Christie-Shrum Showdown Has Fur Flying at Hardball [Video]

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

How do you know when things have jumped ugly at Hardball? When host Chris Matthews himself has to jump in to separate the warring parties, even warning a Dem consultant to lay off the ad hominems.

Bob Shrum is always spoiling for a fight. In contrast, Ron Christie is normally mild-mannered and affable. But the former aide to Pres. Bush and VP Cheney had definitely eaten his Wheaties this afternoon.

The video portrays things beyond my poor power of description, but the fur began to fly when Shrum accused Christie of using talking points. Things went downhill from there.

I'd say Christie landed the single most-telling blow of the evening. Shrum gave him an opening, calling for the cut-off of funds at a date certain, claiming "this is how we've always ended wars. We honored Gerald Ford last week for helping to end the war in Vietnam. And that's how it was ended - the funding was cut off."

Christie pounced: "Now you're going to tell me that's how we end wars? We actually end wars when we achieve our objectives that we've set militarily."

Precisely. And what does it say that Shrum holds up as his model the most stinging defeat in the history of the United States?

View an edited clip of the best blows of the bout here.If anyone was using a line that smacked of a talking point, or at least of being as canned as Chicken of the Sea, it was Shrum himself when he managed to work in "after the surge, the lights always go out." Good one, Bob.

After a subsequent, testy exchange, Matthews got between the combatants: "Bob, cool it on the ad hominems, OK? I don't know whether you have talking points or he does, you have no way of knowing that. He has no notes in front of him, I assure you that."

And later: "Bob, my concern in this discussion is you don't accuse your adversary of coming in here with talking points. I've never seen Ron Christie use talking points."

Christie: "Because he doesn't."

Introducing another segment with the two, Matthews alluded to the feistiness in the air this way: "Welcome back to Hardball. We're back with Hardball. And I mean Hardball!"

I'll say.

Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hardball-smackdown ping to Today show list.

[Dane]

The video portrays things beyond my poor power of description, but the fur began to fly when Shrum accused Christie of using talking points.

The above should be the new Webster definition of the adage of the "pot calling the kettle black".

[Dog]

You earn your pay watching these shows....hope the money is good.

[dirtbiker]

Shrum, rhymes with "DUMB", and boy, is he ever!!!!!

If there ever was a man searching for a double-digit IQ, it's Shrum....

[clintonh8r]

Bob Shrum is a steaming turd. An has the worst batting average of any RAT "campaign consultant."

[clintonh8r]

An = and in Hardball-land....

[Howlin]

Oh, they are all new talking points for them; virtually to a person in Congress today, everybody making ANY kind of statement always phrased their remarks with something about "not like the Republicans have done," or "we're going to do this the way it should be done," or "You never let us add anything, but we're not going to be like that."

You bet you a$$ they've got THEIR Nancy Points.

[ReleaseTheHounds]

Not even this intriguing headline will get me to watch Chris "The Jerk" Matthews and Hardball. I may watch a show when my daughter's going to appear but that's it.

[syriacus]

Democrats didn't used to think we needed to "cut and run" after 3,000 deaths.

Americans suffered 3,000 deaths within 5 weeks of going into Korea in 1950.

Truman kept up the fight against the Communists, even though almost 21,000 Americans died in the first 12 months of the "police action."

By the time Truman stepped down from the presidency, in January of 1953, almost 30,000 had died.

In 44 months of "Bush's war" about 3,000 Americans died.
In 44 months of Truman's war 33,445 Americans died.

[wita]

All one has to do is listen to just one of Rush's sound bite collections from various dembulbs, and it sounds like they all memorized their lines from the exact same source.

[wita]

Thank you. Hope someone besides the choir is paying attention.

[Luigi Vasellini]

bfl

[Wild Irish Rogue]

For the past two years, the Democrats have been screaming that President Bush sent the military to war on the cheap-without body armor, armored vehicles, etc.
But, now the Democrats want to cut off funding for the military .
I guess they were for the body armor.... before they were against it.
This is a perfect example of how the Democrats " support the troops."

[csmusaret]

Terry McAwful said Kerrys team committed political malpractise.

[syriacus]

Enjoyable video!! Thanks.

[Mo1]

I'd say Christie landed the single most-telling blow of the evening. Shrum gave him an opening, calling for the cut-off of funds at a date certain, claiming "this is how we've always ended wars. We honored Gerald Ford last week for helping to end the war in Vietnam. And that's how it was ended - the funding was cut off."

The Democrats have been pushing for a Pay as You Go legislation in Congress

Think about it

Do you think Dems will cut back on their Social Programs or the Military?

And one more thing .. why does Chris keep saying Cheney's name like that?

[syriacus]

Thank you. Hope someone besides the choir is paying attention.

I've only recently begun to learn about the Korean War. I'm making sure people around me (even my liberal siblings) learn about it, too.

It's hard for them to argue with the fact that 10 X as many died in under Truman in 2 1/2 years as died under Bush in over 3 1/2 years..

Truman's Doctrine was to stop the expansion of Communism. Bush's Doctrine is to stop the expansion of terrorism.

Truman was an unusual Democrat, who believed the "buck stopped" on his desk. The Democrats we have nowdays (except Lieberman) only know how to "cut and run."

[Bahbah]

Do you think Dems will cut back on their Social Programs or the Military?

They'll raise tax rates and tax anything new that they are not taxing now. They will also cut funds to the military and our intelligence agencies.

[StarFan]

Incredible. The fact that Schrum accuses Christie of using talking points ruffled more feathers than Schrum accusing GWB of brass shopping when he didn't like what the military on the ground was telling him. Talking points pales in comparison, IMO.