Ed Koch Unloads on CNN, on CNN

Former mayor Ed Koch started a fight on CNN just now, where he was appearing to discuss comments he made about Sarah Palin earlier this week-he called her “plucky, perky and scares the hell out of me.”

Here's what happened, according to my own transcription.

CNN anchor Carol Costello, who was hosting Koch, said some people may bristle at words like “plucky“ and “perky," hinting that they have sexist undertones.

Koch replied, “Oh please. Wow. It’s ridiculous. I mean you can’t compliment someone by saying they’re perky anymore?” He added, “Plucky is a compliment.”

To explain why she scares him, Koch referred to the rumor that Palin tried to fire a librarian who wouldn't ban certain books; before he began, he admitted the incident is disputed.

“I think that has been disputed,” Costello told him. “We have found it’s not true.”

“It’s disputed. But The New York Times has not retracted it,” Koch said.

“But we have found it’s not true,” Costello countered.

“Well you’re not better than The New York Times,” he said.

“Of course we are,” she replied.

“I don’t think so,” he shot back. “You’re not better than the New York Times.”

“CNN has found it’s not true.”

“I don’t accept that," Koch insisted. "When The New York Times accepts it--you have to understand, I put out commentaries. I rely on the great newspapers to investigate the facts. I have to rely on them.”

Costello reiterated, “We have found that story not to be true.”

Then she turned the conversation to Palin’s interview with Charlie Gibson last night.