Clinton Campaign Not Looking for Shuster to Be Fired, After All

Doesn’t she have enough on her plate, what with the string of upcoming primaries and caucuses she’s likely to lose? Now it’s her job to clean-up MSNBC’s act?
Initially, I thought her reaction was justified. But the letter — and threat to skip the NBC debate — comes off as calculated. I say skip it. Obama probably didn’t want to debate anyway. His strength lies in direct contact with voters.
Wasn’t Hillary Clinton supposed to be the “strong” one who was battle-tested and could stand up to GOP attacks?

Hillary doesn’t come off as very tough in all this. Chelsea IS 28 years old, not a teenager. And she has been out there on the campaign trail for her mother, just as Bill has been his wife’s surrogate. This is mild compared to some of the terrible things said in the left-wing blogs and on many TV shows about President Bush.

It’s clearly both. I don’t buy into the conspiracy theories I’ve seen floated: Hillary Clinton is perfectly correct to be offended by MSNBC’s continued misogyny. As an Obama supporter, even I can see it’s ugly over there. And Shuster is not the worst by far (Chris Matthews, anyone?).
But the Clinton campaign is obviously also making a political calculation that by dragging the brouhaha out as long as they can, they can capture the news cycle and gain sympathy votes. And as a matter of pure politics, they’re correct.
That’s Clintonian politics: right on the edge, very effective, and only icky when you don’t compare it to the Republican smear machine.

Yes, I think the Clintons are milking the moment. And their victim act is really tiresome. But even so, the 24-7 stream of opinion from ALL the TV talking heads this year is ridiculous.
There’s too much commentary and spin, and not enough real information. We are constantly being told what to think, what’s going to happen and why. And it doesn’t even quiet down on election day. It’s poisoning the democratic process.

Wasn’t the Clinton campaign the one calling for 5 debates with Senator Obama between now and March 4th? This looks like an excuse to cancel the Feb. 26th debate with MSNBC in order to move to a more favorable venue on CNN.

I agree with leftward tilt. Msnbc is full of locker room talk, anti Hillary. The worst is Chris next is Schuster. The most balanced is Abrams. Morning Joe is somewhat better.

Hey Hillary,
MOMISM – what is she going to do if she
becomes president and someone upsets her
about a comment about her daughter or husband – claim she is first a “MOM”
God help the USA if she becomes President….
Samschw

Cable TVs have consistently shown their biases towards the Clintons especially MSNBC/NBC. All of them have blatantly shown their pro-OBAMA stance and their becoming more like the incredulous FOX network.

Clinton lovers will have to soon face the fact that the Dems love fest with the Clinton machine is now over. Hillary alienates too many younger Dems and Independents and will lose to McCain should she secure the nomination. Republicans like myself are pulling for her to win, but it does not appear too likely at this point. The Clintons have been exposed by the medai this time around and Bill has shown that he has absoultely no class for a former president.

Gobama!

This whole issue is a distraction. Quite frankly, it’s a tipping point. If they can’t handle the truth–screw Hillary. I was on the fence before, but now, it’s Obama. Can’t vote for someone who can’t handle the truth. We’ve had enough of that crap.

My personal opinion is this:
Do we really want to elect to the presidency a person who is so easily offended?
I mean really, if the Iranians start insulting Hillary when she’s in office is she going to drop everything and go on a rampage about how unfair and rude the comments are or is she going to be able to take the criticism and continue on with her job.
Not that I think the comments were appropriate, but I think that the Clinton camp is so busy trying to be offended at every turn that all they are doing is making themselves out to be people who lack the self confidence and backbone to handle anything that may be thrown at them while in office.
Sorry, I don’t want a wimp in office.

Shuster should be suspended/fired for his comments. His actions were most uncalled for. A daughter making phone calls for her mother is perfectly acceptable, and the fact that she is not taking calls from the press is not unusual. Chris Matthews should be ashamed of having this man on his program. I will probably not watch Hardball again bacause of the “tilt” this program has taken!!

Yes, the whole kerfuffle is tiresome. Yes, the MSNBC comments were tasteless, and the atmosphere there is less than dignified. Unfortunately, the whole business is way overblown, and once again, the stupid and trivial are taking time away from…oh, I don’t know, POLICY development? Details on candidates’ proposed programs?
So everyone is at fault here – including crass posters who hate Hillary because she’s an uppity woman who dares to run for president. Everybody, step back and grow up.

There’s no excuse for crude comments. Some men on Msnbc, and NBC, seem to lack respect for Ms. Clinton. One problem is allowing reporters to engage in commentary. Commentary and reporting should not mix. Chelsea doesn’t have to talk to media. The comment “She can’t have it both ways” says a lot about the person that made that comment. Campaigning for her mom doesn’t obligate her to the media. The media should get over themselves, especially those that feel Chelsea owes them an interview.

MSNBC has it out for Hillary. Sexist, anti-women, anti-Hillary comments pepper their programming. In one episode, one of those knuckleheads said that if Clinton won, we would have to call it the “Pink House.” I have a sense of humor, but the incessant and unrelenting jabs at Hillary Clinton goes beyond levity. These are not isolated incidents, but a chronic bias at MSNBC. And now this.

Hillary would have at least come close in Washington and Nebraska if she had (1) made the sexist allegation, AND (2) cried about it.
Next time, maybe her staffers will realize they need to bring out the big guns.

Here’s my opinion. There are too many males who don’t know a sexist comment when they hear one. Since when is it appropriate to equate a young woman’s campaigning for her mother and the sex trade?

Hillary Clinton does not deserve to be elected president… quite frankly, she openly attacks Obama every chance she gets (and even asks Bill for help), but they cries (like in New Hampshire) and can’t take any criticism of her own… Don’t vote for Clinton… she ran her campaign money into the ground, so what do you think she’ll do with our economy? and don’t even get me started on the problems of universal healthcare… Hillary sucks

Goodbye, Hillary,
You’re actions are an embarrassment to the women who have supported you.
My vote now goes to Barack.

I’m assuming she’d drop everything if MSNBC would devote coverage to her moist eyes before the next big voting block.

Well, you can’t blame for Hillary for using Chelsea. She is out of money and I am sure she works for free. Give her enough time, she will find something else to cry about. Like getting her butt kicked by Obama perhaps. I also feel Obama is better positioned to beat McCain because he has Universal appeal. There is a huge vendetta against Hillary and/or the Clintons on both she cannot wash away no matter how many tears she sheds.

Hillary Clinton does not deserve to be elected president… quite frankly, she openly attacks Obama every chance she gets (and even asks Bill for help), but they cries (like in New Hampshire) and can’t take any criticism of her own… Don’t vote for Clinton… she ran her campaign money into the ground, so what do you think she’ll do with our economy? and don’t even get me started on the problems of universal healthcare… Hillary sucks

not only david schuster has to be suspended,along with chris m. mica brezinsky and joe scarborugh.need to be more imparcial in their comments..is disgusting the free propaganda and advertisement that borac hussein obama has with mica and joe in the morning, just because mica’s father and brothers are working for the hussein obama campaign…shame on you msnbc ,pick better your reporters ,no class or credentials showing by them or your news station.CNN IS MUCH SERIOUS AND HAS CREDENTIALS AND BETTER REPORTERS NOT TO MENTION CLASS AND CREDIBILITY

The Clinton Machine wants to reward the most loyal supporters with a seat on the bus, unfortunately it is at the back. I thought Bill and Hillary already had their turn at the water fountain. Jon

“Of course, others might think she is capitalizing on an ugly moment to galvanize female voters.”
Of course. Bill and Hillary Clinton can’t possibly be sincerely upset that some clown on MSNBC said that their daughter was being “pimped out.” And I’m certain Hillary’s outrage was purely feigned when Chris Matthews said the only reason she won the Senate was that people felt sorry for her because her husband “messed around.”
Shame on you, Jake. I used to respect you. And please, have some guts — leave the post up this time.

Many here are acting like spoiled children. Sen. Clinton’s daughter was disparaged. Is there ever a good reason for such a dastardly deed?
Sen. Obama’s supporters are acting like spoiled little children. For a little moment in time their candidate is not allowed to walk on water. What do they do? They disparage and belittle themselves. They claim that Ms. Clinton was not wronged. What would have been made of a ridiculing remark made at the cost of Mrs. Obama or one of the Ms. Obamas’?
If Sen. Obama were true gentlemen – he would offer solace to Ms. Clinton.

Most people who read the letter did not assume Clinton wanted him fired. Most rational people understood that they were tire of the continuous tone taken by many newcasters and commentators on MSNBC that speak of the Clintons and their supporters and surrogated dimissively and often with a sexist and disrespective tone.

How any one can believe that comparing Chelsea’s support of her mothers candicacy to prostitutionm is okay is beyond me. Does this mean that everyone who indicated thier support for any candidate on this board is also a whore?? Get real, the news is supposed to be impartial and informative not inflammatory and combative. And since Hillary does do so much better in teh deabtes and had requested more of them I would tend to belive her outrage is not staged.

MSNBC has been unfair in reporting on the DEMS. Obama can’t do no wrong and Hillary can’t do no right. I believe that your network is biased against white people and I am fed up with it. Chris Mathews should think twice before he opens is big reverse racist mouth and makes comments to the effect that ” White people should vote for Oboma becouse of past wrongs to Afro-Americans”. Will he still be saying this come time fore the general election? I won’t know becouse this white male liberal democrate will no longer be watching your unfair biased network. Even Fox news reports more fair than MSNBC.

Comparing anyones support for a candiate should outrage al of us. This has nothing to do with the Clintons and everything to do with ratings. MSNBC should be ashamed of themselves, but so should all of the other Newsataimnment stations that over obvious politcal agendas as impartial reporting. The reporte that made the comments should be fired, not for his attack on Chelsea, but for his failure to remain impartial and od his job, report the news.

Free speech and the press is already restricted under candidate Hillary! Hate to think what is next.
Clinton = Dictatorship?
She is an adult, and is active in the campaign for her mother. So now I would like to know if she has a job and does she represent any special interests other than her family? Or is she is making a killing in pork belies?
The point is, who would dare to ask these questions now?
Not even a fan of MSNBC.

Tom Brokaw should refuse to do any more spots on his alma mater until the dialogue is permanently changed regarding denegration of women, and specifically Hillary, and now Chelsea Clinton. Until and unless that happens, I say BOYCOTT NBC/MSNBC.

It’s too bad that Mrs. Clinton has such a thin shell. David Shuster didn’t do anything wrong–he should have chosen a different verb, yes, but it’s been blown into too big an ordeal. Put the guy back on the air NBC and move on Hillary.

Chelsea..being pimped out.. I’m still laughing at that one. Continue to cry foul, HRC, it takes the spotlight off the real issue….McCain will have so much dirt to sling at you you’ll never recover. If we all want Dubya’s clone in the White House, all we need do is give HRC the Democratic nomination. My goodness, just think, a possible 8 years of that. Now them’s fightin’ words.

Between racism and sexist, which do you think American is more sensitive to? Of course racism. –If this remark was mad on Obama’s daughter or wife, can you imagin what would have happened?
Hiliary is a strong woman with high level of intelegence, many men epecially weak men are scared of her.

You cannot, should not turn against somebody who so many people are already against … unless if this person isn’t just a fellow human being.

Shame on msnbc I was a devoted viewer until today you have lost my respect you are no better than fox news its time for a shake up in the news dept get rid of them all its so obvious you are bias in your reporting I hope that powers above look at this with a magnifying glass because it appears they have had their head in the sand too long … too bad you lost me as a viewer ego is an ugly word what a waste

The problem goes way beyond the latest antic by Shuster. How about the MSNBC Rat Pack’s treatment of John McCain because he read his speech after his victory in New Hampshire? It was beyond rude. I quit watching MSNBC some time ago because of their lack of professionalism. What happened to the idea that journalists were performing a public service? These guys now all want to be rock stars.

so many old folks out there it is obvious that he did not mean what so many thought but what the hell lets make a big deal out of it since we are a soap opera cookie cutter country.ever heard of the show pimp my ride, I remember when sex was a bad word. why are we becomming so fixated on words. lets all be good little children or we was your mouth out. better yet loose your job get real people and be more concerned with the problems of this country. you want to get upset about something than get upset about the schools in South Carolina and the Confederate Flag flown at the capital. I was In south carolina on Martin Luther King Day and I head the NAACP President gave a speach about how demeaning that flag is to African Americans and Clinton after hearing his remarks never said a word about it in her speach. Why???? Yet she is offended by the remark about her daughter. Get real Hillary for all of us. That flag has no right hanging there at this time or any time. I am white by the way and I am distraut over what this country has become.

Today’s primary results reinforce what I told Hillary’s call in line when this whole mess began:
-Shuster is a hero to the democratic base. He was fighting Rove, Libby and Cheney every day while Hillary was content to sweep Valerie Plame under the rug.
-Being vindictive and demanding Shuster’s firing after his dual apologies reinforces all of Hillary’s most negative negatives.
-Being a prude about a g-rated slang term used by grade schoolers everywhere doesn’t work for a family that asks America to laugh and lighten up while the stains in the carpet in the Oval Office are steam-cleaned.
They didn’t listen 2 days ago. I hope they’ll listen after today’s results.

Today’s primary results reinforce what I told Hillary’s call in line when this whole mess began:
-Shuster is a hero to the democratic base. He was fighting Rove, Libby and Cheney every day while Hillary was content to sweep Valerie Plame under the rug.
-Being vindictive and demanding Shuster’s firing after his dual apologies reinforces all of Hillary’s most negative negatives.
-Being a prude about a g-rated slang term used by grade schoolers everywhere doesn’t work for a family that asks America to laugh and lighten up while the stains in the carpet in the Oval Office are steam-cleaned.
They didn’t listen 2 days ago. I hope they’ll listen after today’s results.

I think it’s time for the HRC to quit being a big baby. The comment was innocuous enough & if she sends her husband & her daughter out campaigning for her, they become fair game for the press.
HRC will dive into any gutter to win this thing. With a little luck, she’ll win ugly, tear the party apart & return a republican to the white house.
I think she just does not have sufficient wisdom or perspective to do anything else. And this blatant political ploy against MSNBC just proves it.

Bill dealt with this kind of unfair, continued bashing before over the idea that he let Osama go, and thus allowed 9/11. Enemies know how they deal with the Clintons – brilliant persons, including a woman who is kind enough to run for the presidency.

The Clintons forgot all the truly savage things they said about young women like Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky and others who were molested by Bill Clinton. It was only after the truth was exposed that they stopped attacking. Monica was younger than Chelsea when Bill lied about her, and her life was devastated.
Now that they got a tiny taste of their own medicine, Hillary whines and will soon probably tear up again. Third time is the charm.
It seems the Clintons can dish it out but can’t take anything that’s difficult. No wonder she flunked the DC bar exam.

Disgusting, outrageous, pathetic! Not the MSNBC comments, but the childish reaction of a presidential candidate. “Pimping” is a common expression. If the Clinton group isn’t aware of this, how can they be aware of anything in real time. Let’s move on. We need leaders, not losers.

In my view Shuster’s comment was a witty jab at Hillary Clinton and a refreshing reprieve from the sanitary, corporate, left-leaning journalism that I have become accustomed to on the networks. I think we should consider granting people more freedom of expression not less. The corporate environment has become way too oppressive when it comes to the bill of rights. I thought our rights were unalienable. I realize there are consequences and corporations are run for profit so they have there own conflicts of interest, but hey can’t we speak our mind in this country without losing our job? I have heard and seen much more offensive stories in the media where sometimes heads rolled and sometimes they didn’t. Everything from naked pyramids to Mohamed cartoons was by far much more offensive. Add in Ward Churchill and we have a tri-fecta of media coverage that went too far and gave voices to the wrong people. Some would argue that we should be immunized from free speech. I hope I don’t become one of those people. Sorry it is against my religious beliefs…

What’s wrong with a mother being outraged by unfair mistreatment of her child. Besides, getting the press to clean up their act is not such a bad thing. It’s when you can’t separate the issue from the election campaigns that you then are truly offering yourselves to possible campaign ploys. Just be fair and move on; nobody is making you vote for her based on this one thing.
Alternately, you should all request the networks to start using the term on Obama, McCain and Huckabee’s spouses and children, just to show that the term really is nothing.

Clinton’s don’t know how to forgive…So let me try to recall what they did while in white house..hmm.. yes I forgave them for “that”… I take that back…sorry can’t forgive you..
Lets today’s primary’s result be sign for them from him.. who is most forgiving.

The words “pimp” and “pimping” have been a part of our vernacular for some time now. Suddenly we have all of these prudes objecting to its use related to the Hillary Clinton campaign. Shuster always has an edge to his reporting but he gives it to all sides. Ironic that Hillary Clinton objects to this word. When her husband was in the White House, well you know, Monica, fill in the blanks for yourself.

The Clintons, like the Bush family, believe the office is owed to them, and any comment that questions it is unforgivable.
Were she to get in to power, 2 families would have held power for 16 years – longer than most Kings or Queens.
We can do better than that.

Recent survey on media bias:
OBAMA 81% positive coverage
Clinton 51% positive coverage
MSNBC & CNN were the worst in the group – as I understand
Fairness – these days watch FOX

why is everyone Assuming that all women are voting for Hillary?? I am a woman, mid-50′s, and am voting for Obama. Hillary is just Bill in disguise. I think everyone needs to take a step back and stop predicting that Hillary is getting all the female votes! Another gal-friend of mine, 51, is ALSO supporting Obama.
Thanks, just needed to vent a bit.
YES WE CAN!!

The idea that men are intimidated by HRC just because she is a woman doesn’t pass the smell test. Like most Democratic men I know, I am an enthusiastic supporter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As a Californian, I am happy that my state Senators are both women. I have political disagreements with Diane Feinstein, but am very happy with Barbara Boxer’s activity. I would happily vote for Boxer or Pelosi for the US presidency.
My problems with HRC, and those of other men and women I know, have as much to do with her opportunism, her calculating insincerity, her double-standards. Her claim that she didn’t realize she was giving the president the authority to go into Iraq: she’s either an idiot or a liar, in that case. Her outrage here is too theatrical, disproportionate to the offense, and too perfectly timed. It has nothing to do with the ridiculous cliche about her being a “strong woman.”

The idea that men are intimidated by HRC just because she is a woman doesn’t pass the smell test. Like most Democratic men I know, I am an enthusiastic supporter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As a Californian, I am happy that my state Senators are both women. I have political disagreements with Diane Feinstein, but am very happy with Barbara Boxer’s activity. I would happily vote for Boxer or Pelosi for the US presidency.
My problems with HRC, and those of other men and women I know, have as much to do with her opportunism, her calculating insincerity, her double-standards. Her claim that she didn’t realize she was giving the president the authority to go into Iraq: she’s either an idiot or a liar, in that case. Her outrage here is too theatrical, disproportionate to the offense, and too perfectly timed. It has nothing to do with the ridiculous cliche about her being a “strong woman.”

The networks are playing the election for all it’s worth, shoving it down our throats like a reality TV show. The candidates raise money, lots of it, and hand it over to who?? Oh yea, the networks. Who owns the networks and what kinds of businesses are they invested in? Oil? Gas? Nuclear? Defense? Who is the nuclear industry’s biggest donation recipient? It’s not Clinton.It’s not daddy Mc. Why did the neocons go to such lengths to oust Billy C, who did nothing that Jack K. didn’t do? Who told Al Gore and John Kerry to fall over and play dead? Why does the candidate with the most money always win? Who’s got the most money this time?

I had thought highly of David Shuster, especially his coverage of the Libby trial, however, his comments about Chelsea were out of line. I doubt he would have used the same word in describing how Mitt Romney’s sons were being utilized by his campaign. It was wrong. It was sexist.
I think Shuster is being made to take the fall for a pattern of sexist remarks on MSNBC. Chris Matthews is the worst. I don’t know why they keep him on the air – he is so full of himself.
While Hillary may be justified in her anger at MSNBC, I can also say that I’m getting sick of her playing the “hurt” card over and over again. She lives for stuff like this – and then she milks it for all the free publicity she can get out of it.

Ms. Clinton was insulted – when was Mrs. Obama insulted – when was one of Sen. Obama’s daughters insulted? MSNBC & CNN go too far in their worship of Sen. Obama.
Yes Obama is a fine man – yet is no ones messiah – at least not that I know of.
The vote in Louisiana primary was unfortunately once again divided along racial lines.
The relatively small votes in Washington state & Nebraska were once again dominated by the left wing of the Democratic Party.
When is Sen. Obama going to win some states that actually vote for democrats in the national elections? Be honest.
Do you really believe that the right of center of the Democratic Party will vote largely for Sen. Obama in a general election?
Did they vote for Mondale, Carter II, Dukakis, Mc Govern? All liberal candidates.

After today’s results? A bunch of caucuses where Obama had a handful of votes? Try Florida where Hillary got 800,000 votes. And Texas and Ohio are a coming. The exit poll out of LA tonight suggest 2/3 of Clinton’s supporters won’t be satisfied with Obama as the nominee. I’m one of those, and I won’t vote if he’s the nominee. If this process has come down to a candidate winning caucuses in states the dems can never hope to win in a general versus the candidate that won a state like Ca by double digits, then why bother. And before you Obama-ites cry that early voting is what gave Hillary the Ca. win–late voters went for Hillary. Caucuses don’t compare to Ca. But keep spinning it.
MSNBC’s coverage has been slanted to the point of jaw dropping. Hopefully they’ll clean up their act and start giving equally postive spins for both candidates when positive spins are given or equally negative when negative spins are given. Obama is sliding with the media.
Senator Clinton mustered the same indignation for the female babies of China who were being killed–so stop with the hateful remark about her husband’s personal life.

Is it so wrong to always be looking for ulterior motives?

Hear, Hear! Senator Clinton is being held to a different standard (especially among Obama supporters)regardless of the legitimacy of her responses. She is indeed standing up to pundits who make offensive comments about family members. She should be applauded. And the GOP and the media should heed warning. Clinton will not be swift-boated either.

the remedy requested and the rationale behind it is on target.
this is not about David Shuster. Mr. Shuster used a poor choice of word(s). his actions are NOTHING in comparison to Matthews and, at times, Morning Joe. I rarely watched Imus, but it shows a pattern of condoned acts and bias by MSNBC.
Fellow-commenters, make all the feminista quips you want, but look at the ‘talking heads’ — Morning Joe, Matthews, Tucker, Abrams, Olber-dude, Utility man, Shuster… the news readers/reporters are all chicks…Contessa Brewer, Alex Witt, Erin Burnett (International Superstar), Mika B.
If MSNBC were “Sky High”, all super-heroes wd be men (ages 38-55 or so)and all sidekicks wd be women (no woman over 45 need apply).
MSNBC is a sad state of affairs…
GO DODGERS.

Jane- The reason we are fed up with the clintons are for actions like this one. Clearly they are upset, and i would be too. But, Hillary told us that they would have no good news through February, so they are focusing the news on this inappropriate action and taking this to a disproportionate level. Firing Schuster? He is damm tough on a lot of people, and insightful, and definitely out to cut through the shanaigans and political spin. As mentioned earlier, he blew this through word, but his story was right- they are now using her to win after demanding that she be out of the news. They are also learning from their success in NH, and letting this become a rallying cry for women to bond together against the sexism. just look at this or any other blog. Rallying women is her best chance to win the nomination outright, and I think their campaign is deliberately using the issue to do this. As gender and race issues are so explosive and potentially divisive to the party, I don’t like these type of manipulations, and think they are evil…

The exact quote was something like: “Doesn’t it seem they’re pimping her out in some weird way?”
I was shocked and angered when I first heard my son use this word. That was three or four years ago now. He’s still not allowed to use it, but in the past three or four years I’ve accepted that this unpleasant phrase has become part of popular culture, and it just does not have the same connotation it once did. Things change.
Add to that, the guy was clearly making an analogy, hence “in some weird way.” The idea was that Chelsea was a reluctant innocent. Something suggested initially by her many silent excursions with her mother, and not helped by her mother’s very public defense of an again silent Chelsea.
At best, the moment required a rebuke. Ideally, delivered by Chelsea who, after all, is 28. It would have been infinitely stronger coming from her. In fact Chelsea should not be out campaigning for her mother if she can’t fend off a boorish comment, that I don’t think had any sort of ill intent. For her campaigning to be effective she needs to let people know that she is an adult acting of her own will, and not merely afraid of disappointing mummy.
Not seeing that yet.

Hillary do us a favor you want to be insulted than be insulted about the Confiderate Flag hanging at the state capitol of South Carolina. I was there when you where there when it was pointed out to you but you said nothing Why??? didnt want to upset some white folk. I am white and I was insulted

Wow, no matter what Sen. Clinton does the media will vilify her. It’s pathological hatred.
MSNBC is a joke, a misogyny-fest encouraged by a dead network desperate for ratings.
For us, the most offensive reality of this incident is that if the pimp comment had been leveled at Obama and his daughter, the whole country would be hysterically crying “racism.”
Misogyny is unacceptable and just as bad as racism. Stop the double standard of hate. Women are not going to tolerate it anymore.

MSNBC doesn’t have a locker room atmosphere. MSNBC has realized that their viewers are wise to politicians’ tricks and deceits, and they don’t want the tricks and deceits to be echoed by the anchors. This is why the Clinton campaign has been called out repeatedly, why the Giuliani campaign got laughed out of the race, etc.
Further, I’m sure a woman like Rachel Maddow would not be a fixture on a network that had a misogynistic slant.
Can someone stand up for free speech and not be so reactionary? Can we be educated enough to not take throwaway analogies literally? Move on.

I’m saddened to see that Schuster has sunk so low. I’d given up watching Chris Matthew because of his treatment of women. Not just Senator Clinton but many of the women on his show. But thought mistakenly that David was able to hold some journalist balance. Not this time. Odd that is was never said about Bush’s daughters or Michele Obama, or Oprah. It does make you wonder what has happened in the past to Matthews in relationship to Hillary or women, mom, that he would release all his venom on her.

Paul- I don’t see a hillary bias, but I see the clintons jumping on every comment and whining about unfair treatment, similar to how they complained in Vegas about strong-arming, but were the ones strong-arming. They complain about how unfair the caucus on the strip was AFTER they lost the culinary unions endorsement, even though their faithful had organized the caucus on the strip up.
The clintons had a 30 point national lead, and it evaporated. If she hadn’t cried and let people see her, she loses NH huge and is out of the race. This is a difficult but dramatic story that was covered. They didn’t invent the numbers or the story, but wondered aloud what was happening and how the clintons could stop the bleeding. Hillary’s opening was though her very public suffering while her Husband cheated on her. Unpleaseant, but also true. She raises tons of money, but Obama is doing something that has never been done, a cultural phenomenon, with 650,000 people giving an average of $206. Clinton had my vote but lost it, as has happened with most Obama supporters. That is the news, and although it sounds like anti-Hillary, it’s just the news…

Gee it seems like the posters who see nothing wrong with Shuster’s remarks are mainly men.
Barbara – don’t you see? This kind of reaction is EXACTLY what Hillary’s psychologists are trying to invoke. She wants to set us off against each other along gender lines because she calculates that a war of the sexes will be more polarized among women … hence she wins. It’s Karl Rove 1A. Do you really want 8 more years of THAT?

MSNBC has been beating up on Hillary for MONTHS. Everything she does is jeered at. This is coming from Corporate.
HUGE money is being put in by HMOs and other corporate interests to see that we do not get Hillary’s Excellent health plan.
Hillary had the GUTS to stand up to media.
Kudos to her.

This has become much too overblown. Blame Mark Penn, the CEO of one of the biggest PR firms in the world, who also happens to be the Clinton Campaign Manager. Penn and the Clintons have been manipulating and strong arming the press for some time now. Do some research folks. The evidence is everywhere. Look no further than the incident with GQ Magazine last summer.
Simply put, MSNBC has been the hallmark of campaign coverage this year–no else comes close to the level of analysis and perspective and on-air talent. Judging by the lock-step reactions from Clinton supporters that have been posted above, the Clintons decided that they had some wiggle room to attack a news organization that had refused to give them a free ride.
Frankly, I see this as just another reason NOT to vote for Hillary and send more money to Barack Obama. Which is just what I did. Every time the Clinton camp pulls one of these underhanded campaign tricks (and there have been many), another cynical effort at mass distortion, I just click off some more dollars to her opponent.
Keep it up Hilary!

What a joke. Clinton was THRILLED, not indignant, that this comment was made. It opened the door for her to play the victim card again, not to mention that it gets everyone off of the news of Obana’s victories in the Feb. 9 primaries. Got to hand it to the Clinton machine, though, they don’t miss a trick, and would totally be kicking butt, were it not for a once in a generation charismatic guy like Obama coming along.

It appears that the Clinton people cannot keep their lies straight: Did she or did she not ‘borrow’ $5 million of her own money? Did her campaign people go without their salaries or not? Did she or did she not want Shuster fired? Is Chelsea still a 13-year-old girl the press should leave alone or is she a 27-year-old woman out there campaigning for her mother, thus available to questions from the press; the same as the other candidates’ adult children? Hillary cried again tonight. She can’t control her tears and she is looking like a fool.

You people would be outraged if someone called Obama a pimp. You’d be storming Rockefeller Plaza with burning torches screaming about racism. Get real.
All this irrational frothing hatred for Hillary is misogyny. The hatred is disproportionate to anything she’s done, and she should not be blamed for her husband’s misdeeds. Lying about getting oral sex looks pretty tame compared to the true evil and illegal acts of this admin. Did Bill Clinton dismantle the Constitution, did he start an illegal war using manufactured evidence, did he illegally spy on U.S. citizens, did he ruin our rep. abroad, did he run up massive deficits leaving future generations burdened with debt? What is so terrible that Hillary Clinton has done? She has done great things for humanitarian causes, kept her campaign promises to New York, and more.
Men simply are threatened by outspoken, fearless women. Dianne Feinstein and Pelosi are feckless [look it up] – men can tolerate a woman in power as long as she isn’t too outspoken or impassioned.
And stop with the voting for Iraq war whining already. Obama wasn’t in the Senate at the time so it’s convenient for him to say he would’ve voted against it. Meanwhile, he’s voted for every measure to keep funding it, so he’s fork-tongued. He also claims to oppose the Patriot Act yet keeps voting to renew it. In other words, he says he’s against things, then votes for them. Over and over. Yeah, that’s real change and hope.

One might wonder if some of these posts are the work of GOP dirty tricksters trying to stir up and divide the Democrats – nah, we do that well enough on our own. Vote for the candidate of your choice and stop listening to the media noise. If you want to pull a hissy fit and stay home if your candidate isn’t nominated fine, just don’t complain when Johnny Mack bomb, bomb, bombs Iran.

This has nothing to do w/ sexism. NBC is as worthless as the rest. If they owe anyone an apology, it’s RON PAUL. They treated him poorly in the debates.

you people suck! Up this late arguing about politics!your voices are weak and wont matter at all!

I’m an Obama supporter, but still, I agree with her. That pig Matthews should in particular be fired…tell him to go back to Fox where that old boys school is still okay. I like MSNBC, but not the sexist part.

It is quite shameful to see Obama suppoters making comments such as those I have seen. Its funny how Obama is supposed to be retaining the support of those who are “educated”, when in fact the best comments I’ve seen are comparable to that of a sand-box argument.
And as far as MSNBC goes, I’ve never liked watching the second-rate Hillary bashing statement in the first place.
And finally Obama supporters keep calling Hillary “Billary”. Well if you don’t like the guy for what he did with Lewinsky(he couldn’t possibly be human,) then at least look at what he did for America’s economy. Bush has decided to take 450 billion out of it on an ill-planned war.

Let’s put it this way, if Obama’s oldest daughter, once in her 20s, decided to campaign for her father in the way that others have campaigned for their families (Bush’s daughters, Romney’s 5 sons, Cheney’s daughter, et al) and Shuster decided to ask:
“But doesn’t it seem like Malia Ann’s sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”
Think that any reaction such as we’ve seen would be called an overreaction?

The Shuster comment was appalling and requires not only an apology but an amendment of behavior. Though if people would just stop watching this garbage, that would certainly help.
On the other hand, notoriety is better than nothing when one has a desperate need to attract media attention. That’s my cynical side speaking.
As to women supporting Clinton, I am a 58-year-old white female who will vote for Obama in the Texas primary, and in November if given a chance. It will be my first primary-to-election support of a Democratic presidential candidate since 1980.
What’s more, I just heard from my cousin in Colorado, also a long-time Republican, who informed me that she did not accept a seat as a Republican party convention delegate because she might be voting for Obama in November. What I find really interesting is not just the independents who say they are more likely to vote for Obama, but also the Republicans who indicate that they plan to vote for Obama.

The Clinton’s represent the platitude called The American Dream. Very amazing and poignant that both Bill and Hillary come from average to modest means but used their talent and work ethic to reach the pinnacle of political power. The ‘Dream’ is a platitude because it is increasingly vacuous and irrelevant yet too frequently used to inspire belief in something with no correlation to producing financial or political success. However, when two people achieve this notion straight from the ‘heartland,’ their critics – members of the ‘Herd’ are so envious, maybe even resentful, that their diatribes are noisome cognitive vapors full of toxicity.
As for the media, I think many journalists and broadcast pseudo political analysts are ashamed of the pusillanimous manner in which courage and truth were abdicated in the face of Bush’s intended assault on our constitution and the fascist zeal he pursued to invade Iraq (if he thought war was so noble, I am confident he could have found a way to experience combat and manifest his destined patriotism during Vietnam). While 911 and Bush’s agenda to get Saddam contained an element of visceral patriotism, the function of the free press in a democracy is to stand tall and motivate the audience to question the political spittle that has done damage to our freedoms in ways not even Japan or Germany could effect in WW II. My thesis is now that national sentiment seems to resonate with my above characterizations; this media now wants to stand up against Hillary. Why do so many of our citizens need talk radio hosts to tell them who to vote for and against? McLuhan said nearly four decades ago, the Media is the Message, and it appears that Chris Mathews, Wolf Blitzer, Ann Coulter, and so many more little people want to be heroes by denigrating the rare individual or couple embracing the notions of courage, civil liberties, and bedrock presuppositions of our constitution

The remark about Chelsea was totally uncalled-for and out-of-line. It was almost as offensive as the comment by Don Imus (about the Rutgers team) which got Imus off the air for a year. MSNBC has never been able to decide whether to be far right or far left, but this time it doesn’t matter. OK, so Hillary doesn’t want Shuster fired. All right, how about three months off without pay? Years ago, when I was a boss, I used suspension without pay several times, and RARELY had to fire anyone. VERY rarely.

So,let me see if I understand how this works….MSNBC can make all sorts of nasty comments about the Clintons and anyone affiliated with them and they are supposed to suck it up and take it??? I did notice that Hillary and the press completely ignores Michele Obama’s crude remark about Hillary not being able to “take care of her private life”.As if Bill’s philandering was her fault and somehow shows her to be weak!I dare Mrs.Obama to show one tenth the grace and dignity Senator Clinton showed when her personal life was under the scrutiny of the entire world!To judge another woman in that way is reprehensible and Mrs.Obama should be ashamed of herself,yet this was largely unreported and basically ignored by the media.Go ahead,Google it.

Well, no kidding. Clinton wasn’t asking for Schuster’s head after all. Duh.
If you would have read the letter she wrote you would have seen that she was asking NBC to be more responsible in their reporting.
Can’t anybody read anymore?

I really can’t believe this is happening. Chris Matthew’s comment was offensive. But it is so common place for people in his position to make these comments about all kinds of people. If Hillary can write a letter to silence this guy, she has far too much power. Two term limits are in place for a reason. You don’t want a president so connected he or she can get journalists and commentators silenced because they talk about their family in such a way.

I believe Hilary or any women should be upset if their child is insulted. However, it seems Clinton is being over dramatic over the matter. She could have simply ask Shuster to apologize and let it be the end of it. However, she is threating to pull out of the debate in which she just agreed upon. So much for being a firm and responsible person. Imagine her making policies in the white house… no thanks, I’ll pass.

Chelsea is not a child. She is 27 years old.
Chelsea is not a private citizen. She is a polticial operative working for the Clinton campagin.
This is a freedom of speech issue.

George Bush has been personally attacked in the vilest of ways ever since he began to run for President, yet I’ve never seen him complain. He just keeps on doing what he thinks needs to be done.
Hillary Clinton sees things she doesn’t like in the media, and either flies off the handle or cries.
Which one can handle the responsibility?

Are we Americans not reputed to have a “free press?” Is this how the “free press” gets treated? An indelicate comment, albeit a comment made in bad taste and all hell breaks loose and in spite of multiple apologies, a good reporter with excellent instincts and insights gets suspended and now may be fired? I’ll stop watching MSNBC if they cave in! I will forego watching Matthews, Olberman and Abrams. I will increase my membership money at Netflix and watch movies instead. To hell with MSNBC if they cannot respect themselves as a news outlet. Jeebus! Even Fox Noise respects itself in that regard and it has not nearly the credibility.

Um… but they WERE pimping her out! Duh!

“After some conversations with folks at the Clinton campaign, I can offer some clarity — maybe — on what they’re asking NBC/MSNBC to do.”
The Clintons will still talk to you?

If people would take a look at the facts behind this story they would realize that David Shuster’s comments were on target.
Hillary and Bill Clinton had their daughter Chelsea call (lobby) superdelegates to ask them to support her mother Hillary. Now you can look at this several ways, but the most straightforward view is that the Clintons asked their daughter to lobby for votes so Bill and Hillary can claim that they are not trying to influence the nomination process.
The Clintons are possibly using their daughter as an intermediary to negotiate deals (appointments, ambassadorships, etc) in exchange for delegate votes.
So yes, the term pimping is appropriate, because at the very least they are using their daughter Chelsea to lobby support or they could also be using her to negotiate deals. Chelsea is no longer a teenager, she is an adult, she decided to put herself in a questionable position and therefore her actions should be open to interpretation and criticism.

What sick responders there are here that are taking a story about a TV journalist numb-skull (Shuster) and turning it into a platform for criticizing Obama.
I’d also like to point out that many of the comments here slamming either Hillary or Obama are far harsher than Shuster’s comment.

Politics is all about seizing the moment to make yourself look good. Hillary is a career politician. That so-called experience she says she has is coming in handy right now. Wake up people. Vote Obama!

If any one had made that exact same comment about Obama the outrage that this would have evoked would be tremendous. I am an African American man and I would have been at 30 Rock raising heck that very same day. We should wonder if and why the NBC switchboards weren’t jammed in an instant. We have sisters, mothers, wives and daugthers all of us and they deserve better than to be spoken of like that. This ugly term has become commonplace when we speak of objects but let’s not get it twisted.The women that we love AND women that we may not agree with are not objects or to be objectified by us or our news media. Senator Obama is correct on so many things and particularly when urging us that we can disagree without being disagreeable.

I can’t get over how people are trying to turn this around on the Clintons? “Just a little urban language?” Yes, we are disappointingly no longer in an age of Walter Cronkite quality, but I don’t want to see media denigrate itself to that level of linguistics… do you?
NOTE TO MEDIA: Quit stoking the fire on this one. It was an irresponsible comment – he was rightfully suspended and it will hopefully serve as a wakeup call to media to keep politically commentary on an appropriate level.. THAT is the bottom line.

I suport Obama but i think people are being way to mean about this… the guy shouldnt have said the word pimp… she’s just a daughter trying to help her mum get what she wants…
Clinton might have some big faults but this one is not her fault. the guys said sorry lets move on!
And hey thing about the word sorry………Hillary still need to say sorry for Iraq !!!!!

The Clintons are not “making Chelsea” do anything. This is a grown, intelligent woman – she is doing what she wants to do.
And note to Obama supporters who are using this negatively against Hillary: Obama’s camp came out with a statement saying the comments were “deplorable”. I hope you adopt this opinion and aim for higher standards in this election’s political commentary.

that’s what the Clintons want portrayed in the media. That Chelsea is some dumb and innocent teenager trying to help her mom.
Chelsea is 27 years old. Bill and Hillary are life long politicians. Don’t you think they know what would be perceived of Chelsea being used to call super-delegates to lobby for Hillary? Of course Bill and Hillary know how it would be perceived. Chelsea didn’t one day wake up and say I’m going to call super-delegates. Any interference on her part would have been approved by Bill, Hillary, or Hillary’s campaign itself.
Bill and Hillary are prostituting their daughter in a political campaign so that they can claim they aren’t trying to manipulate the nomination process. It’s clear as day what is taking place, and people should stop giving the Clinton’s a free pass.

I agree that they have used Chelsea to get around the rules.. thats no shocker… Its the Clinton way… The whole thing is he shouldnt have said the word pimpin’. If he said it the right way and explained it better they would have been expossed…
I know the Clintons play the victim card all the time.. He shouldnt have gave them ammo !
I know she’s a grown girl and can make her own desisions..
I prefer her to be at work like the rest of us.
But people are being to mean and feeding the monster!
I like and respect Obama i dont hate Hillary… I just dont think she should win!

MaryR can think what ever she wants she is not naive she just see’s things different! It a freeish kinda country she can if she wants to..
I do think Hillary should say sorry for Iraq. MaryR i would like to know your take on that ?

28 YEARS OF BUSH/CLINTON is TOO MUCH FOR AMERICA. 2 FAMILIES CONTROLLING THE WHITE HOUSE FOR ALMOST 3 DECADES!!!! CAN ANYONE ARGUE THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING? I DARE YOU TO TRY!

Bush and Clinton are the same monster !
They (ghw bush and b clinton) both raised money for “the tsunami victims” only it seems some of the money went “missing” Why wont Hillary release her tax records to see where the five mill really came from and has anyone looked up the names of her donors and matched it to where the money came from aand from where it was deposited ?
She says she’ll show it once she’s the nomination (once she can make her party cover it up again)
Where is GHW Bush going to spend his take ? Or is it Bush jnr’s retirement fund ? God know no one will employ him again ! well maybe Haliburton!

You can buy friends
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
1996-02-08 – Telecom Reform Act: The Telecommunications Act of 1996
eliminated major ownership restrictions for radio and television groups.
thats why the media loves the Clintons
thats why the never mention the fact Extraordinary rendition got approval for the first time in the USA from the Clinton administration 1996.

Pointman,
Again, people like you are ignoring what the real issue was that David Shuster was commenting on.
Bill and Hillary used Chelsea to lobby super-delegates so it would not appear that they (Bill/Hillary) were directly trying to manipulate the nomination process through backroom channels or deals.
Shuster’s comment was 100% accurate.

anon
I hear what you are saying. My statement about Chelsea being at fault was simply this… She is an adult and therefore responsible for her half of her relationship with her parents.
Is asking anyone (daughter or not) to do your dirty work proper? Nope.

I was a regular MSNBC viewer for years, until the misogyny and overall viciousness of the “talent” became unbearable. I watched as the network’s anchors and reporters repeatedly attacked not only Hillary Clinton but almost every other leading Democratic officeholder in terms that should be unacceptable for so-called journalists. Since the Clintons have always been the favorite target of MCNBC’s abuse, I can’t say that this attack on Chelsea was surprising.
What is surprising is that someone was finally called to account for their disgusting behavior. It has long been clear that the verbal abuse spewed by MSNBC’s employees has been sanctioned and encouraged by higher ups. There is an atmosphere in which anything goes where the Clintons are concerned. Matthews, Carlson, Olbermann, Mitchell and others have long indulged in vicious, usually baseless attacks against the Clintons, so Shuster doubtless felt his remarks about Chelsea fit right in.
It’s that atmosphere that Hillary Clinton was demanding be changed. Firing Shuster would be as useless as putting a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound. The behavior of the anchors won’t change until and unless management clears the toxic air in that place and reestablishes some sense of professionalism there.
On a separate note, it’s rather disheartening to read these blog posts bemoaning the fate of a journalist who behaved unprofessionally. Were Shuster an employee of the Golf Channel, he would have been fired for saying something similar about a female golfer (or relative of a golfer). The political press appears to want to be held to lower standards than reporters for minor sports outlets. That is shameful.

I watched the Matthews sorority sister, “I just came from Victoria’s Secret with my mew silk panties”, routine with Keith Olbermann the night of the Florida elections. Giggling and laughing like two school girls who just let their boyfriends get to first base. All because they thought the Florida delegates will not count.
It was hard to watch two professional men act like little girls. It really was time never to watch MSNBC again.

What if she was trying to galvanize female voters a little bit, so what.
You could argue that men have been playing the “gender card” all these years. The only criteria for the president for the longest time was to be a white, christian male.
I like Hillary because she’s very intelligent, hard working and has specific plans for this country… And i openly admit, there’s a part of me that really would love to have a female president..

The irony is that Hillary was justifiably angry about the comment that her campaign was “pimping out” Chelsea. However, now that this has gotten media traction Hillary is indeed “pimping” this story for own political purposes. I guess one could call that a “derivative pimp”.

MSNBC has certainly been snake pit central for this campaign but the Media across the board have been writing with rose colored glasses when writing about Obama and black colored goggles when writing about Clinton. Double standard was months ago, the media’s “bias” now is well out of the ball park and then over the state lines. I think you may have even lapped yourselves you’ve ALL gone so far passed responsible “journalism”.
Unfortunately for the country nothing’s to stop you people except the crushing weight of your own fictions. While not many, if any, of the Media’s narrative “points” resemble factual reality, the novelization of the political landscape continues apace. This novelization has burgeoned into an unsupportable, unreadable, and unviewable fictionalization of campaign and the candidates.
It is and has been for months outright well-poisoning. The media’s fictionalizing is not just a disservice to the country but an outright betrayal of the public trust.
When I turn on the news I want the NEWS, the FACTS. I don’t want a narrative, I don’t want to hear what you think would be fun or interesting IF it were what was happening. I want narrative, I’ll read a book or watch a movie.

The children of politicians have campaigned and helped their parents get elected for years. Lyndon Johnson’s Daughters, George Bush Sr children, George Bush’s Daughters, John Kerry’s Daughters, Huckabee’s Kids, Al Gore’ kids. Parents support children and children support parents that is part of being a family. Obviously, there are members of the media who have an obvious bias in the 2008 presidential campaign and they need to go back to journalism school to learn professionalism. Shuster’s comment was appalling.

MSNBC is biased and with their own agenda (after all we all have bosses telling us what to do): present this and in this way. So much for fair journalism.
Bottom line, we will get in November what the media wants (actually the power people that control the media and their journalists).

Play out this scenario. Its a little hard to do because its so fanciful:
Shuster says Michele Obama is being “pimped out” by her husband’s campaign. Barack Obama expresses outrage and writes a letter to the network.
Would the reaction be: “There goes Obama again, trying to gin up some coverage and pandering to the black voters”?
I don’t think we need to answer that question.

Almost every child of every candidate who ever cared to run for President of this republic has campaigned for and advocated for their parent. These campaign activities by offspring have been within the mainstream of society here and around the world. It is a traditional and heart warming thing to see families who work together. It takes a low life like David Shuster to pervert it. Those who are defending his nasty mouth are obviously extreme partisans of the unwashed hate Clinton mob. David Shuster has turned himself into a totem of this mob. He should be fired and the producer of Carlson’s MSNBC show canned also. Until MSNBC does something more extrovert and decisive to reign in it’s jackals who are masquerading as journalist. I will not be inviting MSNBC or any GE products into my home or living room where my young teenage grandchildren gather. Believe me their products are not so unique that I will miss them. Bad manners are never OK. The fault of low level political discourse is not with the Clinton’s or any other candidate. The fault is with the messengers.

Speaking of pimping someone out, MSNBC had Keith Olbermann offer an apology for David Shuster on his own program. At stake are MSNBC ad revenues during a televised debated and Olbermann’s own agenda to elevate is street cred as a pundit. MSNBC got worried Hillary would boycott future debates, so they march out their resident left-wing hitman to make one of the more melodramatic apologies by some one who was neither the victim or the perpetrator. For all of MSNBC’s Fox News bashing, the only thing they’ve proved is they are Fox News, and have no problem co-opting their tactics and building upon them. If facism is coming to America draped in an American Flag, yellow journalism is coming to your TV draped in colors of the NBC peacock.

The debasement of discourse by newsmen on the airwaves is appalling. Far from setting an example for the public, they are indulging in breezy banter more suited to MTV.
The decline of a civilization is well under way when people will indulge trash talk in the guise of political expediency.

i’m with RDK WORD FOR WORD. couldn’t have said it better myself.
and as far as all the accusations of sexism and misogyny re: Matthews, Russert, MSNBC…everyone has the right to their opinion. i’ve been watching these guys for years, am a fiercely independent woman and have no problem with their programs, comments. i have no problem with men. we’re in an age where politically correct has become absurd across the board. and with everything on broadcast TV all day long which is totally outrageous, why these non-issues are brought up is beyond me.
perhaps in lieu of finding anything defensible about Hillary & clan, her supporters scramble to take every little thing and make a mountain out of a molehill. it was an accurate statement, whether the word is one you would’ve used or not. and, women use far more controversial language than men do.
anyway, more manipulations by the campaign whose only asset is how manulative and greedy they really are. they don’t give a hoot about the american people. for them, it’s a power. but then, so many of us see this.

Schuster did NOT call Chelsea a “prostitute” ! He used to word/VERB, “pimping”…it’s a VERB denoting the Clinton’s ACTIONS, not their Daughters! Please, at LEAST, keep it real.

Recent survey on media bias:
OBAMA 81% positive coverage
Clinton 51% positive coverage
MSNBC & CNN were the worst in the group – as I understand
Fairness – these days watch ABC News or FOX

Frank if you read the comments here or a newspaper you would know that Obama has stcuk up for Hillary and condemed the coments that were made as have a lot of Obama supporters here! I like and respect Obama.. That doesnt mean i hate Hillary…
When is Hillary going to say sorry for this war ?

Listen, Chelsea is almost 30 years old. Grown women who get involved in the political process should expect some low blows, and need to roll with the punches without Mummy to the Rescue!
Camp Clinton is making a mountain out of a molehill for political gain

Did Mitt Romney ‘pimp out’ his sons? Is McCain ‘pimping out’ his daughter?
It is typical for Hillary Clinton to get the dirty, ugly side of politics thrown at her while ANY other candidate gets treated within the bounds of conventional debate.
The fact that Chelsea get the dirtiest hits says a lot for some men’s upbringing. From Rush’s ‘dog in the White House’ insult to McCain’s ‘Janet Reno is her father’ slur to MSNBC’s Shuster’s ghetto humor disaster….Chelsea Clinton has taken the hits aimed at her mother.
Cowards.

Brilliant that a commentator can use a sexist expression when a neutral one will do, and then everybody will defend him by bringing up old Bill scandals (real and invented), the “daughter’s old enough to smear so why not” defense, and “Hillary is just trying to distract attention”.
This is why MSNBC tried its half-hearted apology already, and why Hillary had to come back and ask not for another apology, but a real change of course. Matthews of course never really accepted his apology either. Media Matters has more:
Shuster wasn’t just complaining about Chelsea lobbying superdelegates – he had a problem with her lobbying celebrities as well, and of course not talking to MSNBC. Of course Chris Matthews kept wondering when Hillary would come on his show – maybe when they clean up their mouths and their act.

If I remember correctly, Hillary’s letter of complaint stated that a temporary suspension or half-hearted apology wasn’t sufficient. This wasn’t ‘And’; this was ‘Or’. Presumably a full-hearted apology would be sufficient.

This entire story is a result of a couple of things. 1) The media’s increasing desire to be hip and appeal to young people. If you converge entertainment and journalism, sooner or later you are going to have things like this happen.
And 2) It shows how out of touch Clinton is with her own daughters generation. “Big Pimpin in NYC,” “Pimp my ride,” “It’s hard out here on a pimp,” Kids use the word Pimp in completely non-offensive contexts all the time.
It was a foolish attempt by Schuster to appear cool. But nothing to get all worked up over. She is only trying to fire up her base and get them angry.
That said, it is probably fair that Schuster was suspended. Can you imagine what would have happened if he used this term to describe Michelle Obama on the campaign for her husband?

Media bias once again
This morning on his show Mr. Mathews has – in my opinion – shown his incredible bias towards Mr. Obama and his campaign.
Both CBS & ABC morning shows got it just about right. They treated all four candidates with equal praise and real assessment. My compliments to the news groups of the ABC and CBS networks for their superb effort on behalf of supplying the consumer with a correct analysis of the campaign facts. Both of these news organizations have shown themselves to be news organizations this morning.
Mr. Russert’s comments on Mr. Shuster – were lacking. CNN & NBC have opened themselves to questioning – in my opinion.

Now do your cry thing Billary.

I have not read all these posts, but it seems to me that no one has pointed out that the Obama campaign is busy courting these superdelegates also. I would be mighty surprised if they were not. Is this not another example of Clinton standards v. standards for everybody else?

There has been a dearth of decent journalism at MSNBC for a few years now. Obermouth and mmmMathews are flat out ideologues in journalist clothing. Neither have had an unbiased thought since Bush was elected. Now they envision Hillary as the neo-con heiress apparent and the gloves have come off against her. Cute how they sacrificed their coffee boy Shuster for this latest outrage.

First of all, why does anyone watch MSNBC (DOES anyone watch MSNBC)? For its trenchant political analysis? No. For the measured way in which its on-air personalities approach, discuss and debate the issues of our day? No. Because the viewer actually will be more informed after watching instead of less? No. You’d have to conclude that MSNBC viewers, few though they may be, prefer turgid, ego-driven, ill-informed, hate-laced bombast.
Second, except for when the Clinton’s are shielding their daughter from the harsh glare of the environment they themselves chose for her, they DO pimp her out. Remember that scene of the resolute First Daughter bridging her parents’ divide as she walked with them hand-in-hand-in-hand towards Marine One following Bill’s confessional? Chelsea star-turning stagecraft? You bet.
Third, Chelsea Clinton is no kid anymore, but a grownup woman who moves in the connected worlds of big money and big politics. The occasional media hit is part of the game and it’s time for her to handle such hits on her own (or get out of the game).
And forth, I’m tired of seeing people getting suspended, fired, whatever for being un-PC. Have they sent Shuster to diversity training or for psychological “counseling” yet? As always, it’s the employer’s decision. But NBC looks ridiculous (and like a Clinton toady) for allowing such a fuss about Shuster’s comparatively mild remark considering the crap they choose to ignore on a daily basis. Keith Olbermann alone shows MSNBC for the hate-churning wholly repugnant rhetorical machine it is and HE doesn’t get suspended. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t usually turn his sights and guns on Hillaryland. Tiresome. So very tiresome.

Media bias once again
This morning on his show Mr. Mathews has – in my opinion – shown his incredible bias towards Mr. Obama and his campaign.
Both CBS & ABC morning shows got it just about right. They treated all four candidates with equal praise and real assessment. My compliments to the news groups of the ABC and CBS networks for their superb effort on behalf of supplying the consumer with a correct analysis of the campaign facts. Both of these news organizations have shown themselves to be news organizations this morning.
Mr. Russert’s comments on Mr. Shuster – were lacking. CNN & NBC have opened themselves to questioning – in my opinion.

Whats wrong with Hillary capitolizing off of Shuster’s stupidity? Obama did it by distorting Hillary’s remarks about MLK…Yet its always Hillary’s fault. Its alwyas Bill’s fault. and in this case, its always Chelsie’s fault. She is a grown woman and has the ultimate right to tell her parents that she doesnt want to participate in the campaign. If Obama’s daughter were older don’t you think he would have her on a soapbox while campaigning for him too?
Its sad to here that Obama supporters who are allegedly “educated” come on here ranting that a well repected politician is pimping out her daughter. Your worst than the republicans.
I forsee Obama winning the nomination and Daddy Mac and the right wing elephants trampling ALL OVER HIM. Straight to the white house! And if Obama does win the nomination, I will definitely vote McCain before he tears us to shreds!!!!!

KINGWOMan- Obama absolutely loves to talk in his speeches about the wrongdoing of others. And you honestly think he would shrug off a comment about his wife “pimping” someone out? People like you think that Hillary should just bite the dust, while Obama gets to whine and distorte her comments that regard black leaders. Liberals tolerate sexism, but hate racism. I just dont get it.

Of course he wouldn’t shrug it off. But an apology for a first offense is normally sufficient—or should be. Certainly if Mr. Schuster repeats, then off with his head. Scarborough apologized and has been pretty careful not to re-offend. Give Schuster the same opportunity.

So if McCain wins, Bush will fall off the wagon? I wonder if that’s because Old George knows that revenge is best served cold and McCain’s will most certainly will be frozen solid by now.

Man, this entire kafuffle is exactly why women shouldn’t get into the political arena.
It just degrades the entire preocess. We should be focusing on issues not all these supposed hurt feelings.

>>>I have not read all these posts, but it seems to me that no one has pointed out that the Obama campaign is busy courting these superdelegates also.<<<
Correct — but they aren't using Malia or Sasha, or even Michelle (unless it's someone she knows personally, I suppose). NYT reports that former Sen. Tom Daschele, Gov. Janet Neapolitano and similar people are calling their 'colleagues' to ask for support for Sen. Obama. That's the appropriate way to do it. And if Obama *did* send his daughters or wife (with exception noted) to directly contact party leaders and ask for their support, it would be absolutely valid to ask if it wasn't somehow "unseemly" and if Obama wasn't "pimping them out in some weird sort of way". (Schuster's full comment) —- THAT'S why other candidates aren't getting criticism like this: THEY DON'T "USE" THEIR CHILDREN INAPPROPRIATELY!

Dari,
Thank you for being the voice of reason here. While I may not go as far as to say Hillary is responsible for the deaths of soldiers in Iraq, she definitely DID VOTE FOR IT. I’m not going into the whole flip/flop thing…but just own up that you did vote for it..it was bad and that’s it. Why is it no one ever admits to a mistake (except for Shuster who OWNED up to his error and apologies on air.) I’m not even saying what Chelsea is doing is wrong. JUST OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT SHE’S A TOOL OF THE CAMPAIGN. And being a tool, subject to criticism. Obama is no shining star in all this. I find NO politician without some sort of back dealing agenda somewhere. They’re human, and this is the only way you get ahead in politics. Sorry…but that’s just the truth. I like what Ron Paul is saying, but he’s not going anywhere because he DOESN’T do any of this back door deals (And yes…about a million other problems with him also..but I digress). If Chelsea wants to help Mom, then she will be subject to all the same attacks and what not that comes with the game. You don’t get to make phone calls without the consequences.

I find all this rhetoric about what is appropriate and what is not comical. The trouble and instability of this country is what everone should be focused on. The Clintons are not about change they are all about themselves. Bill optimized this by his adulterous activities while running our country. Hillary is all about power and personal gain. She has not accomplished one positive act while as a senator. The issues are going to be daunting for whoever becomes president. Voters beware we have a huge responsibility before us. Make your selection based on facts and track record not emotion.

Mr. Shuster should be able to use whatever language he sees fit. Words are in the news too much. I believe that his intent was to characterize Ms. Clinton as a tool to further the Clinton message and, as such, should be available for comment. Pimp was a poor choice but not a career ending one!

This is a great opportunity to shake some sense into the media. They should have no on-air opinions and should simply report the facts.
I say Hillary has a great opportunity here to correct one of the most glaring problems in our nation. We want the news and only the news.

Shuster’s comments were in poor taste but I can’t help thinking that a DESPERATE Clinton campaign is trying to milk this for all it’s worth.
Memo to Hillary & Bill: It won’t work. It’s time for change and Obama is the man to do it!!!!!!

NBC is out of control. I cannot believe some of the things I have heard from Shuster, Matthews, and Russert. I have heard them make inappropriate comments, laugh, and sneer at the Clinton’s.
I am soooo done with NBC over this inappropriate media biased. I actually have equated them with the downfall of this country – right along with the Bush administration. We are in serious trouble in this country, and NBC is an excellent example of why.
NBC is the WORST and trashiest media coverage available in America right now. They have done everything to smear the Clinton’s and push Obama down our throat. We cannot afford for a bunch of out of control fanatics to influence this election. We cannot afford Obama, or any new president that will need a learning curve.
Who is getting paid off here, or what is the truth behind NBC’s motives? I am sickened and saddened by the NBC coverage of this election. What has happened to NBC? Someone at the TOP should be FIRED. America we are watching the demise of a giant = NBC.
NBC why do fear Hillary Clinton so much?
Disgusted in Illinois

Is this the worst thing that has ever been said about a Clinton?
Close, but no cigar.

The comment was distasteful, but certainly not some crazy out-of-bounds question. This is an adult who her parents “shield” yet are happy to use politically (as Shuster clumsily said instead of “being used” — “pimped out”). I am a woman and fairly open-minded and what is most disturbing about this issue is for the first time I actually feel that a political campaign is trying to play politics with a news organization. Sure, MSNBC has pundits and a campaign may not like they way they talk, but for NBC to take this complaint this seriously is disturbing. It indicates a need to be in the good graces of a political campaign versus just trusting in their reporters. And if I am not mistaken, the coverage as I flip through in the last 48 hours seem to be all Clinton-glow — someone actually described Clinton as a great orator. I think NBC is being played. The apology was enough (and too much even) — this is an adult who wasn’t being insulted as much as her parents were. I plan to write NBC to let them know that I am disappointed in how they seem to be being played. Political campaigns are good at organizing letter-writing campaigns NBC — this was really pretty mildly distasteful.
Slowly but surely, I will not be voting for Clinton — and maybe not watching MSNBC. I am tired of the undue influence.

So what would be wrong with wanting Shuster and several other talking heads fired? Nothing of course.
If the democratic base gets that powerful that media out lets will fire bloviators, then good for us.
We aren’t there yet. I think that’s obvious.
That is why Clinton didn’t specifically ask that Shuster be fired.
Is there an implication in the letter that Clinton wants Shuster to be fired? Perhaps, but the denial by Clinton’s camp pretty much ends speculation that it was anything more than implication.
Now we got a headline on this site saying “Clinton Camp Backing Off Firing Demand?”.
Since we’ve already established that there was no demand to fire Shuster, this bit just seems to be a bit of provocation.
This whole thing looks like blow back. Clinton rightly goes after MSNBC and Shuster for saying something vile.
The media in general tries to find a pretext to flip this back on Clinton. So low and behold we have the letter described as a “demand” that Shuster be dismissed. The charge is based on a very loose reading of the letter and a bit of the mind reading that the media loves so much.
So the story changes from Clinton being one of the few Democrats that is able to stand up to the media, to Clinton makes unreasonable demands.

CNN got rid of their political commentators due to Obama camp.
Yet they bring in Carl Berstein who just reeks with hate of the Clinton’s and probably woman. What is the problem here?

Society has gotten to the point where when things like this are let slide they just get worse. I am sick of the media, I can barely watch it anymore. Not so with PBS, they do not have to do things like to that insult or degrade either side.
Hillary is in a tough position, it should not be up to her to decide to do the right thing and fire Shuster.
That Shuster has not been fired already without putting more onus on the Clinton campaign compounds NBC’s mistake.
Fire this guy now, NBC, and do not blame Clinton – just do the right thing.

Shuster went over the line, but when the Clintons start pretending to be victims again, I run for cover.
When will both Hillary and Bill realize that they are their most repulsive and obnoxious when they are pretending they are victims? It is pathetic.

Anyone who thinks NCS learned its lesson hasn’t been watching “Countdown” with Keith Bloberman. For the past several weeks, Bloberman has devoted the first quarter hour of his “newscast” spinning every comment from the Clinton campaign into a perceived obfuscation that exists only in Bloberman’s mercenary mind, while simultaneously exculpating Obama from ever criticism. His nightly rants have been completely devoid of any objectivity whatsoever.
I was a big fan until he decided to become a 3rd rate political hack. Nobody at NBC can be trusted anymore.