Andy, do you know Zell?

Zell Miller’s fiery speech to the Republican Convention Wednesday night was causing quite a stir here Thursday -- especially after the peppery Georgia senator and former Marine challenged MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to a duel during a contentious post-convention interview.

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card danced the dance with reporters, choosing his words carefully, when asked about Miller’s angry manner at the podium and afterwards.

Card did not endorse or criticize the remarks or the style of the convention’s keynote speaker who had been chosen by the highest echelons of the Bush re-election campaign.

“Zell Miller’s speech was Zell Miller,” Card told reporters. “He is not known for wearing a veneer. He kind of tells it like he sees it.”