: Is he that big?

ANDREA MITCHELL: He is because he’s been so silent on politics. He has elevated himself.

MATTHEWS: But everybody knows he hates the Clintons.

MITCHELL: That does create a problem.

MATTHEWS: Ha, ha! He's not exactly a just empire. Anyway, thank you Roger, thank you. What a night! I'm getting giggles! It's so exciting here -- Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell -- because there's news in the air.