Watch Chris Christie try to be an etiquette coach during the Republican debate

Back in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie is well known for his mockery and taunts. One of his first viral moments was calling a columnist “thin-skinned,” and he once referred to a state lawmaker as “numb nuts.”

The news website NJ.com even created an "insult generator" to catalog Christie’s quips and takedowns. But Christie was a little more delicate during Wednesday night's debate when one of the CNBC moderators tried to interject while he was answering a question.

“Even in New Jersey, what you’re doing is called rude,” he said.

The comment was apparently a hit with viewers – Republican pollster Frank Luntz said his focus group loved it.

Some commentators also thought it was a strong moment for Christie.

But others, including one New Jersey viewer, were unimpressed.

Christie has been trailing in the polls, leaving some to wonder whether he needed a strong performance to get his campaign on track. When it was over, he seemed happy with how it all turned out for him.

UPDATE:

8:59 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction to Christie's comments.

This article was originally published at 8:46 p.m.