NEWS: Georgia Senator Challenges Chris Matthews to Pistol Duel

POLITICS: Georgia Senator Challenges Chris Matthews to Pistol Duel

In a live interview from the floor of the Republican National Convention in New York, Senator Zell Miller (D- Georgia) challenged MSNBC host Chris Matthews to a pistol duel. Commentators have suggested that this was the first time a politician had challenged a reporter to a duel since Andrew Jackson's presidency of 1829 - 1837.

Earlier last night Zell Miller, the Democratic Senator from Georgia, delivered a confrontational keynote speech to the Republican Convention in which he suggested that John Kerry would defend the United States with spitballs. He based the accusation on Senator Kerry's votes against a number of bloated defense packages.

In the interview Chris Matthews of MSNBC asked Senator Miller if his comments were similar or different than those of Democrats who have said that Republicans want to see children starving because they have voted against social policies.

Senator Miller then became very agitated and shouted at Matthews, "I never said I wanted to starve any children." Senator Miller continued to berate Matthews for some time until finally, Senator Miller said to Matthews "I wish we lived in a day in which you could still challenge a person to a duel because I would love a duel with you."

I wish we still lived in a day where we could duel each other. Then maybe the politicians and the media would all do each other in. Then, when the dust settled, we could start over fresh.

This could have its own thread - "People you would duel."

slimjim vs. [...]

[Edited on Sep 02, 2004 by slimjim]

bang on. maybe is bush would have accepted the personal duel with saddam they'd end the match in a draw. double fatality.

That wasn't Zell Miller. It was...

I would pay big money to see this. It may be the first time I would actually CHOOSE to watch reality television. Chris Matthews going down GoodBadUgly style?? HELL YES.

Anybody know where I can see the whole interview? I missed it and have only seen a few tid bits here and there.

Chris Matthews would fuck Zel Miller up.

On the contrary; Chris Mathews is notorious for ambush jornalism. It's here on MSNBC. He cut off Miller continually, Miller just didn't let him get away with it.

If I could duel anyone, I think I'd pick Connie Chung. I loathe that bitch. Only because I'm too impatient to wait in line forGW though. I'd hate to have to wait to duel him, only to find out he was killed long before they got to my number.

Lain vs Stockula

just for the hell of it

A good reason? You mean like oil, or grudges, or secret agreements with wanted criminals to put them in power based on the promise of an oil pipeline to Israel? You mean like those kind of good reasons... Right?

[Edited on Sep 02, 2004 9:24PM]

he asked miller if he believed what he was saying! not only condescending, but attempting to call him a liar. in some circles those are definitely fighting words...

when what he was saying was some ridiculously inflammatory shit, i would guess it's fair...

i think however, calling someone a liar gets beyond the issues. matthews could have respectfully disaggreed and gotten an interesting debate. however, hardball is a combative show and matthews has to appeal to his audience.

But was Chris Matthews wrong? He had valid reasons for asking those questions on a fucking show called "Hardball." Was what Zell said acceptable...apparently only to you cult of personality, Bush types. Welcome to the no-spin zone.

Sorry, but asking someone to defend what they said is NOT the same thing as calling someone a liar. In fact, that is what journalists are supposed to do.

Really. It happens all times on these boards. But then again maybe your average SG member has thicker skin the Miller.
Incidentally, Miller's threats were as much hot air as was his speech. Matthews would totally beat down Miller.

actually, i am not a bush supporter. i am kucinich supporter who can't bring myself to support kerry. the issues that are most important to me are not being addressed by either candidate. i think that zell is wrong on the issues. i also think that the duel comment was beyond the issues. he wanted to kick chris' ass because of comments like "do you really believe that..." it's a tactic used to get someone riled up, which is good for ratings, but not good for intelligent public debate, which is what matthews, hanity, o'reilly, and scarborough should be helping to stimulate.

[Edited on Sep 02, 2004 10:21PM]

i don't think that matthews was asking miller to defend what he believes, i think he was using a tactic that o'reilly uses all the time to get miller angry(er). the point is to yell, and to get us to yell along (as we are doing right now.)

Okay I found the full interview.

Chris Matthews Vs. Zell Miller

Its about halfway down the page. And read Keith Olbermans take on it, which is right before the video clip.

So did he accept?

I wished we lived in that day too. I'd challenge Bill O'Reilly's pompous ass to a duel, and I'd win. I may not be much of anything, but a hell of a shot is one of 'em.

I think the two should duel it out. That's Democracy in action - two consenting adults fighting for what they believe in. One; a turn coat fighting to uphold hypocrisy and starve children - the other; a reporter believing it is his job to ask the fair questions, even if dealing with a turn coat hypocrite child starver.

zell needs to get laid.

I'd get some friends together and pay $29.99 to see that.

Yeah, both of them.