On his syndicated weekend show, Chris Matthews and his panel spent the half hour looking back at 2008, giving awards in several categories. One category was “Foot-in-Mouth” award. The nominees included Joe Biden and his “Obama will be tested” comment; Barack Obama‘s “bitter” comment; Bill Clinton‘s “Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice” statement; and John McCain struggling to identify the number of houses he owns.

Not nominated: Chris Matthews for his “thrill going up my leg” description of Obama. Perhaps that’s no surprise since Matthews has defended the comment, despite criticism from media monitors and others. But panelist Howard Fineman nominated himself for originally saying that it was a dumb move for Obama to forgo federal campaign financing.

In another category — Best Comeback — Matthews offered Katie Couric and her interviews with Sarah Palin as a nominee. Panelists Michele Norris and Norah O’Donnell thought Couric had the best comeback over other nominees — Bill & Hillary Clinton, Presidents Lincoln & FDR and the Philadelphia Phillies.