Christie Again Defends Limbaugh on 'Ed Show': You Weren't Outraged When Belafonte Called Powell and Rice Slaves

Ed Schultz on Tuesday ratcheted up his anger over Rush Limbaugh's "Driving Miss Nancy" comments basically calling for the conservative talk radio host to be fired.

For the second time in the last three "Ed Shows," Republican strategist Ron Christie was there to add some sanity to the discussion pointing out the "double standard about applying racial outrage when it deals with black Democrats as it deals with black Republicans."

"I don't remember any outrage on the air waves, on your show or on Joe's show, when Harry Belafonte referred to Colin Powell and Dr. Condoleezza Rice as house slaves" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

ED SCHULTZ, HOST: Now, let`s get some rapid fire response from our panel on these stories. I want the reaction to Rush`s racist tirade about the leadership fight in the Democratic Party. And it has been war between the incoming oversight Chairman Darrell Issa, and Congressman Dennis Kucinich. A source tells me that Kucinich is running to be the ranking member of the committee because he thinks Issa is going to make a mockery of the oversight process.

With us tonight, Joe Madison, XM satellite radio talk show host and Ron Christie, republican strategist and author of the book "Acting White: The Curious History of a Racial Slur." Joe, your response to the story we just had.

JOE MADISON, XM SATELLITE RADIO HOST: Well, my response is something that Shelia Jackson Lee probably can`t say but I will say it. Rush Limbaugh is not too big to fail. What it is really going to require is black and white. I wouldn`t put it all on the black caucus or black America. I think there are many white Americans who are outraged by this. And Ed, what it boils down to is the marketplace. You identify the sponsors, you tell the sponsors that if you continue to financially support this type of action, these types of words, these insinuations, racial insults and he is not a satirist, he tries to impact public policy, let me make this clear, because that`s what Ron is going to say.

SCHULTZ: Yes, Ron go ahead.

MADISON: He impacts public policy. So, let`s put it -- let`s get to the bottom line.

SCHULTZ: Ron, what about it?

MADISON: The reason everybody else went down is money.

SCHULTZ: Yes.

RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think, look, this case is far overblown. I think there are far more important issues facing the country. As I said at the other day when we had this conversation with you two gentlemen, I think the Driving Miss Nancy thing was satire and it was a joke. I wasn`t racially offended, I didn`t look at it as being offensive. What I do find offensive unfortunately is there seems to be a double standard about applying racial outrage when it deals with black Democrats as it deals with black Republicans. I don`t remember any outrage on the air waves, on your show or on Joe`s show, when Harry Belafonte referred to Colin Powell and Dr. Condoleezza Rice as house slaves.

MADISON: Slow down, Ron. Slow down, Ron.

CHRISTIE: Hang on a second.

MADISON: No, slow down.

CHRISTIE: Hang on a second. I`m furnishing my point.

MADISON: No, you brought my name up.

CHRISTIE: I brought your name up. I said, I don`t recall it, are you going to let me finish my point?

(CROSSTALK)

MADISON: America -- he didn`t listen to my show.

CHRISTIE: Are you going to let me finish my point?

MADISON: No. You brought my name.

CHRISTIE: My point of the matter is.

MADISON: You said Joe, I did take on Harry Belafonte. So, correct yourself.

CHRISTIE: I`m going to let you in when you stop -- my point is...

MADISON: Correct yourself right now. Correct yourself.

CHRISTIE: Outrage.

(TALKING OVER EACH OTHER)

SCHULTZ: All right, gentlemen. All right.

CHRISTIE: My point is there`s selective outrage in the media as it relates to black Republicans. If you took that on your show, Joe, good for you but if you are the one, I don`t remember hearing any other voices out there.

SCHULTZ: Ron. Hold on a second, the standard has been set by certain companies. Was there selective outrage when Imus lost his job or when Dr. Laura, you know, went through what she went through? I mean, the bottom line is this. Limbaugh is too big to fail. That is the determination of many people out there.

MADISON: No he is not.

SCHULTZ: And there is a company out there that just allows racist comments on the air. Now, I graphic up some of the things that he said. Ron, are they racist or not to say about.

CHRISTIE: I`m not here to defend everything that Rush Limbaugh said.

MADISON: Answer the question, Ron. Answer the question. Is it racist or not?

CHRISTIE: For goodness sakes, are you going to let me finish or you`re going to just sit there and filibuster?

MADISON: No, I`m going to insist you answer questions.

CHRISTIE: Well, you can insist all you want, Joe, there are people who have comments.

(CROSSTALK)

MADISON: You dodge. You dodge, you dodge.

CHRISTIE: I do not dodge. You know it is so.

SCHULTZ: Gentlemen, we need an hour to do this.

CHRISTIE: There is so much racial outrage, there are so many real problems in this country and you guys just want to say, oh, Rush Limbaugh. Why don`t you deal with the fact that the fact of the matter is, I think it is racist, if you can want to talk about racist, the Democrats are running around trying to make up a position for James Clyburn so they doesn`t get pushed out.

SCHULTZ: Ron Christie, good to have you with us tonight.

CHRISTIE: That`s the outrage.

SCHULTZ: Joe Madison. Pleasure having you guys on.

CHRISTIE: Take care.

SCHULTZ: Always a spirited discussion.

For those that have forgotten, Belafonte in October 2002, while speaking to a radio station in San Diego, referred to then Secretary of State Colin Powell as a plantation slave:

"There's an old saying," Belafonte began. "In the days of slavery, there were those slaves who lived on the plantation and were those slaves that lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master... exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him.

"Colin Powell's committed to come into the house of the master. When Colin Powell dares to suggest something other than what the master wants to hear, he will be turned back out to pasture."

He later told CNN's Larry King that he not only stood by those comments, but also that they applied to then National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.