MSNBC Reporter Begrudgingly Apologizes For Chelsea "Pimp" Comment

UPDATE 4:00PM EST, SATURDAY FEB 9: Clinton wrote to NBC News President Steve Capus:

"Nothing justifies the kind of debasing language that David Shuster used and no temporary suspension or half-hearted apology is sufficient," Clinton wrote to NBC News President Steve Capus, who apparently had already called Clinton to personally apologize. "I would urge you to look at the pattern of behavior on your network that seems to repeatedly lead to this sort of degrading language," Clinton wrote. "There's a lot at stake for our country in this election. Surely, you can do your jobs as journalists and commentators and still keep the discourse civil and appropriate."

UPDATE 11:30 PM EST:

Keith Olbermann apologized to the Clintons on behalf of MSNBC during Friday's Countdown, calling Shuster's comment "utterly inappropriate and indefensible." Watch Olbermann tell the Clintons, "We are, literally, dreadfully sorry."



Politico's Michael Calderone reports that David Shuster initially defended his statements in an email exchange with Clinton campaign spokesman Philippe Reines. An excerpt:

-----Original Message-----

From: David Shuster

To: Philippe Reines

Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 8:51 p.m.

Nice to hear from you, philippe.

It is a fact that chelsea has made calls to superdelegates, as your campaign colleagues have acknowledged. It is also a fact that the campaign has reacted quite harshly to any media who have sought to interview chelsea. That was the point. By slamming any reporter who seeks to chat with chelsea while simultaneously having chelsea do campaign tasks such as trying to convince super delegates to support her mom, that's the reference.

Chelsea is polite and does a fine job of saying "I don't want to talk.". But for campaign staff to then jump down the throat of a reporter who seeks to talk to chelsea...that's an issue.

--------------------------

Sent using BlackBerry

Read the entire exchange here.

UPDATE 6:30 PM EST:

David Shuster appeared tonight at the top of "Tucker," where he first made the offensive comment yesterday, to apologize. Watch below:

David Shuster addressed the firestorm today on "Tucker." http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407952676http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

UPDATE 4PM EST: NBC News President Steve Capus has announced that David Shuster has been suspended from the network. He made the following comments to MediaMatters:

On Thursday's "Tucker" on MSNBC, David Shuster, who was serving as guest-host of the program, made a comment about Chelsea Clinton and the Clinton campaign that was irresponsible and inappropriate. 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.

UPDATE: The Clinton campaign is fighting back against MSNBC. Top campaign adviser Howard Wolfson has responded to David Shuster's comments, calling MSNBC out for a "pattern" of negative Hillary Clinton coverage and threatening that Hillary will no longer participate in MSNBC-sponsored debates:

A distasteful comment about Chelsea Clinton by an MSNBC anchor Thursday 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 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.

ORIGINAL POST: Guest-hosting "Tucker" last night, MNSBC's David Shuster commented on Chelsea Clinton's Super Tuesday phone calls to the ladies of "The View." In discussing whether this was appropriate, Shuster made an interesting word choice: "Doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

Watch:

This morning on "Morning Joe," Shuster ate his words (but he did not repeat them), apologizing for yesterday's comment that some saw as "pejorative."

Watch:

David Shuster apologized for yesterday's Chelsea Clinton "pimp" comment, though he was so embarrassed he refused to even say what he said. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407952598http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

From MSNBC, 2/8

Shuster was already having a bad day before he had to apologize on air. At 8:05 am "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough was on the phone and Shuster tried to cut him off. Joe would have none of it, saying in part, "He is sitting in my seat just because I'm allowing him to."

Watch Shuster's bad day begin:

Joe Scarborough Bats Down Shuster http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407952655http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

More: Read HuffPost's Taylor Marsh react to David Shuster's comments.
More: Background on David Shuster and a list of previous controversies surrounding him.
Previously: Chelsea Clinton Calls 'View' Ladies, They Imitate Her Breathy Voice

Comments

[in4success]

christ -- hillary was just on TV--- her voice is like fingernails on a chalk board...after eight years of bush i'll never be able to take it.

[in4success]

where's that six mile wide astroid when we need it?

[connorin]

"He made the following comments to MediaMatters"

You mean HRC'sMedia­Matters?..­.He didn't issue the comment in general? He made it to an HRC mouthpiece­...HILARIO­US!!!!!

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

Bill O'Reilly: "There are no homeless veterans and that boy who was kidnapped enjoyed it because he didn't have to go to school."

Hillary Clinton: "Let's debate on Fox News."

David Shuster: "It's like Chelsea was pimped out" (like his "ride"? Fo' shizzle?)

Hillary Clinton: "I refuse to debate on the only left-leaning cable news channel!"

[Sylvarose]

How do we contact Steve Campus and tell him enough? Schuster apologized. Now he's suspended. I don't want the next update to be "Schuster fired" or "Schuster resigns."

D*amnit! This is ridiculous! He used a poor choice of words. He apologized. If he had a history of this kind of shenanigans or coming close to the line (ala Chris Matthews IMHO) than I could understand this drastic reaction..but this one time slip?

I'm sorry. I'm a woman...and I wasn't nearly as offended by the comment as much as I am by the over reaction to the comment by MSNBC management. Where in the hell is this kind of reaction when Chris Matthews or Tucker Carlson alludes to how "emasculating" Hillary Clinton is? Not once..but on an ongoing basis without any apology.

Furthermore, if Chelsea is campaigning for her mother, than she had better expect ugly things will get said. I don't agree with it and I wish it weren't so..but it's a fact.

sr

[connorin]

Aw c'mon...isn't this what all you free speech liberals endorse...its a free country and I am aloowed to speak my mind, but if you say anything I feel is inappropriate, you should be fired and ridiculed!!!

[Sylvarose]

Did you even read my post? I'm against Schuster's suspension!

And..yeah...I do believe in free speech! Everyone has the right to stand on soap box, say their piece and make an idiot out of themselves. Including me.

sr

[RecklessAbandonArteest]

Imus: Nappy headed hoes doing well in sports.

Shuster: First Daughter being pimped out.

Good God, the U.S. is on the express train to hell. Lord, please help us.

[shengirl]

Yeah right, Bill actually did use someone's daughter as a "prostitute" [except he didn't pay her] in the real sense of the word, and we'll all just forget about that. Let David Shuster use the term in a way many people use the term, having nothing to do with sex, and he gets canned. I am VERY disappointed in NBC News; I enjoyed watching him on Countdown. This really changes my opinion of NBC. How must Keith Olbermann feel, some of the things he says, how come NBC doesn't discipline or fire him? Or will they? I am so sick of the Clintons, their double standards and their sense of entitlement. The media complied, they left Chelsea alone when Bill was in office, as they should have. She was just a kid. But Bill is no longer in office and Chelsea is out there on the front lines for her mom. If she can't take the flack, she should retire back to her private life and shut up. I am writing to NBC about this. Everyone should.

[naschkatze]

Crying the night before NH. Crying the night before Super Tuesday. Up in arms over poor little Chelsea the night before 5 other primaries. What are they going to pull the night before Ohio? Before Texas? Before Pennsylvania?

[scandals&skeletons]

also it is laughable that clinton threatened not to debate on nbc. she will take all the free exposure she can get. lets be real.

[DonaldD]

I agree with David Shuster who I think is an awesome reporter..this is so odd - I was just thinking yesterday that msnbc is my favourite of all the political talk channels.
I think Clinton is pimping out her daughter. It's more fact then derogatory. If you use someone who wouldn't necessarily want to be out there in a public way - it's pimping.
We never heard from the daughter until now (by the way, I really like Chelsey Clinton). I guess Hilary finding her voice wasn't enough - she has to use what she can.

[scandals&skeletons]

sad that msnbc will kowtow to the clinton machine because shuster called it as he sees it.

[DownwithFearMongers]

Hillary Clinton and her fascist fems are the most sexist excuses for human beings THAT HAVE WALKED THIS EARTH.To call anyone sexist because they make an observation on ONE WOMAN IS THE MOST SEXIST THING I'VE EVER HEARD.So what they're trying to say is that anytime any man makes a legitimate observation about ONE WOMAN he is calling all women trash!ARE YOU F**CKING KIDDING ME!!!THAT IS SEXISM AGAINST MEN!If you want a real women to lead this country give me a Barbara Boxer or Janet Napaletano not some poor excuse for a human being like Billary Clinton.So Bill Clinton is a racist and Hill is sexist.And there is actually idiots that want them to rule the "free world" together.They must be, what CNN said, where the "uneducated" majority of clinton voters.

[hugs4u]

It is hell for someone to be punished for saying the truth. It is past time to just say only things politically correct. Schuster is a great reporter and was only speaking the truth.

[Trace8089]

He's a great reporter when he has Obama's cock up his ass.

[onecommonman]

The comments on this topic from the Obama, time for change, Hope is in the Air, A New Kind of Politics, camp are so bloody disparaging and anti hope, anti change and generally pathetic. If his message had some action to back it up, his followers wouldn't be so desperate to attack Hillary and her Daughter. They would be able to stand by a record of achievement, could point to that record and wouldn't find it necessary to try so hard to cut Hillary and her family down.

[PinaPopper]

Why are they so mad? Chelsea is not a child anymore. She is an adult. The Clinton say horrible things about Obama all of the time and they are outraged? Please!!! The hypocracy.

[alibe]

Please, just list one horrible thing Hillary has said about Obama!!!!
Can't be done, can it? That is what bothers me so much about Obama groupies. Just like the Republicans, feel free to lie.

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

So if David Shuster gets suspended for this comment, then Lou Dobbs at CNN gets fired and Fox News gets converted into a parking garage.

[justwaitandsee]

I totally AGREE