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Watch Chris Christie try to be an etiquette coach during the Republican debate

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Back in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie is well known for his mockery and taunts. One of his first viral moments was calling a columnist “thin-skinned,” and he once referred to a state lawmaker as “numb nuts.”

The news website NJ.com even created an "insult generator" to catalog Christie’s quips and takedowns. But Christie was a little more delicate during Wednesday night's debate when one of the CNBC moderators tried to interject while he was answering a question.

“Even in New Jersey, what you’re doing is called rude,” he said.

The comment was apparently a hit with viewers – Republican pollster Frank Luntz said his focus group loved it.

Some commentators also thought it was a strong moment for Christie.

But others, including one New Jersey viewer, were unimpressed.

Christie has been trailing in the polls, leaving some to wonder whether he needed a strong performance to get his campaign on track. When it was over, he seemed happy with how it all turned out for him.

UPDATE:

8:59 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction to Christie's comments.

This article was originally published at 8:46 p.m.

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