Chris Christie and MSNBC's fallout

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is well known to be good friends with MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinksi. And his reputation as a pragmatic political aisle-crosser goes appreciated among the other left-leaning on-air talent at the network.

That may have changed this weekend after Christie's office called the network "partisan" and "hostile" to the governor, according to the New York Times:

“There is a difference between treating this matter seriously and seeking out the truth and irresponsibly using hearsay and conjecture without confirming the facts,” Colin Reed, a spokesman for Mr. Christie, said on Sunday. Feelings are frayed on both sides. Mika Brzezinski, a co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” who makes no secret of her affection for Mr. Christie, seemed taken aback by the governor’s harsh critique.

“I was a little surprised when he took a jab at us,” she said in an interview on Sunday.

“I don’t think it’s legitimate to say this is a partisan attack,” she added. “I think this is a very real story, with legs.” ...

Mr. Christie, who is known to be sensitive to slights, appears to be genuinely stung by the network’s coverage. But his outrage is also fueled by opportunism, Republican strategists say: The same brand of politics that appealed to the liberal anchors on MSNBC has antagonized conservatives around the country, whose support he will need to mount a White House run.