MSNBC has suspended David Shuster for his boorish on-air comments about Chelsea Clinton and her mother's presidential campaign.
I'm sure the suspension is related to Hillary's threat to boycott MSNBC debates.
I doubt that it's out of a sense of decency, or wanting to maintain a modicum of civility. It can't be that MSNBC execs finally decided that they wanted to bring some degree of integrity to the low-rated cable network.
It's a self-serving move.
SEATTLE -- A distasteful comment about Chelsea Clinton by an MSNBC anchor could imperil Hillary Rodham Clinton's participation in future presidential debates on the network, a Clinton spokesman said.
In a conference call with reporters, Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson on Friday excoriated MSNBC's David Shuster for suggesting the Clinton campaign had "pimped out" 27-year old Chelsea by having her place phone calls to Democratic Party superdelegates on her mother's behalf. Wolfson called the comment "beneath contempt" and disgusting.
"I, at this point, can't envision a scenario where we would continue to engage in debates on that network," he added.
MSNBC said Shuster, who apologized on the air for his comment, has been temporarily suspended from appearing on all NBC news broadcasts except to offer his apology.
"NBC News takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks," MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines said, adding the network was hopeful the debate would take place as planned.
Libs bashing libs.
Oh, the humanity!
__________________
There's more.
From Politico:
Before MSNBC's David Shuster was suspended by the network Friday for on-air comments he made about Chelsea Clinton, the television reporter engaged in a heated correspondence with a spokesman for Hillary Clinton in which he defended his appearance and refused demands to apologize.
E-mail exchange here.
...Shuster was unrepentant. He told Reines his commentary was justified because of the contrast between Chelsea Clinton's overt political role and the aggressive way campaign aides "jump down the throat" of reporters who seek to question her about it.
He was more contrite the next morning, apologizing on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show, "Morning Joe."
But that didn't satisfy the Clinton campaign. Communications director Howard Wolfson told reporters in a conference call that Shuster's comment was "beneath contempt."
Wolfson also raised the possibility that Clinton would no longer participate in an MSNBC debate, scheduled for February 26.
In a statement before Shuster's second apology, on Friday evening's "Tucker," the network said that Shuster had "extended an apology to the Clinton family."
"NBC News takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks," continued the statement.
Behind the scenes, Phil Griffin, senior vice president at MSNBC, took the criticism over Shuster's remarks from the Clinton camp especially seriously, and Tim Russert helped mediate the situation, according to sources.
Tim Russert helped to mediate the situation?
What drama!
MSNBC wimped out over pimped out.
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Hillary addresses the "pimped out" comment.
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