Washington: Barney Frank

Earlier this evening on Hardball, Chris Matthews had Democratic Congressman Barney Frank and Republican Congressman Darrell Issa on his show as guests talking about President Obama's budget and the deficit. To Matthews' annoyance, Issa referred to the Democratic Party as the "Democrat Party" in the middle of a derisive attack on Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues.

As soon as Issa had stopped talking, Matthews took him to task.
MATTHEWS (to Issa): Well... I think the Democratic Party calls itself the Democratic Party, not the Democrat Party.

Do we have to do this every night? Why do people talk like this? Is this just fighting words, to get the name wrong?

ISSA: No, this isn't intended to be fighting words.