And While We're At It, How About That Anne Frank?

Here it was Monday, August 31, 2009 and an argument between two United States Representatives, Duncan Hunter (R.-Ca.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D.-Fla.) took place on MSNBC's Hardball regarding torture. Suddenly, the exchange took a suspicious turn:

HUNTER: OK. Let me talk.

Debbie, what you should really concentrate on is the fact that the Israelis use a much more stringent method of interrogation. I look forward to you asking for the Israeli prime minister to step down, because they do it. Do you think they should stop doing it to protect the country?

(CROSSTALK)

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: This is America. The last time I checked, this is the United States of America.

(CROSSTALK)

HUNTER: So, you‘re not going to ask the Israeli leadership to step down?

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: Mr. Hunter, that is kind of ridiculous, the comparison.

(CROSSTALK)

HUNTER: That‘s not ridiculous.

(CROSSTALK)

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: We‘re—we‘re talking about practices in the United States.

And the United States doesn‘t torture. No one is above the law, including Dick Cheney...

(CROSSTALK)

Two questions pop into one's mind, although apparently not into Chris Matthews' mind:

1) What does Israel (which hadn't been mentioned in the discussion) have to do with the charge that the U.S.A. tortures detainees?

2) Would Hunter have made the reference had he not been tussling with a woman named Wasserman Schultz?

Answers: 1) nothing; 2) We'll never know. But it would have been nice had Chris Matthews asked Representative Hunter what he was getting at.