'I'm So Damn Glad You Could Never Be My Wife'

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Talk about the political becoming personal . . .

On this evening's Hardball, Dick Armey told Joan Walsh:

I'm so damn glad that you could never be my wife, cause I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day.

The former Republican representative from Texas had been wrangling with Salon editor Walsh over the politics of the stimulus package and the role Rush Limbaugh has been playing, when things got out of hand . . . [H/t reader JF.]

DICK ARMEY: The fact of the matter is that there are income redistributionists that think they're going to curry favor with voting blocs in both parties. And it's wrong policy whether it comes from Republicans or Democrats, it makes no sense. Armey's axiom: don't let politics define your economics.  Don't let politics define anything.  Politics is silly; it's inane, and practitioners of politics are people--take what amusements you can from them, but don't take them seriously.

JOAN WALSH: But this is serious business. This is serious business. The economy is a wreck, and it's been wrecked by the Bush White House and by Republicans in Congress with Democratic help, a lot of help, now President Obama --

ARMEY: Give it a rest.

WALSH: Please stop saying "give it a rest." Do you have anything else to say?  President Obama has a mandate for change.  Your people have stood in his way; they're standing in his way on Capitol Hill right now, and Rush Limbaugh is making ridiculous statements and Republicans are crawling to him and groveling. That's the state of our economy and our world right now, Representative Armey, and it's sad.

ARMEY: I'm so damn glad that you could never be my wife, cause I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day.  That is what I'm talking --

WALSH: Well, boy, that makes two of us, sir. That was really an outstanding comment.

ARMEY: Look, ma'am, you can, you're talking like a paid political hack here, making your political points.

WALSH: Am I, sir?

ARMEY: Are we going to talk seriously?

WALSH: I actually care about social justice.  I care about jobs.  I care about the economy.

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