As we all know, Andrea Mitchell having told us so, Chris Matthews is no liberal. However the Hardball host did emphatically state on this afternoon's show that, at least when it comes to health care, he agrees with Michael Moore.

Matthews had just aired an impromptu interview that MSNBC's David Shuster had snared with Moore when the filmmaker appeared on Capitol Hill today on the occasion of this week's release of his latest work, "Sicko," regarding health care in the United States. In both Shuster's depiction of Moore's views, and in Moore's own statements in the course of the interview, Moore made clear that he wants to eliminate private-sector participation in health care insurance.

As Shuster put it: "in this movie, Moore calls for the end, the end, of for-profit healthcare."

In the aired interview, Moore described private-sector insurers as a "racket" and said "I want private insurance companies out of the equation."

So how did Matthews react to Moore's call for the killing of private-sector health care?

HARDBALL HOST CHRIS MATTHEWS: You know, I gotta agree with him on this stuff. I gotta agree with him. He's got a case. Healthcare in this country is not working.

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BONUS COVERAGE - Sharpton Hearts Bloomberg: In an earlier segment, Al Sharpton sent a video Valentine to Michael Bloomberg and his prospective presidential candidacy. Excerpts:

AL SHARPTON: There is someone who has a track record of being able to attract unlikely allies and appeal to people who don't normally come together -- it's Michael Bloomberg. I've sat in New York and watch him win twice, and despite being a very wealthy guy he was able to get some poor people to rally around him . . . He does have a solid sense of what he wants. He has solid ideas. With all deference to Mr. Perot he has one thing that he didn't have: he has a track record.

MATTHEWS: You are so positive, Reverend, you are so positive about this guy . . .
SHARPTON: He's been very accessible. We've had some start disagreements, but he's the kind of guy who talks, in fact he calls people first. And after having such a hostile relationship with Rudy, the fact that someone would sit down and smile made you feel like you were in love.

MATTHEWS: God, it sounds like you are!

So Sharpton loves Bloomberg and thinks he has "solid ideas." And Bloomberg very publicly opposed the nomination of Chief Justice Roberts. And the NYC mayor has imposed big government anti-smoking and anti-trans fat laws in the Big Apple that would make Hillary smile. So whom would he take votes from?

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.