Is Chris Matthews taking lessons from Ed Schultz on keeping it classy?
In August and September, Schultz got off a series of fat jokes aimed at NJ Gov. Chris Christie. After Schultz eventually stooped to calling Christie a "fat slob," he was reportedly reprimanded by MSNBC president Phil Griffin.
On this evening's Hardball, Matthews got off a fat joke of his own at Christie's expense. Matthews suggested that someone inform Christie that the tunnel he vetoed is going to be "a wide tunnel; it'll be very useful to certain people." The irony? Matthews' gibe came in a segment about Daniel Patrick Moynihan in which Matthews made a point of praising the late senator from New York . . . for avoiding personal attacks. Video after the jump.
Watch Matthews take the low road minutes after praising Moynihan for avoiding it.
The segment was sparked by Steven R. Weisman's new book about Moynihan. In addition to the author, Matthews guest was fellow MSNBCer Larry O'Donnell, who had served on Sen. Moynihan's staff.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: How did he avoid personalities in politics? I think he made a point, like Ike did, of never attacking personal, an opponent, by personality. It was always about the policy issue.
LAWRENCE O'DONNELL: He never did, and he never did privately.
Later, the trio took to praising big government infrastructure projects.
O'DONNELL: [Moynihan] would be horrified by what the Governor of New Jersey for example just decided on building another tunnel [Christie has opposed it]. No vision in that at all.
MATTHEWS: By the way, somebody should tell the Governor of New Jersey: it's going to be a wide tunnel: it'll be very useful to certain people.
