A panel discussion on ABC News on Sunday became heated after former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) compared Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to the Taliban for wanting lower prices on prescription drugs for seniors.
Christie’s attack on the progressive Democrat came during a discussion about a spending bill, in which he also attacked President Joe Biden.
“It’s the death of 2020 Joe Biden,” Christie opined as he took a victory lap because he said Democrats are fighting each other. “When he went to the Hill, 2020 Joe Biden is now officially dead and buried. The guy who ran against the progressives, ran against Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, ran to be a uniter in this country, ran saying he was going to force compromise. And he went up to Capitol Hill and he capitulated to the progressives, the liberals in his party.”
“And why should we be surprised?” he added. “He couldn’t stand up to the Taliban. How could we expect him to stand up to AOC?”
Christie’s remark was met with strong pushback from the panel.
“That’s a partisan take to be sure,” host Jonathan Karl noted.
“No, no, no!” Christie exclaimed. “Hold on a second? Did he stand up to the Taliban? Why is that partisan? He hasn’t stood up to anyone except for the people in his own party who nominated him!”
“Donald Trump was inviting the Taliban to Camp David,” Donna Brazile noted. “You sometimes bleed in a fight. But we’re fighting for principles. These are principles, bedrock principles that Democrats believe that we help people, that we take them out of harm’s way, that we provide them with education and jobs.”
Watch the discussion below.