Saturday, February 9, 2008
MSNBC’s David Shuster learned the hard way what can happen when you go face-to-face with the Clinton machine and its power over the establishment.
On February 7, 2008, Shuster was subbing for Tucker Carlson and made this unfortunate remark about Chelsea Clinton to media pundit Bill Press:
“But doesn’t it seem like Chelsea’s sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”
The Clinton machine roared back in characteristic fury. Hillary Clinton threatened to never appear on MSNBC again and David Shuster, an otherwise excellent reporter, was summarily suspended by the network. Even Keith Olbermann got in on the controversy by reading a carefully scripted talking point on-air in the form of an apology to the Clintons for his colleague’s remark.
While Shuster’s words were arguably poorly chosen, Chelsea Clinton isn’t a child requiring protection — she’s a 27 year old investment funds manager who willing entered the rough and tumble world of national politics by agreeing to stump for her mother’s campaign for president.
But David Shuster’s comments pale by comparison to remarks made by Republican Sen. John McCain about Chelsea Clinton at a GOP dinner in 1998:
“Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.”
Yet McCain’s nasty remarks didn’t register on the Clinton’s radar. Recently, former president Bill Clinton characterized the relationship between his wife, Hillary, and John McCain as “very close.”
Excellent points, Christopher. I heard Shuster’s comment that day on TV and I wasn’t offended and I’m a mother of two. Hillary Clinton is clearly out to garner controversy and get herself free facetime in the media. What I don’t understand is, why would Keith insert himself in the fracas? You know, many people say Keith is a Hillary devotee. Maybe they’re correct and he’s just spinning for her?
Didn’t Rush Limbaugh call Chelsea Clinton the “White House dog” shortly after Bill was elected? Of course, Chelsea was 1o or 12 then.
Very different from what Shuster said.
More Clinton controversies.
This is what we have to look forward to if Lady Clinton is elected president. More controversies, more bimbo eruptions involving a bored Bill Clinton and an already braindead media terrified they might engage Princess Chelsea in the wrong way.
I am so tired of the Clintons.
I agree with Tom339. Controvery follow the Clintons like rain clouds. There’s this stupidity involving David Shuster’s remarks, the Clintons tax records, who donated to Bill’s presidential library, it never ends with them. I dread the thought of 4 years of this sort of thing.
Day-um. McCain said that?
I think this is a non-controversy the Clintons are stirring up to get sympathy. When it seems like women are being attacked, Hillary gets more votes. The evolution of the word “pimp” (pimp my ride, 365 mafia and the oscars) render this comment harmless outside of a strict feminist construction.
What’s the old adage? There’s no such thing as bad publicity? With the Borg Queen’s campaign hurting for ca$h, how better to get a few days of free press than by stirring up bullshit where no exists. You have to hand it to the Clintons. They’re masters at playing the game and I hate them.
Maybe Hillary can cry about Shuster’s remarks? The voters just love it when a bitch like Hillary is reduced to tears? Shoot, maybe she can even wrestle a few votes out of this non-controversy?
chelsea is a cute girl.
i would hit it. but i like tall blondes with big lips.
the comments attributed to david shuster were mild.
i mean, it’s not like he said she was a skank or a whore.
I didn’t hear about this, until I read a headline entitled Clinton threatens to shun debates..on yahoo AND i was like huh, ..i read the article once saw what David Shuster (whom i really like as a voice from the left) said, thought DAMN ok so he apologized ..ok fine poor guy , he is just getting his big break on msnbc…THEN i saw that HE WAS SUSPENDED. Well i tried to get in touch with msnbc to no avail – I don’t think he should be suspended. This is blown up so far out of proportion..MY gawd smucker , tweety have said far worse things..this is POLITICS ..me thinks the lady doth protest too much !! and it really pisses me off….NOT only that but N.O.W. and other feminist groups are workin themselves into a lather
One “friend” an old timey feminist, whom i can barely talk to until after this election (no lie) was foaming at the mouth all about the “SEXISM” …i said listen dear, Sexism is about more than the binary of M-F and it is…our culture is sexist. AS for the Borg queen yeppers this is desparation , big TIME. It makes me furious – and she is gonna be able to handle the presidency oh pleeeaase !
I also recall that good old Chelsea , (whom i thought was gonna be a pediatrician) told a 12 yr old little girl she couldn’t talk to reporters..the kid was trying to do an article for her school paper….so clinton is gonna make history for women how ?????
In my search to write to msnbc to say give Shuster back his job, i took a newsmax poll , yep…would i vote for clinton or obama , it was phrased funny , and IT switched MY VOTE !! – no lie.
Kelly u are absolutely right , the word pimp is out of the feminist construct, its used for everything..in common parlence. I cannot stand clinton for this ! lying cheatin promising everything …divisive ..but thats it exactly, this is politics they are all pimping everything , each other..is Opra pimpin Obaman etc. Chuck Norris , Chucklefuck and so fourth..and yeah Romney was pimpin his sons..while he was saving us from terrorism
This is such a publicity stunt…and as you can see it makes me furious and sad for David Shuster..If anyone should get suspended its that menance twerp Tucker.
I also recall that good old Chelsea , (whom i thought was gonna be a pediatrician) told a 12 yr old little girl she couldn’t talk to reporters.
Chelsea is nearly 30. Her mother is acting like her 27 year old daughter is 7.
Memo to Hillary: if you want to protect your kid from the big meanies in the media, stop pimping her out.
You Americans have a keen way of avoiding the real problems facing your nation after electing George Bush to two terms as president.
Your war in Iraq still rages on, devouring lives and resources, yet one of the frontrunner candidates to replace him, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is focused on a bogus controversy about the comments of a reporter regarding her daughter.
And you wonder why much of the civilized world thinks you are all a nation of overweight children too spoiled to join the adults at the table?
Keith should be ashamed of himself for siding with the Borg Queen over the First Amendment rights of his colleague, David Shuster. I’ve lost all respect for Keith now.
This is much ado about nothing. If little Chelsea wants to exploit her celebrity to help her mama get elected president then she also needs to be able to roll with the punches and deal with the comments of a report.
Otherwise, to back to NYC and your job in corporate America.
So will they use kid gloves in how they treat the suddenly so sensitive, media/debate hungry mama Clinton in the upcoming debate to make up or stay objective?
Since Chelsea lives in a guilded cage and she’s “unavailable” to speak to reporters, there is no way to learn is she was offended by Shuster’s words. Evidently, it is her mother who was angered. Politics is isn’t for sissies. If Chelsea can’t handle the heat she whould get out of the kitchen.
This is so disturbing. The Clintons are using the same dirty tricks against the press that Bush has used for years, and this time it has cost a good journalist his job.
It is disgusting to see Keith Olbermann down on his knees, bending to the will of the Clinton machine. So much for all of his impassioned special comments about how Bush trampled over our rights of free speech and freedom of the press. Clearly, it’s OK with him if the Clintons do it.
One of the reasons why we got into this never-ending war in Iraq is because the news media gave in to the bullying tactics and manipulation of Bush and Cheney. Now we see the Clintons having their way with the press using the same kind of bullying, threats and manipulation.
MSNBC should have stood by Shuster. His point about Chelsea Clinton is an important one. (It is ludicrous that she can be a campaign surrogate and yet refuse to answer questions from the press.) When Hillary threatened not to debate on their network, MSNBC should have said, “Fine, we’ll just give Senator Obama 2 hours of time to speak to the American people by himself.”
I guarantee you that she would have come crawling back, begging to be part of the debate.
I don’t think it has anything to do with the “pimp” phrase, BTW that is a fairly common term for media and ad people…used in regards to the “sexiness” ( Salebility ) of a product. I think Hill was more offended by the question of IS if appropriate for her to call Super Delegates. Shuster was also the one asking where her money was ? I think THAT question was causing much more discomfort…I also think that she did NOT want to debate with Brian Williams and Russert asking Questions about it here in C-town…
I hope that Shuster is allowed to come back- I hate to think of him losing his job…because of 2 words and a Hillary fit- that seems wrong….on every level….
( Hey Chris- I think my earlier comment vanished)
Aussie we are living in a state of fascism here !! no lie, our government ignores the wishes of the people, they manufacture consent..ignore dissent..We are a rogue nation ! We torture. We need sanctions placed upon by on us by other more civilized nations. All our protests against this illegal occupation are ignored by our government and our congress is completely corrupt !! Our Constitution has been trashed, and the population dumbed down, strapped with debt,(which makes national strikes more difficult) crap jobs and yeah we got a real problem here. And yeah this kind of ludicris trash is how are elections are being conducted..on sound bytes and bullshit..We are trying to help ourselves but seriously , the Corportocracy has got a strangle hold on us..and our economy is tanking big time. We need outside interventions..seriously sanctions for being a rogue nation ! Most of us are ashamed of what our country is doing and frustrated beyond belief.
Silly me. Foolish me.
MSNBC was the last and only media outlet I held in any esteem. CNN ceased to be a reliable source of news and information soon after Ted Turner sold the cable network. Fox, well, the trouble with Murdock’s propaganda network is self-evident.
MSNBC was different. Always the no. 3 cable news network, it was younger, fresher and more interesting than the competition. But MSNBC jumped when the Clintons said “boo.”
We learned MSNBC will bend over backwards and do somersaults to prove it doesn’t hate Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, the long suffering mother and wife, just trying to make her way in the tough, male dominated world of national politics.
Puke.
So David Shuster is suspended for saying “Chelsea Clinton” and “pimp” in the same sentence. He has been effectively castrated now and if he returns to MSNBC, he will be more circumspect and careful when it concerns the Clintons, Bill, Hill and mostly, Chel.
Cable TV isn’t ready for younger, fresher and more interesting. Especially if attaining these goals means giving up access to one of the Democratic front runners. Tow the line and make nice. Kiss ass and smile. It’s show business, after all.
I’m a mother of two. Like 99.9% of mothers, I would give my life to protect my kids. I would defend to my last breath. However, this controversy surrounding David Shuster’s comments is blatantly ridiculous. Can anyone show me where he implied Chelsea is a whore? He was using a figure of speech. If Hillary Clinton is serious about her outrage, then she needs to withdraw from any debates with John McCain. As Christopher pointed out, McCain’s remarks were a mean attack on Chelsea Clinton for the enjoyment of a blood sucking Republican audience. Hillary Clinton is a damned hypocrite.
More Clinton drama. It never ends with them. I say enough already. May I suggest Hillary Clinton drink a big cup of STFU?
I think Clinton’s initial reaction was correct: Shuster used a phrase that was offensive, but it was just as obvious he didn’t mean to be sexist. However, Clinton is clearly milking this for all the sympathy (and women’s votes) she can get. You could call it cynical, or you could call it making lemonade out of lemons.
What gets me is that she is challenging Obama to debate on FOX, a network that has a record of sliming him as the Muslim candidate, and when he refuses to appear — as he ought to — she will insinuate he isn’t up to the job of being president.
So when MSNBC is misogynistic towards Chelsea, she boycotts it, but when FOX is racist towards Obama, that’s OK by Hillary Clinton.
Yup. Any sympathy I had for her just dried up.
Chelsea Clinton is an adult, and Shuster’s comment is hardly the worst thing said thus far in this campaign. It all sounds suspiciously like a play from the gender handbook. Ladies, if you can’t take some wisecrack from a reporter then you need to stay home. Really though, this latest mini-drama is just another excuse for more Clinton facetime.