02/08/2008
MSNBC Host Suspended For Hillary Clinton "Pimp" Remark
MSNBC guest host David Shuster was suspended by MSNBC today after making the following remark about Chelsea Clinton:
SHUSTER: Bill, there's just something a little bit unseemly to me that Chelsea's out there calling up celebrities, saying support my mom, and she's apparently also calling these super delegates.
BILL PRESS: Hey, she's working for her mom. What's unseemly about that? During the last campaign, the Bush twins were out working for their dad. I think it's great, I think she's grown up in a political family, she's got politics in her blood, she loves her mom, she thinks she'd make a great president --
SHUSTER: But doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?
PRESS: No! If she didn't want to be there she wouldn't be there. Give Chelsea a break.
Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson called the remark "beneath contempt" and disgusting according to the AP. Said Wolfson: "I, at this point, can't envision a scenario where we would continue to engage in debates on that network."
Media Matters reports that MSNBC has suspended Shuster and released the following statement: "Shuster, who apologized this morning on MSNBC and will again this evening, has been suspended from appearing on all NBC News broadcasts, other than to make his apology. He has also extended an apology to the Clinton family. NBC News takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks."
Posted 4:25 PM EST by Andy Towle in Chelsea Clinton, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, News | Permalink
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I think what this whole incident shows is who MSNBC takes its marching orders from.
Posted by: Cassius | Feb 9, 2008 12:18:14 PM
Schuster did NOT use the phrase meaning to "exploit"--he would NOT have used that phrase about Romney's children, for instance. MSNBC has been showing the same contempt for the Clintons that the far right and the derisive Obama supporters have been showing. He used the phrase deliberately to diminish, derogate and dehumanize the Clintons once again.
I repeat, many other candidates children have worked for their parents. That is NOT exploitation of pimpery.
The ones who should REALLY be ashamed, however, are Chris Matthews and all the immature namecalling Obama supporters.
Posted by: Jeff NYC | Feb 9, 2008 2:15:35 PM
Clinton didn't mind the use of "pimp" when she took money at the Timbaland-organized fundraiser in March.
Seriously, Shuster was an idiot, but he certainly wasn't being misogynistic. The rage exhibited by Hillary is calculated nonsense.
John Brown
Big Pimpin in Kansas
http://johnbrownks.blogspot.com/2008/02/was-chelsea-pimped-out-its-hard-out.html
Posted by: John Brown | Feb 9, 2008 9:52:35 PM
Clinton didn't mind the use of "pimp" when she took money at the Timbaland-organized fundraiser in March.
Seriously, Shuster was an idiot, but he certainly wasn't being misogynistic. The rage exhibited by Hillary is calculated nonsense.
John Brown
Big Pimpin in Kansas
http://johnbrownks.blogspot.com/2008/02/was-chelsea-pimped-out-its-hard-out.html
Posted by: John Brown | Feb 9, 2008 9:52:58 PM
I think the bottom line here is not how the word is being using colloquially. The fact of the matter is that if David Schuster had said that Obama was pimping Michelle or Oprah, then the blogsphere and Al Sharpton would have blown up just like they did when Don Imus said "nappy headed ho." "Ho" is certainly used much more mainstream now, too, but try making that argument.
The facts are that because it is Hillary and she is a women, you all accept a lot more. Misogyny is just as disgusting as racism. It is just easier for the people to do it subtly.
Posted by: Nick | Feb 9, 2008 10:26:56 PM
Well, what he said was true. And it's not like he said "whoring."
Posted by: shane | Feb 10, 2008 9:19:05 AM
I've been thinking the same thing about the Clintons' "use" of Chelsea. If she can shill for her corrupt parents why can't anyone ask her highness any questions? Chelsea needs to have the media grill her like a steak...if she handles it then she will have earned her right to campaign for her madame er I mean her mother.
Posted by: dmherzer | Feb 12, 2008 8:52:56 AM
DMHERZER,
Thanks for proving that all you have is hatred. It's the ONLY thing that drives people like you. You and queendru have nothing in you hearts except hate. I truly pity people like you.
Posted by: How very sad u r | Feb 12, 2008 10:55:08 AM
So if I pimp out my Truck I'm making it a whore? Get real, everyone knows the meaning of that term in todays language. Besides didn't Chelsea have lunch with a 21 year old pimply boy who is a super delegate? Hmmmmmm, why didn't Hillary or Bill go to that?
Posted by: Michael | Feb 16, 2008 8:21:28 PM