The untold damage from last week’s storm Hurricane Sandy is estimated to ultimately cost billions of dollars. But there is a silver-lining in it at least for MSNBC “Hardball” host Chris Matthews.

As Rachel Maddow, the anchor for MSNBC’s presidential election coverage, was signing off for the evening, Matthews took a moment to say he was proud of the country.

“I am so proud of the country,” Matthews said. “To re-elect this president and overcoming — not just because of the partisanship or even the policies. Just the fact — here’s an African-American guy with an unusual background, part immigrant background, part African-American background. With all this assault on him from day one. From Mitch McConnell, from the clowns out there that aren’t elected, never will be elected to anything.”

Matthews didn’t stop there. He proceeded to heap on the praise, but at the end he had a peculiar take on Sandy’s impact on the election. Matthews said he was “glad” the storm happened, for political reasons.

“And the way he took it with so much coolness and charm and dignity and just took it and took it and kept moving forward and doing his job, and the American people, and I know we look at these percentages, and say 40 percent of the white vote,” Matthews continued. “Fine. That’s about right among Democrats the last couple of cycles, three cycles or four. Good work for them. Good work for him. A good day for America.”

“I’m so glad we had that storm last week because I think the storm was one of those things — no, politically I should say. Not in terms of hurting people. The storm brought in possibilities for good politics.”

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