Have you noticed that it's suddenly become chic for commentators to ask their Republican guests whether or not Sarah Palin is qualified to be president?

As a number of GOP candidates of late have sidestepped the issue, Chris Matthews must have expected GOP strategist Ron Christie to do the same on Tuesday's "Hardball." 

Much to the MSNBC host's surprise, Christie not only said she was, but also pointed out, "She's certainly had a whole heck of a lot more experience than a particular junior senator from Illinois" 

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Now, Sarah Palin, we have seen across-the-board nationally. She`s got low numbers in the 30s. But you put her in the Republican Party, she is in the 70s. The question is: look at this, she`s going to two rallies in California this Saturday and Florida the following Saturday. She`s sort of doing the weekends. I guess Roger Ailes lets her off for the weekend from FOX.

RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: You had to.

MATTHEWS: Well, I think she has a job. I mean, she`s working over there, OK?

CHRISTIE: And she`s doing a fantastic job of going out and mobilizing the base and getting people who are fired up for this election. You talk about her numbers being in the 30s.

MATTHEWS: You think she`s qualified to be president?

CHRISTIE: I do. Of course, I do. She was governor of Alaska. She was mayor of a city. She`s certainly had a whole heck of a lot more experience than a particular junior senator from Illinois.

MATTHEWS: No, I like the way you say that with absolutely no hesitation. She`s qualified to be president of the United States.

CHRISTIE: Of course.

MATTHEWS: Handling our nuclear weapons, handling the world`s population --

CHRISTIE: You mean of course considering the one that we have sitting there now who`s been indecisive on the economy? He's been indecisive on the war...

(CROSSTALK)

CHRISTIE: He's been indecisive on every single solitary issue.

Booyah!

So stunned was Matthews he wisely decided to ask his other guest a question:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/10/12/gop-strategist-schools-matthews-palins-had-lot-more-experience-obama





 


“I don’t know who to blame, Mr. President. You, for making stuff sound so great, or me, for believing you.”

Jon Stewart