After a ho-hum interview by his wife Kathleen Matthews on Thursday night’s show, some D.C. media insiders were wondering privately if the Chris Matthews 10th anniversary Hardball bash would live up to all the hype (Patrick Gavin, after all, has been peeing his pants over this one).

Well, we were there, and can answer definitively: yes AND no. Some big politico “names” did not show, which was disappointing for Chris, but lots of people, including Sen. Ted Kennedy, told him they simply adore his new book Life’s a Campaign, copies of which were readily available for purchase at the decked-out Decatur House (which was kinda crass, if you ask us). Several TV types also told Chris that they thought Jon Stewart was much too hard on him during his recent Daily Show debacle, but just as many were whispering that the clobbering was just what the doctor ordered to tame his ever-growing ego.

The biggest question of the evening was what exactly the somewhat grumpy Chris was drinking. Since being diagnosed with diabetes last winter, the docs have told him he must lay off the booze. But some people swear they smelled a little liquor on the big talker’s breath as he took the opportunity to loudly and proudly berate Dick Cheney to a somewhat astonished crowd, filled with folks who knew he’ll be hosting a GOP presidential debate in less than a week. Maybe it was just his cologne?

Related: Chris Matthews: Drunk As a Skunk?