On today's "Morning Joe," Joe Scarborough asked Chris Matthews if Republican candidates would try to get a "cheap applause line" tonight by pointing to his recent controversial comments.

Said Matthews:

I've been thinking about that....It's not my stage tonight. I don't have much standing to retort in real time.

However, I do have one sensitive point and that is, I don't mind being wrong -- I try to be right. I don't mind somebody saying I'm not fair -- I try to be fair. ... If someone says I'm not independent, it's going to be very hard for me to bite my tongue. ...

For twenty years I've paid the price of indepdendence. I've taken it from everybody ... every night of my life for the past twenty years. ...

If they accuse of me of being partisan, I'll go rip! ...

It's not about me, it's about them and who's going to be president during these difficult times.

Scarborough predicted that three Republican candidates would poke fun of Chris. Said Matthews: "Let's hope it doesn't happen."

Breitbart has the video.