Here everyone spent a good couple weeks speculating about whether or not you were going to quit MSNBC and run for Pennsylvania Senate, we all get our hopes up about the number of articles we could run about your replacement on the network, and then it turns out you aren't going anywhere at all?

What is this shitty game you are trying to play with our hearts, Matthews?

Says MSNBC prez Phil Griffin:

"I've talked to Chris. I think he's going to be here for a long time," Griffin said. "I want him to be here for a long time." Griffin said that there would be "clarity" soon.

Which okay, is neither here nor there, but coupled with Steve Capus being tricked into answering the question by Broadcasting and Cable, we're starting to see a trend:

B&C: Right, Mr. Zaidi could take over for Chris when Chris goes off to run for office.

Capus: [Chris Matthews] is not running for office.

B&C: He's not?

Capus: I don't think so. Well, look, if he were running for office, he wouldn't be on TV.

So Matthews isn't going anywhere, but NBC/MSNBC still wants to ride out the wave of free Matthews publicity until it makes a formal announcement, probably in the form of commercial air time featuring banners saying "Four More Years!"