Chris Matthews and former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele got into a heated debate Tuesday over the Hardball host painting the GOP with "one brush."
At the end of the segment, Steele said, "You're not having a broad-based discussion any longer. You're becoming a cartoon of the cartoon" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Michael, my friend, Michael Steele, I have to say, do you like defending the position of Sharron Angle, for example, who believed in second amendment remedies? I think some of these people taking shots at prosecutors down in the Southwest believe in second amendment remedies, shooting public officials, and that's an absurd position. You can't defend that.
MICHAEL STEELE: No, I'm not in the position to defend somebody's views that I happen to disagree with. What I’m saying is that that is not necessarily…
MATTHEWS: Happen to disagree with shooting public officials? Happen to disagree with?
STEELE: Chris, if I disagree with someone, that's not representative of the entire party, nor if I agree with them is that representative of the entire party. I don't know why you want to continue to paint the party with one brush. Because it fills some political agenda, maybe? But the reality of it is…
MATTHEWS: No, I enjoy it.
STEELE: …the Party is much more diverse.
MATTHEWS: No, it's not a political agenda. It's a fact of personal enjoyment.
STEELE: I know it’s personal enjoyment for you to..
MATTHEWS: I love pointing out the cartoon aspects.
STEELE: And you point out the cartoon aspects to your own detriment, I think, in the long run because then you're not having a broad-based discussion any longer. You're becoming a cartoon of the cartoon.
Indeed.
What Steele might also have noted was that Matthews only likes pointing out the "cartoon aspects" of Republicans.
Aberrant and abhorrent behavior within his own Party is either ignored or excused.
Or hadn't you heard that Matthews thinks it's okay for him to take sides?
