The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

Obama parses his words
After four days of non-denial denials, the Obama campaign now acknowledges a conversation over NAFTA with a senior Canadian diplomat. Has Obama been upfront about the 1993 trade agreement? (11:35 AM ET) | More » Double click link below!
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Enough! Just give us David Shuster back! Unwise choice of new slang words should NOT censor an American advocate of truth! Does anyone out there still listen for meaning and intent???
If this is Hillary's vision of America, I'm voting for Obama.
Cindy S.

ALL OF THE HILL SHILLS FEIGNING OUTRAGE OVER WHAT PASSES FOR "JOURNALISM" AT MSNBC AND COUNTING "TWO OBAMA SPOKESPEOPLE VS. ONE CLINTON SPOKESPERSON ON POLITICAL SHOWS" ARE SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY IT STAGGERS THE IMAGINATION. YOU WOULDN'T SURVIVE A DAY AS AN INDEPENDENT OR REPUBLICAN--YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN SUFFERING UNDER A ONE-SIDED MEDIA BLITZKRIEG FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS--AND YOU WOULD BE CALLING FOR A COMMUNIST TOTALITARIAN SHUTDOWN OF ALL "OFFENDING" MEDIA...HEY, WAIT, MUCH LIKE THE CLINTONS & HILL SHILLS ARE CALLING FOR DAVID SHUSTER TO BE FIRED! YOU CAN ALL JUMP OFF "THE BRIDGE TO THE 21ST CENTURY" WHILE THE REST OF US COME TOGETHER TO ELECT AS PRESIDENT EITHER A WAR HERO OR THE BEST HOPE OF A GENERATION. AND BEST OF ALL, YOU AND YOUR FELLOW HILL SHILLS IN THE NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA CANNOT AND WILL NOT STEAL THE WHITE HOUSE BY FOOLING US INTO ELECTING HILLARY...BYPASSING TERM LIMITS AND GIVING US "TWO CLINTONS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE." NOT GONNA HAPPEN. THANK GOD.

To sneha_d:
Your rant about Senator Barak Obama being a closet Muslim shows clearly how misinformed and ignorant you are.
While it's true Senator Obama's father is a Muslim from Kenya, Barak is a practicing CHRISTIAN, and has absolutlely no desire or intention to promote Islamic Sheria law in our country. Our US Constitution forbids it, in any case.
Your problem is that you're SO ANTI-Obama that you believed the libelous emailed/blogged hate garbage-spam some idiot White Supremacist has been dumping onto the Internet.
All you've succeeded in doing is trumpeting that you're just another ill-informed bigot. A majority of voters in this country aren't buying that racist ranting any more.

In my view, it is David Shuster who is the story, not Chelsea or Hillary. Shuster is emblematic of the sleaze that is typical of political talk shows - including right-wing and left-wing hosts and pundits. Shuster is too dumb and biased to be an objective commentator. He is intellectually unfit to be a political pundit and too smarmy to be taken seriously. When you refer to someone being "pimped-out" you're essentially calling them a wh***. It is this attitude in the MSM and especially some of the MSNBC shows like "Hardball," "Tucker," and "Morning Joe" that the silliest and over-the-top comments are made by morons like Shuster. He is playing not to the public interested in straight-forward new reporting, but to others like himself in the MSM so he can tune in the next day and hear his name being discussed. He becomes the story. Its disgusting. Shuster should be fired first for being a moron who only like to hear himself talk, and,second, for contributing to the caustic dialogue on television. Lawrence O'Donnell should go first, however, because he has shown his true colors as a idiotic bigoted hotheaded loudmouth. He and Shuster should team-up and launch a show (Shuster & O'Donnell on MSMBC called "Loudmouths After Hours" and just call people names and rant incoherently. The ratings would be about the same anyway.

This is just so deliciously funny. Liberals talking about big bad meanies in the mainstream media. Where have you ostriches been for the past eight years? Get your head out of the sand and realize that these MSM people are not "journalists" - they are attack dogs.

Liberals love all the attacks on conservatives launched by these media bigots. When has decency and truth mattered to liberals? You feed an attack dog and it will eventually attack someone you didn't intend.

A biased media is bad - even when you like the bias. As soon as they step on the queen-mother of liberalism, you call for heads to role and people to be fired. It is so refreshing to see the media attacked by those who support attacks by the media. So wonderfully funny.

One, I think that the comment was more of a reflection on the fact that her parents will clearly say and do anything to get elected. Two, clearly Chelsea has gone from not wanting to talk to any media to giving public talks across the country. And three,this is a bid by clinton to redress the Obama attraction for young people.

What ever happened to freedom of speech? Is it there only if someone doesn't get offended?

The bottom line is that it was an off-the- cuff rhetorical question. Shuster in no way meant it literally. The Clintons ARE pimping her out. (suspend me!) The phrase means used, forced, feeling pressured, weak. These people asked the media to stay away from Chelsea; that she was off limits when they were in the White House. Now, this shy reserved young lady is out on the campaign trail. As shy and reserved as Chelsea seems to be, there is no way she came up with the idea to call the high-spirited grown up women of the View - individually - to ask for votes for her mom. And then to call Elizabeth, (a hardcore Republican), because she felt left out, so they could sit down one day and talk. What a shameless ploy to keep the Clinton name amongst women like the women of the View who were mostly undecided. It gave the impression that they were supporting Clinton by continuing to mention the Chelsea calls. Who says it was Chelsea? It could have very well been a hoax; a Clinton campaign worker; anyone. How did she get directly through to each one of the ladies? How in the world did Chelsea team up with the little squench eye Ugly Betty girl and ride around begging for votes for her mom? This all was scripted for her. She sounded like a broken record "I'm so proud of my mom, vote for my mom. She seemed so programmed. She does look "lost" in this process. After, Iowa, her expression was like "Oh, here we go, again". They have pushed her out there, and that is what pimped out means. Shuster made an observation that was dead on. This is just the Clintons way to stay out there without paying ad time. Hilly wanted to inflame mothers (votes). She finds a trap everytime, right before the votes. She has thrown women backward and crippled any idea that she is a true candidate for POTUS. She pulls the mother-card, yet, this is from a mother who readily abandoned her newborn baby and went right back to work at her law firm and felt justified in doing so. Shuster just opened the door for another Clinton publicity stunt and a way to spin sympathy votes. It really is disgusting that she, as another woman, didn't call and apologize to Monica's parents that her husband ( in a greater power than any other Boss in America) used their impressionable daughter. She was just short of being a teenager and all giggly over Billy. Hillary didn't ask the media to stop exploiting Monica. She went on her rant about everyone picking on poor innocent Billy. Shuster should just be reminded that he is on the air and millions of people are not educated enough to understand a flippant question. He made an observation that was clear: it seems that Chelsea is being sicced (maybe that's the word) on people that she wouldn't approach on her own. That's the "...in a weird kind of way"; that she is being asked to go out and solicit from the very public that the almighty Clintons asked to stay away from their daughter. She does not seem to be out there willingly. It is plain to see. Shuster was just in-the-moment of the excitement of being on air with the "Guys". He did not come off as mean-spirited, at all. Many of us have "felt" pimped out at times! Used, forced, going along to get along, etc. Working more for less pay is one big form of being pimped. If Chelsea were "in the know", she would say "Oh, mom, lighten up. It's just a phrase." She is not a little girl. She is a public figure. Subject to all that goes along with it. However, If Shuster had said the Clintons ARE pimping out Chelsea and left it out there for the connotative factor, that would have been different from just asking a question. This has nothing to do with Obama. He has no dog in this fight! This is another sad attempt by Hilly to keep her time-to-pack-it-up-and-go-home campaign going. Chelsea doesn't deserve this from her parents. Billy lied about the Nevada thing, but wouldn't allow Chelsea to be available to validate what he said "they" saw and heard. Chelsea can make calls and beg for votes, but she won't grant interviews? The Clintons are probably afraid to let her loose; unscripted and not rehearsed. Put that adult woman back in her protected world and away from human contact so no one wll say something about her to offend her mommy, thus lose their income. No way should Shuster be fired! Freedom of Speech
applied when Mrs. Give me this election even if we have to file lawsuits to keep certain people from voting, count Michigan and Florida now that they would benefit me although I signed a sworn pledge to stay away, let my vocal ex-president say anything husband fight my battles, fake a cry win sympathy votes, celebrate a faux win, make everyone believe I really care, Clinton called a man a slumlord. What a big Girl to act like a little boy to threaten to not do a debate ( take his ball and go home) if she doesn't get her way. Oh, the power of the letter and poison of the Clinton pen. She has made herself a JOKE!

Hillary is troubled anytime things are not going her way. There's no doubt that she is only using her daughter to furthur her great desire to hold the most powerful office in the world although the reporter could have made a better choice of words in his reporting.. Chelsea has heard worse things said in arguments her parents have had with each other, and I can promise you she's heard worse coming from her mothers own mouth than "pimped" when Hillary's angry. Its not a secret of Hillary's foul mouth that spews out words you would not want your own children to hear,but it doesn't stop Hillary from screaming them when she's angry. Just ask those people who worked around her when she and Bill were in the White House back in the 90's. This is all about Hillary and her great need for POWER and she'll use and say anything, and even use her mother or her daughter to get what she wants!

Ooops -- I meant:
"I think everyone - Obama supporter or not - recognizes that use of that term was very wrong and unduly insulting."

David2007: I don't think everyone - Obama supporter or not - recognizes that use of that term was very wrong and unduly insulting. We're parents too and don't have fangs or forked tails. But there are two things that make us perhaps less than outraged about the whole thing:

1) What the Clintons had Chelsea doing was NOT the normal campaigning the other candidates' children do. Any candidate, including Obama, who "used" their child or non-political spouse make calls like the ones Chelsea made to the women on The View (clearly just to get them to talk about it on air) or, most importantly, to the superdelegates (to influence their votes at convention), would be doing something out of the ordinary and "unseemly" (another word Shuster used). Any candidate who did that should be called to account. Of course, that doesn't excuse the word used, but I think it fully justifies a well-worded criticism, no matter who the candidate is (or what their gender or race!!).

2) It is very hard not to question Sen. Clinton's motivation in making a large, public stink about this. Wolfson convened a conference call to discuss it, HRC's letter to MSNBC was released to the press by the campaign, and she has chosen to link Shuster's transgression to the rather important question of whether she will participate in the scheduled debate. -- If her instinct was to truly protect Chelsea (understandably), then, as a mother, I cannot understand why she chose to endlessly trumpet it and keep the story alive. It could have been handled privately with MSNBC and Shuster, but it was not. Frankly, if Sen. Obama chose to unnecessarily make a big stink about something in a way that would bring further humiliation to his child or wife, I would question his motivation as well.

So -- perhaps it's possible that Sen. Clinton is the only one getting this sort of criticism because she is the only one doing these sorts of things.

I think it is sad that the main stream Media and Obama followers are accustomed to the double standard to an extent that the "Obama network" MSNBC doesn't even need to make an effor to appear to be neutral in their "reporting". And the followers of a "change agent/uniter" are actually saying "us are people, them are not"!

------------------------------
David2007:

Many Obama supporters in another column indicated that "what's the big deal?" about using the words "pimped out" in reference to Chelsea. What a shame that they don't mind such words when used against a Clinton. I bet you that they would be up in arms if the reference had been made to any of the Obama women, such as Oprah or Michelle, etc. There would have been such a hue and cry about being racist and blacks and on and on. But when used against a Clinton, what's the big deal?

"sneha_d" said: FACT IS, ONCE A MUSLIM ALWAYS A MUSLIM. In fact according to Sharia Law that ALL muslims practice, if a Muslim denounces his religion, he is Killed as punishment.

Are you serious? First of all, the people who wants him dead first are all the white supremecists who live in rural isolation and don't have other sane people around them to question their extreme opinions.

As much as you think he might be a "closet Muslim", you really forget that there are checks and balances to prevent a loony president from going off the deep end.

The first sign that Obama proposes anything that even remotely smells like Sharia law, there will be violent calls for impeachment proceedings. This country is not yet over the trauma of 9/11. There may be major misgivings about the Iraq War, but that's mostly against Bush/Cheney and their incompetence.

There seems to be quite enough loony Muslims to periodically wake us up to the fact that among all the millions of peaceful Muslims, there are at least hundreds of thousands who freak at Wikipedia and at Dutch cartoonists.

It only took 19 loonies to do 9/11. If there are hundreds of thousands of them, this is a tough cancer to weed out.

I don't understand what is the big deal about his comment. It's a free country, and he is free to express his own damn opinion. It's stupid and insensitive, but I would think Bill O'Reilly and Ann Coulter are far worse offenders, and nobody fires them.

I don't think he should even bother to apologize. What he should do is to do the same to Bush's daughters, Cheney's daughter, etc ...

If he is never said that Bush and Cheney pimped out their kids, then he needs to be challenged on why he didn't.

I think censorship sucks. O'Reilly and Coulter should be able to say what they want to say, but they should have to answer for it.

Cheney/Bush should not be allowed to go on only friendly TV channels and not have to answer for all of their lies. "No torture?" Bulls..t! "No permanent bases in Iraq" Bulls..t! I don't care if they say it. But they cannot get away with not having to answer for it.

Ern

Tsk TSK.

Waht I see wrong in all of this is that msnbc was one the ones that were annointing HRC, from the get go, and i didn't hear a lot of complaining. My take on her is that she thought she had it all but sewed up. When Obama came a long and slowly chipped away at her castle, she/Bill didn't like it. As far as being biased, what I learned in college is that you need to check different sources, to get to the truth. you need to check out more than 1 channel, and more than one paper /magazine. To me what this shows is one of her weaknesses. What does she think the republicans would do to her in the fall if she is the nominee? I am an independent, and I will be voting for Obama, as he is not totally tainted by politics, and represents the future. For those having a hissy fit over David Shusters comment, check the 'urban dictionary" for "pimp" Get over it.

David Shuster really put his foot into it. Why would he, or should he, take issue with Chelsea Clinton working on behalf of her mother's campaign? She is 27 years old and can make that decision for herself. Other candidates' children work in support of their campaigning parents' candidacy(s).

But I think David Shuster was trying to gain points with his MSNBC colleagues who have been disgraceful in their bias against Hillary Clinton -- especially Chris Matthews. Chris Matthews is out-rightly prejudiced against Hillary Clinton -- he seems to hate her. She never gets an even break from Matthews.

I think Shuster just tried to promote his status with the MSNBC boys club.

From now on, I absolutely refuse to listen to anymore MSNBC political commentary. When the team can learn to be objective, as true journalists are trained to be, MSNBC is not a venue I will seek out for political evaluations.

It is too bad that David Shuster took the bullet which should have been directed at Chris Matthews -- he is the biggest Hillary excoriator of the bunch.

Apologies to Pat Buchanan who maintains his decency in spite of attempts to have him join the unrelenting slaughter.

MMM

While I empathize with Hillary Clinton as one of her contemporaries, I am disappointed to see how out of touch she has become with the evolution of American culture, including language. Hillary is on track to out-McCain McCain as the candidate of the past. Maternal support for her adult daughter over the use of contemporary slang reinforces how redundant she has become in this rapidly changing world. Chelsea, you should speak up for your self, and salvage this situation by apologizing to Mr Shuster for your mother's generational cluelessness.

So this is the candidate who just a few days ago was willing to debate on Fox News?
And how do these public displays of thin skin and plays for sympathy fit with her claims of experience, strength, and leadership? Is this how policy be made and foreign relations conducted?

The lousy Clintons and their bleeding heart liberal friends do not even know the meaning of "pimp out", and if they pretend to know, they, as usual have their heads in the dirty gutter, they have always been known to be.

What are the lousy Clintons all worked up about anyway about the word "pimp out"? Go to this site to find the meaning of "pimp out":

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22pimp-out%22%2C+meaning&btnG=Google+Search.

It was rather very cowardly for MSNBC to have forced David Shuster to apoligize for using this vernacular, and taking any further action against David Shuter would be an abominable outrage. I urge everyone to send emails to MSNBC Board, urging them not to take anyother stupid action against Mr. Shuster as has been urged by Hillary Clinton.

For crying out loud: their daughter, Chelsea is not a little gal any more -she is almost 30 years old, and much older than Monica Lewinsky, when her father, Bill Clinton sexually assaulted her with cigar. Monica Lewinsky is someone's daughter (Bill Clinton should thank his stars that Monica Lewinsky was not my daughter, otherwise I would have done to him, what he did to her and other women he has sexually assaulted. Hillary Clinton cheered, and managed the campaign of misinformation and disinformation to dehumanize, belittle and humiliate the female victims of Bill Clinton's sexual assaults. Where was the outrage from Hillary, perhaps, she must have thought that those women were no one's daughters.

Cry me a river, Hillary!

Thank you to reacomm. What would Oprah say if the phrase "pimped out" was used on her by a MSNBC commentator? Do you not think his exec's would scramble to apologize all over themselves?

On several occasions I have had to cringe as I heard Chris Matthews put his particular flavor on comments regarding the Clintons. He once asked whether Bill would bring his girlfriends to the White House if Hillary was elected. This January, on the Chris Matthews Show, it took him exactly 2.5 minutes into the show to bring up the word "Monica". It is so blatantly clear that he hates Hillary and therefore his coverage and discussion of this election is impartial.

Bill Clinton says that the STORY about Obama's stance on the war was a "fairy tale" and everyone spun that up that he said that Obama's campaign was the fairy tale - jumped on Bill right away and has stayed on him since. Now MSNBC says that Chelsea is being Pimped and the Clintons need to shut up? I don't understand? You losers want to talk about cheat and steal, why not play fair with this garbage.

For the clown who would "rather vote for Bin Laden before Hillary" - you need to get a life, what a terrible thing to say. And for the other uneducated, uninformed clown with the comment about the missing furniture, I think the government spent $400K to identify that nothing was taken. Yet another lie that has lived on through the years. GET I LIFE you people who believe this stuff or go on beleiving that Elvis is still alive and 9/11 was an inside job.

Please, some of you folks seem to be off your meds on this issue. Either that or you are seriously lacking in judgement.

I have watched MSNBC, Shuster comments are part of a pattern at the network. He and Matthews have been way over the top. If Shuster returns it will be because NBC brass have endorsed his behavior; his and Matthews and Contessa Brewer and others. It's just not Shuster and Matthews - take a hard look at all the on air talent and the producers!

This outrage against the words "pimped Out" as sexist language has to be a baby boomer thing. I'm not a baby boomer, and I don't see what all the fuss is about. To those who aren't offended, "pimped out" means the same thing as "pander." The Democratic National Committee recently sent an email calling McCain "Panderer in Chief." I don't hear any outcry from Republicans that the DNC is accusing McCain of selling women. I also don't hear Hillary denouncing the DNC for using such "degrading language" and telling them to keep the "discourse civil and appropriate." I presume that's because the word "pander" has lost it's sexual connotation for baby boomers, while "pimped out" has not.

I have a question for all those who were offended by the phrase "pimped out." Would you be offended by the remark if Shuster had said,"Doesn't it seem as if Chelsea is being pandered for votes in some weird sort of way?"

I really would like to know if that phrasing would make a difference to you or not.

I'm sure this huge s##t storm over such a mundane incident as a reporter making a politically incorrect remark really impresses our military members fighting and dying overseas as to the caliber of a candidate that could become their commander. God help us all if this is the depth of the debate to win the most important job on earth. shame.

I find alot of what I read as viewers comments disturbing. From the viewers comments on a Black Muslim in the White House to the "pimping Out" saga. This is not a forum to slander but to voice opinion. To, fabricate information and not look at the facts is ludicris. I am a white male in my 40's with a family. I will vote for obama. Not because hes black or the he's NOT a woman, but becuase he has the heart, mind and soul to bring america to a better place. We the public are the ones slinging the mud at each other and the candidates. One viewer commented that Obama is sexist. Well i live in the state of Illinois and find that to be the farthest from the truth. He has done alot to promote the growth of women, just look at his wife. WE should all stop making it personal and look at the issues. My concern is that we have lost sight of the importance is the issues to focus on the slandering of the other party; whether it be republican OR democrat. My vote comes down to TRUST. I like what Obama and hillary have to say. They have passion. McCain has opinions on issues but i dont feel he is balance or well versed. Huckabee would bring us back to the times of the Salem witch trails if he had the chance. There is NO place for religion in politics. We cannot base our leadership on religious influences as Huckabee surely would. Remember to separate church and state. I am the son of a lutheran minister and have strong religous beliefs; but i will not base my moral issues on the religous aspect. We have to look at what is the right thing to do. Being a straight married male, I believe that gay people should have the same rights; not because of my religous views but because of what the law states. That all men are created equal. Women should not being discriminated against either. When i hear racial fueled comments i cant help to wonder when we we all not see race but acknowledge it. Can a black man not run without being called black. Must a mans words and beliefs be based on the color of his skin or if he is a women, or if he is gay for that matter. Vote for the person not their DNA. So when it comes to trust I have one final word to say.... WHITEWATER

"Hillary also did not call for her husband to step down from the campaign, when he was making subtle racist remarks about Obama in South Carolina."

What were these "subtle racist remarks" you are referring to? Because I think it's inherently racist to scream "race!!!" every time somebody mentions drug use or anything relating to Jesse "Hymietown" Jackson -- who is indeed part of the Obama team.

The idea behind Hillary Clinton's actions towards MSNBC is that where the published word is concerned -- and that includes the broadcast word -- people really do need to keep a civil tongue. It doesn't persuade anybody when one uses words like "pimp" "dirtbag" and other epithets seen in this very thread. Frankly, whenever I see the word "Billary" in a posted message, it instantly tells me that the writer is a stupid person trying to be "clever" -- and I don't read any further.

The Clinton's are getting what they deserve. They're a family of dirt bag hillbilly criminals. Being called out for all their dirty tricks, lies, and criminality is what the media should be doing. Otherwise this family of dirt bags could end up back in the White House. God knows we don't need that. Not after 8 yrs. of Bush. Our nation needs time to heal.

What's the story here? Surely it isn't Hillary pimping out Chelsea. Hillary has been pimping that ugly child every chance she gets. I guess the real story is seeing the effect "truth" has on Hillary. It drives her over the top. Must be why she never utters anything truthful.

Anyone who stakes their life and living on words and their meanings should know etter than to use a phrase that has such a negative connotation, never mind what popular usage may or may not exist at this time. As for his defense that the phrase merely meant Ms. Clinton was being used to further a parent's political career...since
when is that news, no matter what the spin? Families routinely campaign together. And are there so many people out there who, if their mother had the chance to become the first woman president of the U.S., would not support her and vigorously campaign on her behalf? Come on! This guy failed in the prime area of his job, kids on the campaign trail...just not news! And his thought was too
ill-expressed to be defensible, even if there was something "newsworthy" to be expressed.

Almost every child of every candidate who ever cared to run for President of this republic has campaigned for their parent 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.

I don't believe the Hildabeast would be stomping her foot if Schuster had said this about Obama's daughter. She is just using this for free publicity...How would she feel if the media didn't pay any attention to her at all and never mentioned her on the air.
The problem with the Clintons is they have always played by a double standard. she claims she understands the middle class because she is one of them.She believes that the American people are stupid and have no memory...But how many of you remember when a few short years ago they were broke and had to raise money to pay for their defences in whitewater.. and now on a senators salary she loans her campaign $5 million. No wonder she is the only candidate that won't disclose her tax returns.. She claims that she has experience helping Bill ..but yet won't disclose the papers and notes of hers from his presidency.. she claims they are private ...which they are... unless she wants to use them as eveidence that she has the experience.. I say MSNBC should never mention her name again.. unless she buys advertising on their network

I never thought I'd use these words, but Hillary Clinton is right. Between Chris Matthews and this creep MSNBC's coverage has been incredibly lewd and sexist and unprofessional.

But I'm still not voting for her.

I think that David Shuster's apology was enough. Frankly, I agree that his comment was accurate, that Hillary was using Chelsea, and not disparaging to Chelsea.

I also think that Hillary is being quite hypocritcal in demanding further discipline against Mr. Shuster. Remember the Bob Johnson incident? Bob Johnson said:
"I am frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood that I won't say what he was doing but he said it in his book."

After this comment, Hillary defended Bob Johnson, her surrogate, and said that he was not speaking about Obama's drug use and that she believed his apology, which was:

"My comments today were referring to Barack Obama's time spent as a community organizer, and nothing else. Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect. When Hillary Clinton was in her twenties she worked to provide protections for abused and battered children and helped ensure that children with disabilities could attend public school.n That results oriented leadership -- even as a young person -- is the reason I am supporting Hillary Clinton."

Hillary also did not call for her husband to step down from the campaign, when he was making subtle racist remarks about Obama in South Carolina.

I am a woman who wishes that I could support Hillary, but I simply can't. Her willingness to do or say anything to win, and her history of distortion gives me great concern. I know too many people, many of them women, with a gut hatred of her, even though such level of feeling seems to be irrational. She is unelectable in the general election.

I think that David Shuster should be back on the air.

should msnbc fire David Shuster for the comment that he made about this Chelsea I will never along with many friends never watch NBC, MSNBC ever again

Are the comments here reflective of a cross-section of America? If so, it is getting to be a very nasty place, full of anger and hate. Why is this? 9-11 and the Muslims have nothing to do with this. It's homegrown. Where has it come from and where is it going?

The problem isn't what was said to whom but that low class vernacular is permeating educated speech. It's interesting that this language sounds good to us, but it belongs to the streets, not educated discourse. However, that doesn't stop marketing from using it. On a recent trip from my rental car to the airport, the shuttle had an ad suggesting we "pimp" our rides... Why use this language when it is so degrading? I have a sense of humor like others, but there are times and places for such speech.

Hillary is "likeable enough" according to the sexist Obama, and now Chelsea is "being pimped" according to the sexist Shuster. I see a serious pattern toward Hillary Clinton, but not a pattern that hasn't been around for centuries. It is called sexism, the kind where men degrade women just because they are women. I wonder, do any of these people or any of Hillary's critics ever actually listen to her plan to fix what is broken in America? She has some really great ideas and an unbeatable game plan to get America back up and running again. Does anyone care about that? or has the mental illness contracted from the diseases that is MSNBC and CNN rotted everyones' brains beyond repair? Please listen and learn from the candidates themselves before you judge them and stop getting your info from the media slime and sexist people.

Hillary is "likeable enough" according to the sexist Obama, and now Chelsea is "being pimped" according to the sexist Shuster. I see a serious pattern toward Hillary Clinton, but not a pattern that hasn't been around for centuries. It is called sexism, the kind where men degrade women just because they are women. I wonder, do any of these people or any of Hillary's critics ever actually listen to her plan to fix what is broken in America? She has some really great ideas and an unbeatable game plan to get America back up and running again. Does anyone care about that? or has the mental illness contracted from the diseases that is MSNBC and CNN rotted everyones' brains beyond repair? Please listen and learn from the candidates themselves before you judge and stop getting your info from the media slime and sexist people.

Yes, David Shuster had a lapse in taste. Yes sometimes Chris Matthews gets a little icky with females. But Shuster has been an excellent journalist over his time at MSNBC and it would be a shame if his career was ended by a momentary lapse of judgement, and you know that a lot of Bush Cheney fans would cheer at that, after all Shuster was among the very few who called B.S. on them during these last 7 tumultuous and democracy damaging years. I think the Clinton camp are milking it for some kid-glove treatment in the last days of a very close primary. I hope MSNBC doesn't cave, and of course they should also keep an eye on the tone and language.

I wanted to ask MARTIN EDWIN "MICK" ANDERSEN of Churchton, Maryland, why he has "three pre-teen daughters" "thanks to Hillary's husband." Did Bill act as his surrogate, or did Bill just stimulate him three times?

Other than that, avoid reading comments by "princep" on this or other sites unless you enjoy vomiting.

"Pimp" is in vogue among some of the young these days, and the meaning can be positive (e.g., "Wow, man, what a pimp set a wheels!"). I'm sure that pimp David Shuster on that pimp channel MSNBC was just being pimping complementary. After all, as human beings, he and his channel (along with Bush, Cheney, DeLay, Rove, Rice, Men's Room Larry, Abramoff, Scooter and all the other cast of Bush drama characters) are all pimp by me!!

I will not defend Shuster's comments. He spoke like young people speak these days. It's like when we were young and we started using bad to mean good and somewhere along the way "ass" has been added.

I work with young people who don't seem to know a loine exists.

In any case, this looks like Hillary using the comments to get more publicity for her campaign. SHE's OUT OF MONEY!. That doesn't make the comment right, but that's the way I see it.

As a mom like Hillary, it's just but natural to be upset if someone uttered a derogatory remarks to your child especially on national television.
The Clintons may not be perfect, but who is?
Most of us enjoyed a very abundant ECONOMY during the 8 years of the Clintons. We had surplus then and how about now? Think people! It will take another Clinton to clean the mess we're in. With her experience and knowledge, I'm sure she'll do good. I just switched from independent to democratic so I could vote for the Real candidate not an orator.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE, BABY!! It wasn't Hilary's letter as much as the thousands of calls and emails that MSNBC got complaining about first Chris, and now Shuster. Don't forget Don Imus and his double wammy--racial slur and sexism!!!

Opps-Looks Like Hillary got caught raiding Chelsea's cookie jar...again

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 support Obama and I think the 'pimp' comment was derogatory and uncalled for. As a mother, Clinton's comments about being a mother resonate with me. However, the 'troubling pattern' Hillary is refering to is no more than the fact that she cannot count on the media to run her coronation on every page every day. Hillay is losing, and she is a very poor loser. She talked about being the strongest candidate, but she plays a victim card every chance she gets. She has taken to copying every facet of Obama's campaign, from the slogans to the policy to the stance on stage. It looks phoney on her. As a 50 year old female, I have Clinton fatigue. Give it up, and give us Obama.

The press is anti-Clinton, i watch it every night on the 6 pm news, the big question is why. Everyone knows a black man won't be President this year, but the Press continues to build Obama up & trash talk about the entire Clinton family. If the press is going to call anyone a pimp, it should be Obama, it's in his genes. The press is feasting off the racial issue, they do anything to sell newspapers, even slander the Clintons daughter. What happened to all the trash talk about President Bush ? Amazing how many people are influenced by some dumb reporters remarks. Has America turned into a country of sheep, are we nothing more than followers, don't we have our own opinions ?. Baaaaaa at all the sheep

Hillary is now using her daughter more to get publicity.

This is why she was overwhelmingly sleazy on the MTV/MySpace debates. She would pimp out her own mother to get what she wants.

Poor Chelsea. Can you imagine being raised by these two. Therapy is definitely in her future.

whiner

The only troubling pattern is that the Clintons find it necessary to pull a stunt before every major primary. Don't they have any leadership qualities or are they hoping for the pity vote (which does not take care of people)?

For all of you who doubt that there is an extreme anti-Clinton bias in the media in general and in MSNBC in particular, check out this story at Media Matters: http://mediamatters.org/items/200802080011?f=h_top

'Clinton Calls Shuster Comment Part of 'Troubling Pattern'' --It is. See: Tell MSNBC to Stop the Misogyny!
http://www.legitgov.org/rectenwald_msnbc_on_matthews.html

Everyone seems to miss the important message here. The situation has arisen, this early in the contest, that Hillary and Bill can't get the superdelegates to talk to them on the phone and are sending Chelsea to lobby the superdelegates in their stead. They have both destroyed their own credibility by the nasty, bratty way they have behaved so far in this campaign.

Imagine the spactacle of a leading candidate for president throwing this sort of a tantrum and threatening not to participate in a network debate because she doesn't like the way the press talks about her.

Get a grip, Hill. It's Obama's weekend of triumph and you should just contain all your whining. Time to call off your insane attack dogs from these comment boards as well.

Like sand through the hourglass...
...... so go the days of our lives.

It worked in New Hampshire and I am sure it will work here too.

No one is objective when comes Election time, because voting is not a rational thing. And no one knows it better than Hillary Clinton: for all her talk about "substance" and "experience," the senator has been capitalizing again and again, any which we way she can, from anything that will elicit empathy from the Novellas and Soap Opera demographic. And why shouldn't she, it works doesn't it?

Her campaign has always been focused around her name. To keep her campaign alive, she has to keep the controversy - any controversy - alive. And make sure it remains all about HER and her "underdog struggle" against the "establishment." A strange act and a tough story to sale considering that for all practical purposes she started this campaign as the "incumbent" and everybody looked at Hillary Clinton (herself included, admittedly) as the crowned queen of this primary which was supposed to be but a formality.

The senator has been doing well with the novella demographic, she knows her role, and plays it well: the strong mother, the persevering wife, the wife who withstands the humiliations of a sexually immature husband... and lives on, despite overwhelming odds, to become the next president of the US.

People love stories. As I said, the way people vote is not always rational. And in a way, it's hard to blame the senator, for all I know, she might indeed be that strong mother and persevering wife in which some people are recognizing themselves - as I am sure she is.

But then, again, what of Senator Barack Obama? He has not been the enemy, here - not on this. He is not that "male chauvinistic pig" against which we often have the feeling that senator Hillary Clinton wishes she would be running against. (Things would be so much easier, for Hillary Clinton, then.)

Don't get me wrong, it's well and good to speak against sexism.

But then again, what has that to do with the senator's campaign against her political opponent?

While there have been those who support the candidacy of Hillary Clinton for no other reason that she is a woman (you know who you are), you know, I see nothing wrong with that, if this is the way one chooses to look at things, well, that's anyone's choice (it's not my choice, but, hey, this is America, to each, his or her own.) But, then what of that word that has been thrown around, again and again: what of sexism? Isn't it sexist to discriminate against a candidate, any candidate, but especially a candidate like Senator Barack Obama, who has been from day one the real underdog in this campaign, on the sole ground that he is male?

Barack Obama is not David Shuster.

And Barack Obama is not Chris Matthew.

While I understand how the Clintons campaign wish they would be running against David Shuster or Chris Matthew, they are not. And no amount of wishful thinking on their part will make it so. Spinning, though, might, or so they hope.

I think both Hillary and Bill Clinton are surprised by the Obama phenomenon which have been catching them off guard, and understanding it, they do not.

"You know something is happening, but you don't know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?" asked Bob Dylan on Highway 61 Revisited.

In a way, I feel sorry for the Clintons. And I most especially feel a strong empathy toward Hillary who has worked so hard to be where she is today. Think about it, here is a person who has devoted most of her life toward the goal of being one day the next American President. It is hard to run against something one does not understand. Hard to think that one is out of touch with the current Zeitgeist. Hard to come aware that people are tired of the past and want something else, something that you no longer represent. Hard to see people looking at a future that, for all your years of experience (or maybe because of all those years of experience and compromises) you cannot see.

Better to try and run your own Novella then. If this were a Novella, who would I be rooting for? I do not know. If Barack Obama was a villain, I would be rooting for the female hero, of course. And, this moment we are experiencing would be a great cliff-hanger. As the season would resume, we would find out that Hillary Clinton made it to the White House, after all, just in time for the next installment of "Clinton Dynasty." Next, one can imagine, would come the rise of Jebb Bush, etc.

The thing is, this is not a Novella. Or, at least, I sure hope it isn't.

This is the real world. Barack Obama is not a villain. And this is not about the Clinton dynasty - or, at least, I sure hope it isn't (though it does sometimes seem very much like it.)

This is about America.

And when America has spoken, I sure hope we do, at long last cross the Bridge to the 21st Century.

Bill Clinton spoke of that bridge (and never crossed it.) And the Bush administration did everything it could to burn it down.

The bridge is still standing though. All that is missing is a will to cross it. Barack Obama has been seeming more and more like the leader who can inspire this nation to cross it.

I hope we do.

Or, else, well, there is always those Novellas.

Here is hoping that 2008 won't be another Novella.

Here is hoping we can all break with the past, and move, at long last, into the real world!

oops....has had said about him...

Look at what the current President has been said about him. Troubling, all of it is....she might as well get use to it if she expects to President of the United States. That may be the sad part nowadays...

All you angry young people are filled with hate. Oh, and you also sound like a bunch of ranting obsessive compulsives. Get a job, lay off the weed, and grow up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAPD8COEPnc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb2EtzXqzJM

For all you people that think Bill Clinton went in to 'clean up' after Bush senior, you might wish to rethink recent American history, or at least think it through more completely.

The sea-change was from Bill Clinton to the current Bush. You might recall that there was some outrage over someone's personal behavior in the Oval Office? If you want to start casting blame for George Bush, you might start with the two people that did more than anyone else to get him elected; Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton.

Some of you remember the Clinton years as all glory. That's like remembering the Middle Ages while forgetting inconveniences like the plague. While Bill was in charge, the democrats lost control of congress, the U.S. failed to respond effectively to a series of escalating terrorist attacks, the Rwanda Genocide unfolded while the Bill Clinton stood by, and an expanding economy that was inherited from the prior administration was turned into a contracting one and if I recall probably, was actual in recession as Bill Clinton shamefully stamped his final days in office with PardonGate. Let's not go all crazy thinking these were eight unbelievably great years. If we are going to pick talent from the past, I have news for you . . . you can do MUCH BETTER than Clinton.

But wakeup. It's not about the past. It's about now, and it's about the future. In all six national polls that are currently availabe, Obama now matches up better than Clinton does against McCain. Keep your eye on the prize. Obama can win handily. Hillary will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

One thing seems apparent: Obama supporters seem to be getting more and more mean spirited, hateful and nasty.

George Bush's daughters campaigned for their father. Was he pimping out his daughters? John Kerry's daughters campaigned for him. Was he pimping out his daughters? No they were not. That is an outragious disrepectful comment and any parent should be upset. The lack of respect, decency, professionalism, and neutrality of the media in this campaign reminds one of the Jerry Springer show.

Obama bin Laden, has hijacked the media and the internet blogosphere and brainwashed the younger democrats. I want Osama to win the democrat nomination, so that I can become the PRESIDENT OF USA.

JOHN

Obama is a dumb airhead negro. Ooops, was that offensive? I take that back. But honestly, he should stop pimping out his butt ugly monkey faced-wife. Vote McCain '08.

Well, to be fair: $600 x 300,000,000 Americans is quite a bit of money.

twinkley, the only difference is that all those you mention are fair game to the press, yet for some reason, chelsea is off limits.

Plain and simple, the clintons are using their child for their own personal benefit...not hers, but theirs. maybe "pimping" is a rude word to use, but it is what it is.

Why would a super delegate take a call from chelsea clinton and listen to her try to get them to vote for her mother? would a super delegate take your call or any other passionate citizen? of course not, she is only qualified because she is the daughter of billary, but if she gets in the ring, she needs to be open to scrutiny just as any of the relatives you mentioned.

MSNBC is no more reliable a news agency than the National Enquirer. I no longer view the mainstream media as a place to go for reports on the facts.

In the good ol'days there were events, and the news reported on them. Today, there are only individuals who use events to promote themselves and support their corporate sponsors.

I had to laugh as I watched the super-Tuesday coverage... you'd think any of it mattered.

The results of the American people voting only show their confusion and inability to know who or what to believe.

At least Mrs. Clinton is at least awakening to the fact that the media does not serve her interests, and is part of the problem with our country.

People like Chris Wallace, George Stephonopolus and the likes are making their personal opinions the story, and the people are left not ever getting to hear what they need to hear to make intelligent decisions.

You only have to look at the reigning President, how could a country be so stupid as to elect him?

Its the media, stupid. Disinformation, censorship, and slander. What you end up with is a disenfranchised electorate acting on half-truths and half of the information.
That's how you get a President with half a brain, and a Congress who have decided how to solve the economic crisis by giving you 600 bucks.

To think we pay them 150,000 dollars a year to come up with a 3 trillion dollar budget to give you back 600 dollars.

What this country needs is a good depression, and its coming.

A lot of you need to get over a term that has been appropriated by the younger generation to mean something entirely different than it does for us old fogeys. I can't believe the overreaction to this term. It certainly doesn't rise to the level of insult that so many of you are trying to make it rise to. And you are ignoring the advantage to the Clinton campaign in keeping this story going, especially this weekend when she is getting badly beaten in the primaries.

Please remember that this woman is running for president of the US. Her actions and attitude do not inspire confidence in how well she can handle the job--throwing a tantrum when things don't go her way, when the news media doesn't play by her rules, when she isn't getting exactly what she wants, when outsiders do not follow her rules: is this really the person we need in the WH?

Can someone state here, and I mean objectively, what Hilary has done in her life to deserve such hatred? I will like to educate myself because sometimes I feel I am the only stranger in Jerusalem.

As a father of three girls, I have always asked my children to study hard, be strong and independent and reach for the skies. Do other fathers tell their daughters the same and if they do, are they actually saying "I want you to be like Hillary"?

Something doesn't add up, isn't it?

Wow!

Have we forgotten the Hillary of old?
She has fought so hard to keep her daughter out of the political spot light, (until NOW!). Toss your kid in and she is free game. PERIOD..

But, I give her credit for using the MOMMY CARD, good move HRC.

The Clintons are the rulers of dirty politics, they do not deserve a free ride.

They are pimping their daughter out. Get over it. They want a victory, and as they have always done, they are willing to do anything to get it.

Same old #$&%!, time for a new way of doing things.

Are all the other children of candidates throughout history "pimping" for their parent? Is Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver, Orah, Michelle Obama, "pimping" for their relative and new friend?
It is disgusting the degree of hostility and ignorant personal attacks made against this female presidential candidate. It is not news reporting. It is personal, collective catharsis that some people in this country cannot abide the thought of an intelligent competent woman presenting herself for the presidency of the USA and probably more capable than any presidents we have had in the last 20 years.
Of course, this particular network has a history of vulgar, rude remarks about women...wonder what is their problem......

Shuster's comment pales in comparison to media comments about the two Bush daughters (see for instance the Post's own Style section.) Imagine the media uproar citing Freedom of Speech if Bush ever called for any reporter to be fired. If Mrs. Clinton wants to be President, she will need a much thicker skin.

1. Hillary has enough surrogates that if she truly wants to protect her almost-30-year-old daughter, there's plenty of other campaign chores the young woman can do while the surrogates do the rest.

2. Perhaps it's not so much "bias" as "baggage." Hillary has baggage, LOTS of it - a fact that her supporters conveniently ignore and that independents, undecideds, and clearly the media won't. (As for Chris Matthews, you really can't make an anti-Hillary case against him. That idiot is just an entrenched misogynistic blowhard to ALL women. Just look at the patronizing way he talks to Andrea Mitchell.)

3. More "pity-me" (which by the way is SO anti-feminist) from someone who claims to be "ready to take on the Republican Attack Machine," but yet can't hold it together when she thinks she's losing an election or when a reporter makes an inappropriate remark.

The more I get to know her, the less and less I'm liking her as a candidate.

The meaning of "pimped" in the context of Shuster's remarks is much milder than the outraged readers here apparently understand. Note, for example, the idiotic but harmless MTV show "Pimp My Ride." Does anyone seriously think this refers to the use of a vehicle as a prostitute? The language of the street doesn't remain long in the street these days. Thanks to modern media, it spreads like a wildfire and quickly becomes standard usage in middle-class society. If you doubt or misunderstand this fact, you are either naive or dense.

As deplorable as Shuster's comments are, is even more sad to see some of the comments posted here. The level of hathred and double standands coming out of the obama followers is scary. is this the change we are asking for? is this the kind of America will have? run by unfinished, inmature individuals. Until when are we going to condemn and tried to justified this kind of demeaning behaviour? Nobody complained when Chelsea, together with the Gore ladies and even Carolyn campaign for Gore?. Chelsea has all the right to campaign for her mother the same way that others do for obama. Hillary has the right to defend her daughter.

"I told MSNBC that David Shuster should be FIRED - suspension is just not enough. "

If I knew the lawyers the Clintons know, I'd parlay this into a majority board position on the network, bankrupting fines for Shuster after paying whatever he's worth as a settlement, after calling my daughter a prostitute.

I would stop short of seeking prison time for him, since Slander is not a criminal offense.

I don't care for Hillary's politics but the person who made that comment about her daughter should be fired.

Professsor Lois Dubin of Smith College, Mass. has written a letter to MSNBC responding to Shuster's offensive comment regarding Chelsea Clinton. Professor Dubin doesn't take sides between Obama and Clinton, but she has strong words for the media's continuous blatant sexist and misogynist attacks on Hillary Clinton. To read more, go here:

http://katalusis.blogspot.com/2008/02/msnbcs-schuster-ignites-latest-media.html

The English language is sufficiently full and rich to allow those with a command of the language to make their point without descending into the street vernacular. Should the writer not have sufficient command to accomplish this, perhaps they should seek another career. (I hear Home Depot has shovels on sale).

Professsor Lois Dubin of Smith College, Mass. has written a letter to MSNBC responding to Shuster's offensive comment regarding Chelsea Clinton. Professor Dubin doesn't take sides between Obama and Clinton, but she has strong words for the media's continuous blatant sexist and misogynist attacks on Hillary Clinton. To read more, go here:

http://katalusis.blogspot.com/2008/02/msnbcs-schuster-ignites-latest-media.html

Does this country feel joy in debasing women? Is sexist discrimination acceptable?Here you have a candidate who has come this far on her own steam. A woman who is capable of making the world look up to her. Instead of supporting/admiring her we have a bunch of insecure males (and females)who insist on dragging her through muck. So much so that even her daughter seems to be fair game. Why isn't the press looking at female family members of other male candidates? America is SUPPOSED to be a developed country which prides itself on being a world leader and yet in it's 200+ year old history there hasn't been a single female head of state! Is this acceptable to the proud citizens of this country? Even developing countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Phillipines can proudly say that they are not emasculated at the idea of having a female head of state, so why should this developed country be? Isn't this food for thought?

I have been watching MSNBC for the past six years. I have enjoyed it until this past year. Imus has been replaced with this sicking show with some self serving loud mouth control freak blonde who is all over the host Joe Scarborough. She butts into all conversations to give her two cents work, make noises and grunts when she doesn't agree with the ansews given by guests. Eats food and talks on a cell phone while on air. She must be from a trailer park somewhere.
Then Chris Matthews has started this love affair with Obama. It is so obvious he is just sickening.
I fear my favorite show, "countdown" with Keith Olberman is heading that way as well.
I am changing the way I gather my political news. NPR. I love the way they are so UNBIASED and have DIFFERENT guests on the provide all points of view. Keith is always slamming Fox News as well he should, but it looks like MSNBC is making noise as well.Here's to a better way to getting UNBIASED AND FAIR INFORMATION!!!

"Wow, they are milking this for all it's worth...apparently they think these kinds of emotional displays and distractions are the only way they can win this primary."

If I go on national television and accuse your daughter of being a prostitute, you will say nothing?

Don't a Golf Channel Anchor have to publicly apologize for using the word "Lynch" when referring to Tiger Woods??

I have a daughter and if someone spoke publicly about her that way, I'd be looking to beat their ass...

Nice to see a Dem. who knows how to fight!!

"F" MSNBC

Foul comments concerning young women from respectable families are inexcusable. Thank God that I was not in hearing range or there could have been an injury to the crude rude. My family still defends the honor of decent girls, even at the expense of a pop in the mouth and resulting trouble. At the least an apology is due and perhaps a tongue should be branded since ear lopping is illegal.

Everytime She Feels She's Slipping in this Campaign, There's another Display of Grandstanding by Ms.Clinton. I really don't feel she's got the incline to be our next President. Just Old Tactics as Usual. Oh,and I wish Someone would open there Eyes to The BIG Difference in How these two Candidates get there Campaign Money. The People (Obama) and Big Corporations(Clinton).Because if SHE DOES WIN ! She's gonna have a WHOLE LOT of FAVORS To PAYBACK!!!!

Fair is fair. The comment was absolutely inappropriate. It shouldn't matter that it was made about the daughter of a candidate that is a Republican or a Democrat, one that you admire or one that you despise. Comparing the daughter of ANY candidate's legitimate campaign efforts to prostitution is not just ridiculous; it is outrageous and deeply offensive.

Posted by: makleyj

HILLARY...SHE 27 YEARS OLD. IF YOU DONT LIKE THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.

Unless you can show to a legal standard that she is a 27 year old *prostitute* then using the word "Pimp" in this situation was plain slander, and the network is going to pay for it dearly. I'm sure the letters have already been delivered to the execs and to the FCC.

This tempest is Hillary's way to dull the shine of Obama during this weekend when he is winning in all the major elections. By creating a scandal out of an unfortunate selection of a word, escalating it into blackmail to take punative action or risk her withdrawal from the debate, and now her broadside attack against MSNBC is a political ploy.

Hillary is not above using her daughter to advance her cause. And look at all the good-hearted folks who have been taken in by this woman, who never once realized that this was just a political move by a master games player.

I doubt this would have gotten so much attention from the Clinton camp if it were predicted that she was going to win this weekend.

And if she isn't predicted to win in the next election, she'll come up with some other annoyance to steal the spotlight and hide the fact she is losing.

To judge the innappropriateness of the comments, the entirety of the piece needs to be taken into account. To begin with, Shuster opens the segment by questioning the proper upbringing of Chelsea, a very clear hint at the question he was to pose. His point in the introduction: that the Clinton's have an ethics problem as well as morality problem.

Then he lets the question loose. To use the phrase is one thing, but to then let the reference linger by adding "in a weird sort of way" makes it clear that he wants to associate Chelsea with the prostitute label. The question elicited immediate laughter as it brought to mind old men receiving a solicitation over the phone from a young woman, presumably something that isn't all that unusual for an inside the beltway lifestyle.

Basically, the point was that sex appeal was being thrown at the Super delegates to charm them onto Hillary's side. The counter to that view, the proper image that one should get out of this is the most straightforward one: that Chelsea is reminding the Super delegates that they shouldn't consider Obama as the only voice for young voters.

Shuster's lame attempt to deny the "pejorative" releases yet another insult, now towards the viewers, because most of them won't know what the term means. It was the "me" generation dodge that we all have grown up to witness: the classic "I didn't do what you think I did because if I had, I wouldn't be talking about it."

The problems in this country are also brought on by the media who use emotion, opinions, derogatory comments, etc.. to color our news. Enough is enough. Bring back the days of Walter Cronkite and restore the founding father's original intent for freedom of speech.

dederer12:

What's your definition of a "pimp" then?

Hey, MSNBC is only pimping the democratic process to make a buck. No surprise here.

Why not talk about how Obama pimps his wife - or Cheney pimped his daughter for Bush. The knife cuts both ways. But either way, this is truly disgusting and a clear sign of the moral abyss NBC has fallen into.

Clinton should sever all ties with this morally bankrupt network and if Obama really thinks this is a track he can ride to advantage, let him demonstrate his own moral depravity.

There is an obvious and inappropriate media bias in this presidential race. Unfortunately, most people don't notice it until the it is against their favorite candidate or against their ideology. When the media bias agrees with them it's "good information."

For example, Ron Paul has been called a "kook" and his supporters are referred to as a "cult-like following." Consistent subtle attacks on Romney's religion went unopposed. You may not have noticed or cared - not until the media comes after your choice.

Americans are the only ones who can stop this. We can not let the media run this country. When they cross the line we ALL HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND EXPRESS OUR DISGUST!

HILLARY...SHE 27 YEARS OLD. IF YOU DONT LIKE THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.

Course language, ridiculing the subject, etc. FOX does it, and they feel they have to compete. Our culture is chasing itself downward. I support anyone who challenges that, whether they are someone's mother or not.

i really don't get people these days, i guess they like the way things are going... as far as i'm concerned... the past 8 years have been a nightmare from day 1... every president in suit has done something wrong, whether caught or not, CLINTON did a great job. There were enough jobs to go around twice, the housing market was great, health care was looking up and what do we have now.. instead of bashing hillary maybe people should be more focused on the way things were, not the way things are and lashing out for no reason at the wrong people.... you aren't just voting for hillary, you are voting that bill will be behind the scenes as well... he pulled us out from one BUSH screw up, i'm sure they can do it again

The victim here is Chelsea Clinton, not Hillary. Chelsea was the one referred to as a "pimped out" being, i.e. a prostitute.

It's sad to see Hillary, above all, exploiting the way her daughter was victimized to help further her own political campaign.

Unfortunately, we're watching Hillary trying to make hay for her political gain of something said by one nimrod TV journalist at the expense of her own daughter. No one's even talking about Chelsea. All we read about is "The Clinton campaign......"

Then we have the head of Emily's List excoriate MSNBC, when, oops, the head of Emily's List is a top adviser to Hillary. Emily's List is nothing but a political organization intended to promote female candidates (and only--isn't that sexist? yes). The Right/Fox news is exploiting it as a way to slam the liberal media and MSNBC, etc. All over the place people are exploiting it without caring a whit about Chelsea.

Hillary (and Bill) has shown herself to be willing to play gutter politics when possible, and now she's doing it again--to the detriment of her own daughter. Speak your mind and move on.

As far Keith Olberman slamming David Shuster, and to see another use of the term in other-than-thee-literal idiomatic sense, here's Keith referring to Gen David Petraeus as being "pimped out" by George W.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/20/countdown-special-comment-the-president-of-hypocrisy/

"Pimped out" is I believe current slang for "spruced up" and has nothing to do with prostitution or sex. I think the comment was about Chelsea's appearance.

Chelsea is being 'pimped out'.
What's hard to see about that ?

As a parent I agree with Hillary.
As a responsible running candidate, I would never place my children in the forefront of my campaign. If she can not make these simple decisions with clear logic and fore thought, then how will she make the much more difficult ones. There remains much too much drama with the Clintons. They had their chance, we were disrespected as a country and made a laughing stock all over the world. Do we need to do this twice?

Hillary didn't seem to mind Timbaland's pimp lyrics when he was fundraising for her.

JakeD:
No it does not necessarily imply that. It's implication is that the Clinton campaign in using their daughter in a sick way. Just because someone is "pimped" out does not mean that they are a ho, it means they are being used. I think that the comment has no place being said, but the Clinton campaign is being directly insulted, they should not pretend to be protecting their daughter, as it was not an attack on her.

Well I am very glad I reads the comments today...for a while now I listen to MSNBC, fox and CNN .but they all have a two second special and then there own comments. When a speaker is invited HE(SHE) donot even get a FULL sentince out of there mouths before they are CUT off..In most casese I feel very sorry for that person and Never would I go back for that KIND OF TREATMENT...The best thing is the International News 1 SECOND around the world/ WE have 50 STATES and seven continents ....but look or DONOTLOOK ...All there is to the NEWS..ADVERTISING , pIlls, etc. So turn to BBC and the Internet for the NEWS.Love your country.
Go HILLARY.....next after eigth years CHELSEA.....

Well I am very glad I reads the comments today...for a while now I listen to MSNBC, fox and CNN .but they all have a two second special and then there own comments. When a speaker is invited HE(SHE) donot even get a FULL sentince out of there mouths before they are CUT off..In most casese I feel very sorry for that person and Never would I go back for that KIND OF TREATMENT...The best thing is the International News 1 SECOND around the world/ WE have 50 STATES and seven continents ....but look or DONOTLOOK ...All there is to the NEWS..ADVERTISING , pIlls, etc. So turn to BBC and the Internet for the NEWS.Love your country.
Go HILLARY.....next after eigth years CHELSEA.....

Some of you (men maybe?) may not like the idea of a woman President, however I believe our country would be better off with the Clintons back in office than any of the alternatives. Those 8 years were sure an improvement over the past 8 years of hell. A novice (Obama) with no real worthwhile experience (remember how Bush turned out!) or Grandpa Crazy are the other choices. You make the choice and live with it for 4 or possibly 8 years like we had to do with G.W. I see nothing wrong with Hillary and neither should you folks if you actually have any sense.

Anyone with any shred of political acumen can clearly see that MSNBC can not objectevly report on this campaign. If I want to hear people Clinton bash I will watch Fox. Matthew's who worked for President Carter and the great Tip O'Neil has stated that he voted for W, and has a disdain for Bill Clinton since he started his show. He projects a holier than thou attitude. I have always enjoyed watching Shuster, but clearly now he has lowered himself to the likes of Ann Coulter and Don Imus.

Chelsea Clinton indeed is an adult, but she has not done anything that would qualify any statement of being pimped out. And one of the earlier blogs is correct; if this were said of the Obama campaign, God love him Rev. Al and Bro. Jesse would be screaming for his ouster. So don't give me this crap that Hillary is crying over nothing.

MSNBC, and NBC for that matter, and by the way I am a stockholder of GE, has said that is was hard to objective about Sen. Obama.

I am sick and tired of extremist left pols trying to push their influence on regular moderate to liberal Democrats. Ted Kennedy is washed up, and should be shown no respect for if nothing else, what he did to President Carter in 1980. In the past 30 years, look at the candidates the Dems have put up and only one, Bill Clinton, who did not kiss the Kennedy ass and other liberals was elected by being a centrist. Most liberals do not like that, and thus are pushing another left wing liberal on us and again we will lose. This is plain common sense, as long as the Democratic Party puts up left wing extremist and pays homage to such relics as Ted Kennedy and Howard Dean, we will indeed never win again. Thank God for the Clintons, I hope they can save us again.

I have listened to MSNBC programs for a long time now, specially the the Olbermann, Scarborough & Abrams show, and in the past have found them to have minor biases, but in general well balanced.

But since the presidential-primaries began, I find all the shows (for the exception of the Abrams report) to be distrubingly opposed to Mrs. Clinton and her campaign.

I did not personally hear the latest derogatory remarks made against Mrs. Clinton's daughter. If it is true, it is shocking to say the least. The network takes pride in pointing out errors of the Fox network, but what they (MSNBC) have been doing in the past 3 months boggles the mind. The reason I did not hear about Mr. Shuster's remarks are because I have stopped tuning in to MSNBC.

While I am at it, I also find it disturbing to hear the gleeful tone this network takes against struggling artistes like Ms. Britney Spears. I hope someone at the netowrk takes a closer look at bad-behaviour of these, I never thought I would call them that, "so called journalists" like Mr. Olbermann & Mr. Scarborough.

Regards.

Hillary Clinton talking about a "troubling pattern" and calling for accountability? Something about a pot and kettle comes to mind. Hillary, dear, allow me point out a few troubling patterns closer to home:

1. Flowers, Jones, Lewinsky, etc.
2. Whitewater, Rose Law Firm, Travelgate, etc
3. Mark Rich, Pardongate, $31m from Kazakhstan, etc.

But this is the most troubling pattern of all . . . wins for Obama in: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, Nebraska and counting . . .

They don't let Chelsea talk to the press, not even for an elementary school paper, yet they have her calling clebrities and money people to ask them to get 'her mom' into the White House. Why can't we, the people, hear what she has to say?

hitobito:

I doubt that Shuster would object to someone describing his daughter in this context (i.e. that "context" would be that Shuster is running for President and sends his daughter out on the campaign trail without allowing for press interviews).

It was a rather insightful rhetorical question by Shuster about Clinton's using Chelsea for her own political gain. And she continues, with this highly visible public condemnation of MSNBC. Classic Clinton.

dederer12:

Well, if Hillary is the "pimp" doesn't that, at least, imply that Chelsea is the "ho"?

Despite all the negative comments from the candy assed pansies on this site supporting the inappropriate use of "pimping" in describing Chelsea Clinton, Shuster's comment was inappropriate. If he said that about my daughters, he would need to see a dentist to replace his teeth and a plastic surgeon to get my shoeprint off of his butt. Its uncalled for and a network that puts up with an idiot like Shuster should be fined. Even Shuster may object to someone describing his wife, sister, mother or daughter in this context.

Although I disagree with using the word "pimping," it was not an attack on Chelsea, but an attack on Hillary and her campaign. The comment really was made to insult Hillary and her misuse of her daughter. In the end it has nothing to do with Chelsea or her character.

I wonder if she found her husband's consensual "molesting" of women younger than Chelsea offensive and a disturbing pattern? Talk about a hypocrite.

Anytime I hear a politician speak of "troubling patterns" I wonder why don't they forget the diplomatic speak and just say what they mean? The real troubling pattern is HRC's opinion of the rights of superdelegates to supercede the voting pattern of their selective states! Forget about pimping, be prepared to be screwed!

Boo hoo hoo. So Hillary is crying foul over Shuster's pimping remark. Let's not forget that the real target is not Chelsea, who is clearly a pawn, but that she is being "pimped out" by Hillary and Bill, which is true. Shuster is not impuning Chelsea, but Hillary and Bill and their motives.

This is not an isolated incident. There is a pattern of opposition to the Clinton campaign on this network and its subsidiaries.

This kind of thing does not happen unless policy is directed from above.

Wouldn't it be great if the press were actually unbiased, factual, and focussed on the issues instead of the personalities?

MSNBC has been a problem for a long time. Chris Matthews' talk has been disgusting for a long time and his apology was half hearted, as was Shuster's. It's like they really don't understand respecting public figures.
I don't think any public figure should appear on MSNBC until it cleans up its act, and certainly no woman should appear on MSNBC and offer herself up for verbal abuse.

Yes, one would think thatjournalists would have a command of the English language that would not betray any biases that they might have. I also wonder why Wolf Blitzen would deem the adjective "naive" suitable in reference to Mrs. Clinton. If referring to a male, I wonder if he would use the adjective "stupid". Surely journalists have an understanding of the nuances of words and if they are worth their salaries can express themselves in an objective manner.

An apology may be in order here, but I think that's as far as it goes. A bad choice of words maybe, but they are using the daughter to gain support.

How many times can they play the victim card? Now they have labeled Obama as the establishment candidate! Hillary is a strong favorite to pull this out with the SuperDelegates and/or to do everything she can to get Florida delegates. Now who's the real establishment candidate?

Clinton's making sure she's going to be identified as THE WOMEN'S CANDIDATE. That's great, because if that doesn't lose the nomination, it'll certainly lose the general election.

Who'd have thought it possible that democrats could figure a way to grab defeat from the jaws of victory in 2008?

If I were John McCain, I'd say nothing and just sit back and watch the democrat boat spring leaks.

It is obvious nearly all stations are having a field day crucifying Hillary. If it had been said that Obama was pimping out Michele, all kinds of racial backlash would have ensued over the use of the word pimping in reference to a black woman. Not one network has been willing to say that Obama has no more substance than a television evangelist with a huge following for his so called "movement" but that is being discussed by many across America. But the reporters are afraid to cross the line and report anything that is not glowing about the first black man to run for President. It seems the same respect doesn't apply to a woman running for office, so much for fair news. Our news system has become nothing more than a paid advertisement for whoever is willing to foot the bill to have the news and viewpoints reported the way they want America to hear it. I believe the only reason Obama is being pushed into the Presidency is so the news networks can nitpick and scrutinize every move the new "black" president might make should Obama win and Hillary has already been picked to death as First Lady. It seems to be fair game to leave the Obama clan alone and insult and demean everyone in the Clinton family. How tacky. The Presidency has become a joke, bought and paid for by the highest bidder. Our countries highest and most important office has lost all respect around the world. Frankly I am a Democrat but with the ridiculous news coverage on the Democratic candidates, the financial status of all candidates and how important it is to the "win" maybe for America's sake and respectability on the international level it would be better if the Republicans win so the issue of black man or white woman will go away and the new President can hopefully repair the Bush abyss we are in, restore the Presidency, redeem our country and it's weak morale,save our economy, do something about the spiraling cost of health care and the failure of our programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security to thrive and be of benefit to Americans with the mounting cost of living. Real issues and the solutions, that is what I want to hear, not who raised the most money for television advertising or who has what family members campaigning for them.

I think the use of "pimping" was a poor choice of words. But I recall just a few weeks back thinking "Why does Hillary get all of the news?" She loves it when it's good, hates it when it's bad. I think that's just how it is when you are vying for the spot light. She has given the impression that she would do just about anything for that attention so..........

Please add my voices to the others who notice a pattern of gender bias in the reporting at MSNBC.

MSNBC is the only network or news source that reported Obama as having more delegates than Clinton after Super Tuesday.

In fact, they are still showing Obama ahead in the delegate count on their website today, despite the fact that every other news source, from CNN, to the AP, to Fox News, to Reuters, to CBS, ABC, to the New York Times and every other readily available source all shows Clinton slightly ahead.

Now I am sure that there is some perfectly reasonable explination (like they have choosen not to show the numbers with super delegates or something), but it does make one wonder if there is something to Clinton's claim of an MSNBC slant.

So we hear that Hillary is witness to a "troubling pattern of demeaning treatment"...Is it simply because of "personal attacks" How about the troubling fact that the media has courted the so-called "top" candidates from day one! FREE GENERAL PRESS for the candidates in which that particular media has branded the right choice. This TROUBLES me. I don't, nor should I, care WHAT some newspaper or tv station thinks and or who they "endorse". There is way to many people in America that, unfortunately, rely on MSNBC, CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC and so on for their information...Take Ron Paul for example. There are still American out there that don't even know him as a candidate!! In this day and age of communication that just seems ridiculous to me. But it also seems almost criminal that this all important decision will be made by a large number of Americans that really don't have all the information. There is a problem with the media today folks but catty comments aren't where they lie. It will get worse before it gets better and our inability to recall our past could bring this Country to its knees. In hope for a free America, D

I am surprised by some women like Katie11 and momentum mary say that comments by that MSNBC commentator is no big deal. Regardless of who you support, I cannot imagine you being fine with such derogatory statements about a woman whose only crime seems to that she is supporting her mother. She may have assumed a public role but that does not give anyone right to debase her. If so, then Obama seems to have "pimped" his wife and two young girls a long before Hillary ever did. In fact he is literally "pimping" a lot of scantily clad girls on videos to influence