CableNewser Catches the Matthews Momentum

Brian at CableNewser takes some time out from his busy social life to deliver a couple of scoops: First, he's got May ratings for all the nets, a document that makes entertaining reading if -- like us -- you enjoy seeing Dennis Miller suffer. There's not many surprises in the ratings themselves: Fox wins. MSNBC loses. . . except "Hardball," which has bested Anderson Cooper's "360" for two months running, proving that fey, clever, and hot is really no match for insane, loud, and shameless. (Naturally, we love the show.) This leads us to CableNewser's other big scoop. . .

Exclusive: CableNewser hears that the D.C. Hardball team celebrated its ratings success on the rooftop of the New Jersey Ave. Holiday Inn today. "There was a little party for the DC staff by the pool," a source says. They ate cake, made a banner that says "Hardball Beats CNN," and distributed T-shirts that said "Hardball Beats CNN April .04" on the front and "Hardball Beats CNN May .04 (Because once is never enough)" on the back. . .

You know, nothing says "proud to be in second place" like a celebration at the New Jersey Ave. Holiday Inn. Unless, of course, you have cake. . . and eat iton the roof. And the banner! We bet everyone signed it. . . Hardball, we want to party withyou! Later, we can eat all the nuts in the minibar!

 May Ratings: Exclusive Chart of #'s For Each Show [CableNewser]

 Matthews Momentum: Hardball's Pool-Side Party [CableNewser]