Chris Matthews: Obama's Smile 'Worth Five to Ten Points' on Election Day

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, there he goes again.

On MSNBC's Hardball Monday, host Chris Matthews said Barack Obama's smile "is worth five to ten points" on Election Day (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CHRIS MATTHEWS: And finally, how does President Obama view the nasty Romney-Gingrich nomination fight? Well, in last night’s pre-game interview, Matt Lauer asked the President to size up how the race will affect the general election this November, and he had, Matt had a visual aid to help him. Let’s watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT LAUER: There's the cover of the New Yorker, the most recent New Yorker, and it has a picture of you watching the big game on TV. And there you are sitting there and up on screen it's not the Patriots and the Giants. It's Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, same team, and they are pummeling each other. And look at the smile on your face there. Is art imitating life here?

BARACK OBAMA: Well, you know, look, I've been through these primaries, they're tough…I think ultimately this will be forgotten by the time they make a decision on who their nominee is. And the American people are going to make a decision on my platform and where I want to take the country and where the Republican does.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: I think that smile of his is worth five to ten points in the general.

They don't call him "Tingles" for nothing.

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