PC Police on the prowl again, soon you won't be able to say anything without having to apologize...

[bozack]

Wow, so heard about this on the radio today and am in total disbelief...now just for clarity I don't know the reporter who made the remark so there is no vested interest, however having read the transcript from what he said I was just taken aback that the guy lost his job over it...

Here is the story:

An MSNBC reporter apologizes and is suspended after saying Chelsea was being 'pimped out.'
By Peter Nicholas and Matea Gold, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
February 9, 2008
WASHINGTON -- Angered by an MSNBC correspondent's demeaning comment about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's daughter, aides to her presidential campaign said Friday that she might pull out of a debate planned by the cable network this month in Cleveland.

Howard Wolfson, Clinton's communications director, cast as "beneath contempt" an on-air comment Thursday by MSNBC's David Shuster, who said Chelsea Clinton is "sort of being pimped out" as she intensifies her campaigning for her mother.

NBC News announced Friday afternoon that Shuster had been suspended indefinitely over the remark, which a release called "irresponsible and inappropriate."

Shuster apologized Friday morning on MSNBC for the term he applied to Chelsea. He issued a second apology on the MSNBC show "Tucker," where he had uttered his comment while acting as guest host.

Hillary Clinton's campaign staff has been critical of what it considers a hostile attitude toward her in MSNBC's coverage, and the Shuster incident brought matters to a head.

Clinton is seeking more debates with Sen. Barack Obama as their race for the Democratic nomination has tightened, and as part of that strategy she agreed to take part in an MSNBC forum Feb. 26.

"We've done a number of debates on that network," Wolfson said. "And at this point I can't envision a scenario where we would continue to engage in debates on that network, given the comments that were made and have been made."

NBC News, in its statement, said it was working to keep the debate alive.

"Our conversations with the Clinton campaign about their participation continue today, and we are hopeful that the event will take place as planned," the statement said.

Last month, another MSNBC talk show host, Chris Matthews, apologized after suggesting Clinton owed her political success to her husband's philandering. "The reason she may be a front-runner [in the presidential race] is her husband messed around," Matthews said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Wolfson on Friday referenced that controversy, saying, "At some point you really have to question whether or not there's a pattern here at this particular network, where you have comments being made and apologies given," he said. "Is this something that folks are encouraged to do or not do? I don't know, but the [Shuster] comment was beneath contempt, and I think any fair-minded person would see it that way."

On the "Tucker" show, Shuster said: "I apologize to the Clinton family, the Clinton campaign and all of you who were justifiably offended. As I said this morning on MSNBC, all Americans should be proud of Chelsea Clinton. And I am particularly sorry that my language diminished the regard and respect she has earned from all of us and the respect her parents have earned in how they raised her."

NBC News, in its statement, said it "takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks."

Turning down a debate with the nomination in doubt would be a big step for Clinton, who feels such forums work in her favor, providing a chance to demonstrate her grasp of policy and to spotlight her experience. She has accepted offers to take part in four debates over the next month; Obama has agreed to take part in two, including the one in Cleveland.

peter.nicholas@latimes.com

matea.gold@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/na...9feb09,1,7640432.story

I mean come on....its not like she is a child any more yet people continually referenced her age in the conversations I heard, plus it isn't like this guys comments were way out of line, or derogatory in any way...

What got me more was his apology though,

Really why should I be proud of someone who was handed a 100K + a year job just because of who her parents are? about someone who can take time away from their job just to campaign for their mother?....why should anyone be "proud" of her moreso than any other person's child?

Is being able to speak what you think that much in danger? and why should we be proud of someone who does relatively nothing?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

It's overboard, yeah, but on par with things like the reaction to that CNN clip where it "sounded" like a zipper, Janet Jackson's wardrobe "malfunction", the Dean Scream. The list goes on and on.

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: Hossenfeffer
It's overboard, yeah, but on par with things like the reaction to that CNN clip where it "sounded" like a zipper, Janet Jackson's wardrobe "malfunction", the Dean Scream. The list goes on and on.

While I might agree, the difference is all of the things mentioned were raised by either "fans" or the media, in this case it was the Clintons who called and bitched about how their poor daughter was being mistreated...please, she is old enough and gets paid enough to fend for herself...what a ninny.

 

[woodie1]

Another example of PC going too far. I think the clintons should lobby to get the guy his job back.

 

[Fern]

Typically Clinton.

Play the victim card.

Divert attention from Obama's sweep of the recent primaries.

Prolly trying to get some feminist sympathy as well. (pimps take advatage of women, HRC is women's candidate etc).

Like you, I don't see the big deal. Chelsea's 27 years old, and the Clinton's are using their daughter no matter how you cut it.

I don't understand why she's contacting super delegates. If I were one, why would I give a sh!t what she has to say? "Oh, you want me to vote for your mommy? How cute". :roll:

Fern

 

[Vic]

No PC here. Don't be fooled. This is pure spin so Hillary can try to back out of her debate-a-week challenge to Obama after he called her bluff.

 

[piasabird]

It is not overboard. If someone is campaigning for you, they are fair game. This is just an example of the Clinton machine's ability to control the media. If it was Bush, they would not have given anyone an apology.

What I dont understand about this is why is it ok for her to contact the super delegates to try to convince them to vote for your mom? Sounds like influence peddling to me.

 

[Moonbeam]

We need to bring back duels. If some theoretical so in so called my theoretical daughter all pimped out I would want to kill him and should be given that chance legally, no?

We have an infinity of fleas sucking the blood of people on note to get their day in the sun. But in a field of gofers there's so much fun to be had blowing off their heads.

Maybe just throw a shit pie in his face. But if you're a person of character there should be some way to exterminate vermin that feed off your name.

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: piasabird
It is not overboard. If someone is campaigning for you, they are fair game. This is just an example of the Clinton machine's ability to control the media. If it was Bush, they would not have given anyone an apology.

What I dont understand about this is why is it ok for her to contact the super delegates to try to convince them to vote for your mom? Sounds like influence peddling to me.

The funny thing is this:

Here you have Keith Olberman critiquing this guys choice of words for Chelsea when he issued this statement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...aFJ8YU&feature=related

But here you have him saying:

But Mr. Bush, you have hidden behind the General's skirts, and today you have hidden behind the skirts of 'the planted last question' at a news conference, to indicate once again that your presidency has been about the tilted playing field, about no rules for your party in terms of character assassination and changing the fabric of our nation, and no **right** for your opponents or critics to as much as **respond**.
That, Sir, is not only un-American -- it is dictatorial.
And in **pimping** General David Petraeus, Sir, in violation of everything this country has been assiduously and vigilantly against for 220 years, you have tried to blur the gleaming **radioactive** demarcation between the military and the political, and to portray **your** party as the one associated with the military, and your opponents as the ones somehow antithetical to it.

Hypocrite?

 

[Pabster]

Olbermann used the exact same word and phrasing in bashing General Petraeus and Bush.

Of course, they didn't mind then. Hillary was fine with that.

 

[palehorse]

ridiculous.