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Chris Matthews: Ted Cruz 'a political terrorist' Chris Matthews: Ted Cruz 'a political terrorist'

MSNBC's Chris Matthews called Texas Sen. Ted Cruz a "political terrorist" on Wednesday after the tea-party favorite called on fellow Republicans to defund Obamacare and said that a government shutdown wouldn't necessarily spell disaster for Republicans.

"I believe it's terrorism: This is the first time I've seen a political party, or even a fraction of it, say that their number one goal is to shutdown the American government, kill a bill that's already been passed by congress, and refuse to pay bills already run up by congress in an attempt to basically risk default," Matthews said on MSNBC's Hardball. "This is an attempt to destroy all we know of the republican form of government in this country."

The term "terrorist" elicited discomfort from both Republian strategist Steve Schmidt and former Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod, both of whom said the word should be reserved for people like the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing.

"I disagree with your use of the word terrorist and its application to him," Schmidt said. "I think he's a demagogue, I think he's irresponsible, but I think when we use the word terrorist we apply that to the Boston bombers, we apply that to the September 11th hijackers -- I'm not comfortable with the word."

Axelrod later echoed Schmidt, saying he too was uncomfortable with the word "only out of respect for the victims of violent terrorists."

Matthews stressed that he had used the term "political terrorist" and that he would "continue to use it."

Over the course of the week, Sen. Cruz and his senior aides have attacked Republicans for refusing to support their plan to their plan to choke off Obamacare as a condition for funding the government. Various Republican Senators, including Richard Burr and Tom Cobrun, have criticized Cruz for those remarks, as has Republican strategist Karl Rove.

Cruz's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Matthews' use of the word "terrorist."