Games: Clinton camp outrage at MSNBC "pimped out"
This morning, we noticed a post on the Washington Post website, indicating that MSNBC personality David Shuster referred yesterday to Chelsea Clinton being "pimped out" by her parents to make calls recruiting super-delegates. The comment, appropriately, provoked complaints from the Clinton campaign.
This morning, MSNBC apparently agreed: "Shuster plans to apologize tonight on 'Tucker,' the 6 p.m. show on which he was filling in for host Tucker Carlson yesterday," the Post reported. " 'The comment was completely inappropriate, and we have called the Clinton campaign to apologize,' network spokesman Jeremy Gaines said today."
Fair enough, except that given more time the Clinton campaign has now concluded that it can get a little more mileage out of the episode. Suddenly, we read that Team Clinton is now threatening to back out of a just-scheduled Ohio debate on MSNBC, with spokesman Howard Wolfson calling the Shuster comment "beneath contempt."
This, of course, would be one of the multiple debates that just yesterday Clinton was demanding that Obama participate in. He agreed to it. Now, the Clinton camp is going to pull out? A few thoughts:
1. Tim Russert of NBC asks tough questions in debates; Hillary calls them "gotcha" questions. He gave Hillary her worst night of the debate season, on drivers licenses. So, here's an excuse to avoid Russert, and get some "Sen. Clinton, could you talk about health care?" questions instead.
2. The Clinton campaign has been struggling for traction for a couple months, and needs to win news cycles any way they can. Like every other politician, she knows that running against the media is popular -- and easier than running against Obama. So, today they'll run against a guy named David Shuster, get a news cycle, get some folks riled up.
3. Clinton sympathizers think MSNBC has been unfriendly, especially personality Chris Matthews (mentioned by Wolfson in his call), who has had the temerity to suggest that Hillary is mainly a contender because she rode Bill's coattails, and got national sympathy during the Lewinsky affair. It makes them crazy that he didn't get the tough-experienced-brilliant-tested-ready-to-lead memo. Now: Payback!
Here's video of the "pimped out" comment:
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Comments (12)
Your snide speculation about Clinton's motivation and intentions are offensive. MSNBC has shown a consistent ,overt ,and constant anti-Clinton bias. The sexism that ridicules and insults Mrs. Clinton and viewers should not be tolerated. The candidates do not need to have debates with TV anchor moderators who are more impressed with themselves and with making "news" rather than enlightening viewers.
What do you expect from a "news" network whose feature performer is Keith Olbermann? MSNBC has become a sewer, with nothing to add to the discussion other than slander. Between Chris Matthews man crush on Obama, and the aforementioned Olbermann, who apparently has NOTHING to offer other than cheap shots at O'Reilly and Dobbs, what postive news function does this network have?
Huge picture of you, not very much news.
"Pimped out" IS totally offensive, Clinton was right and people in general are right to raise hands and say "Okay, enough."
The slant against Hillary in the media is getting boring and as for B.O. you guys totally drank the kook aid, I mean kool aid on that one.
This article was also not written very well.
"Games:" is a silly way to start out your article.
Try harder!
T. Soriano
Curious how these sympathy-laden media events always come up right before a primary....
My friends, if we don't question how professional politicians manufacture sympathy and consent, then we don't deserve our freedom.
Starting out this article with the word,"GAMES" is hardly good journalism, objective, or respectful. You and the rest of the media are slanted against Hillary to the point where it is alarming. Alarming to an electorate that only gets to hear what the media tells them and there are only about five corporations that get to do the telling anymore. I just finished looking at a "Newsday" photo spread about the "Worst of the Best". It should have been labeled as "Let's Bury the Hatchet, IN HILLARY". The labels for the pictures showing Hillary were belittling and universally disrespectful to her as a person and as a presidential candidate. The captions for the Republican candidates were universally saccharine and mild. The impression I get from this and the Newsday photo ad is that true journalism is dead, and we are being harangued by media prostitutes lying to us and shaping our opinions so that we can be bled by corporations intent upon continuing the so called War on Terrorism so that they can manipulate us like sheep and cultivate us like a vegetable garden! What we NEED, is fewer five billion dollar aircraft and more electric power plants on the Ohio river. And we need to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq in order to make that happen. And that can't happen until we make it so that politicians don't need corporate money to get reelected. -jack
Is MSNBC stooping to tabloid journalism? Also, while one or your reporters apologized for a very offensive statement, another writes an article on "Spin Cycle" that is just as deplorable. Please try to live up to higher standards of professional journalism. No one could blame Hillary Clinton if she does decide not to debate as she wanted to if this is what is being said and written about herself or even her daughter. There is not even anything objective or newsworthy in such kinds of attacks by the media.
I innocently thought that the Republican party was responsible for for the snide attacks on the Clintons. Now that it is down to Hillary versus Obama we are seeing the reality of where the press stands.When the McCain bashing starts I will no longer be in the Democrats corner.Now my eyes have been opened; I was blind and now I see.Hillary has done nothing to deserve this abuse from the press, nor has Chelsie.They would not dare say those things about the Bush children.
CNN is worst and has a bias for Hilary. l cannot stand to watch CNN because they report bias and paint obama bad.
Anyway chelsea is not a child anymore and should be able to stand on her feet if she hopes to run for the presidency in 2020.
Afterall that is what that whole Clinton family is all about.
First Bill you run, then Hilary and then Chelsea.
I am honestly fed up of this same family running this country. something new would be refreshing and a new beginning for something better.
The unacceptable comment made by the MSNBC anchor is making a remark about the former President and former First Ladies Daughter. Chelsea is very proud of her Mother and is doing everything that she can to help her Mother to succeed. I will no longer be watching MSNBC and will be doing my best to let everyone else know not to watch MSNBC. This anchorman should be jobless not suspended.
This is crazy...What are they taking offense to the term “pimped”? So what, that’s what they were doing by engaging thier daughter. Then to say “she’s and we are off limits” is pure hypocracy. If you don’t want people to comment on what she is doing don’t “use” her in the process. It seems the Clinton’s are just bullying everyone including the press and free speach.
What were we talkng about I forgot...oh yeah, certainly not anything worth suspending a reporter for. How insane! She's 27 for christ sakes and she is being pimpmed. Where is the foul here?
RE: The Clinton campaign is taking MSNBC to war over comments by a host about Chelsea
BOGUS REASON......This was done to "Deflect" the bigger news that came out at the very same time.....
Polls now show Obama would be the better candidate and chance of beating the Republican....
Fact...This was a Deflecting Clinton News Story...
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns
CAN YOU SAY MEDIA CONTROL AND PROPAGANDA?
Could the retarted pundunts and media be any more obvious with all the attacks against Hillary Clinton?
They are relentless She gets a standing ovation last night and you clowns turn that into something defeating and bad. She cannot win against you and will loose because of you. I have never seen so much bias and slant ever and have lost respect for this country's media or should I say properganda? They finally are getting their own way not the way the American general public started out in the race. They just kept slamming till they got what they really wanted from the start and that being a field day to bury Clinton by a bunch of egotistical males.
Congradulation You bunch of pompous asses!
I feel like this was a tight race till now and there is absolutely no
respect for those men and women who believe in Clinton. NO RESPECT FOR US. I am not only offended for Hillary Clinton
I am offended as and American who is not allowed to have respect or a voice. How dare you bully everyone who gets in your own way of crappy opinions.