A Hardball segment about President Obama's recent campaign address featured an unusually heated exchange between host Chris Matthews and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele.
Steele called Matthews an Obama "sycophant" after flatly refusing to answer the latter's question. Matthews had asked Steele to compare Mitt Romney's economic plan to George W. Bush, arguing they both are in favor for tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulating the financial sector.
"That is an irrelevant question," Steele sniped, adding "You're doing exactly what Obama wants us to do. You're a good sycophant for it."
Matthews hit back, asking "What do you call a guy that refuses to answer a question? Is he a sycophant for the other side?"
The argument came the same day President Obama remarked in Ohio that Romney's economic plan was "tested just a few years ago. We tried this ... We can't afford to jeopardize our future by repeating the mistakes of the past."
"You give me the differences between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama," Steele insisted. "That's what the election is about. This is not about George Bush."
The two also traded jabs on private investment. At one point, Matthews accused Steele of not being in favor of private investment because it would help President Obama, something Steele denied. Steele maintained Obama's speech in Ohio was "blubber."
Want more Lean Forward? Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.



When Chris Matthews asked Michael Steele to compare Mitt Romney's economic plan to George W. Bush, arguing they both are in favor for tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulating the financial sector, Michael Steele stated "That is an irrelevant question." I guess Michael Steele knows what's irrelevant , especially when he attempted to run the RNC and the Republicans definitely made him irrelevant and ran him out of that position.
I agree with you MaudeB2. The fact that Mr. Steele cannot even answer the question speaks volumes about what his real response would be. There isn't a big difference between their economic plans or their stances on deregulation. At this point, most Americans who have the ability to read and comprehend information are tired of that foolish path they want to take.
Barack Hussein Obama, who can't even pay his lunch tab....