Michele Bachmann, Allen West, Steve King and Joe Walsh are all facing tough fights for re-election. Is "Tea Party Mt. Rushmore" crumbling? Ed Schultz asks MSNBC political analyst Karen Finney. 

Lt. Col. Tammy Duckworth said it was "irresponsible" for Rep. Joe Walsh to question her military service, telling MSNBC's Ed Schultz on Tuesday that "for Mr. Walsh to denigrate military service is very insulting, because he's using it for his own political gain."

Duckworth, who is running against Walsh (R-IL), lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq. Walsh evidently questioned whether Duckworth is a "true hero" because, he says, her twenty-plus years of military of service are "darn near all" she talks about. 

Speaking on Tuesday's The Ed Show, Duckworth that it was "irresponsible" of Walsh to talk that way about military service. "Our 23 million veterans have done more in one day in uniform than he's done for this country," she said.

"He's trying to muddy the waters," Duckworth continued. "He's just trying to shift the focus away from the fact that he's done nothing for the people of the district. He's irresponsbile in his words and he's irresponsile in his actions."

Duckworth added that Walsh has "done nothing in his two years in Congress other than be an extremist loudmouth for the Tea Party."

Just hours before President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address, MSNBC host Martin Bashir (and good friend of "The Ed Show") had a lively exchange with Tea Party freshman Rep. Joe Walsh, a Republican from Illinois.

Walsh insisted that Obama's policies are "destroying the country."

"I would love it if he would adopt the opposite and try to undo a lot of what he's done," said Walsh.

Bashir pointed out that Obama inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, which started under President George W. Bush, fellow a Republican.  

"The proof is in the pudding," said Walsh.  What?  Here's the facts that Bashir presented:  

Unemployment is down.

We've seen 3.2 million private sector jobs created over the last 22 months.  

GDP is up.  

The stock market is up.  

Manufacturing is up.  

Profits are up.

Still, Walsh remained unconvinced.

"By every single indicator, Martin...the economy is worse by every indicator than when he was elected," said Walsh.

Say what?

The interview really heated up a few minutes later when Bashir asked Walsh about the accusation that he owes $117,000 in child support.

Walsh said he would not discuss the issue on television, but acknowledged the existence a proposed bill in Illinois that would forbid people owing more than $10,000 on child support to run for office. 

Walsh then demanded to know why Bashir was asking about it.

"Because this speaks to the integrity and character of individuals," Bashir said forcefully.  "Just as many people have asked very serious questions about Newt Gingrich and his serial adultery and his multiple affairs and people have asked very serious questions about Mitt Romney and whether he knows anything about what it feels like to be an ordinary wage earner in the middle class given that he's so wealthy, so I'm asking you honestly and honorably as much, and respectfully.  You are serving a constituency in the Congress and yet many of your own constituents find you to be a man who seems to lack a level of integrity where you harrang the president, you talk about not wanting to raise debt against your children and yet you yourself are in debt on child support."

Walsh acknowledged he was fighting allegations that he's a deadbeat dad.

"If and when those charges are proved, if they are disproved will you acknowledge that i'm no not?" Walsh asked.

"I will," Bashir responded.