Debate Between California Congressional Democrats Gets Physical

Many who watched last night’s vice presidential debate took issue with Vice President Joe Biden‘s interruptions and smiles — but the truly aggressive debate was taking place in California. Democratic Congressmen Howard Berman and Brad Sherman heated up their already bitter race when one of them got aggressive.

“Howard, you want to get into this?” Sherman asked as he threw his arm about Berman’s shoulder, yanking him toward his chest. The “lunge by the 57-year-old Sherman appeared to startle Berman, who is 71 and smaller in stature, while the audience hooted and shouted,” the Associated Press noted. A law enforcement official stepped between the two.

Earlier in the same debate, things were already tense.

Moments earlier, during a dispute on an immigration-related bill, Berman, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, stepped close to Sherman on the stage, who told his colleague loudly, “Get out of my face.”

The two men later stood nose-to-nose exchanging words before a sheriff’s deputy emerged behind them and briefly placed his hand on Sherman’s shoulder. Sherman sat down and took a drink from what appeared to be a water bottle before the two men continued the debate.

On Friday morning, Sherman released a statement saying the debate “was not conducted at the highest level. I regret my part in allowing emotions to distract from the exchange of views.”

Take a look at the video, via MSNBC:

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