David Shuster: "I Was Thrown Under The Bus To Pay For The Sins Of The Father"

David Shuster's now-infamous "pimped out" remark happened just two weeks ago yesterday — meaning that he returns to "Hardball" today after serving his two-week suspension. In regards to his suspension, Huffington Post's Rachel Sklar asked, "Would this have happened without Chris Matthews?" Today, as he returns to the air and gives an exclusive interview with TVNewser's Gail Shister, Shuster seems to answer Sklar's question with a resounding "NO."

"Does it bother me that I was thrown under the bus to pay for the sins of the father?" Shuster asks rhetorically in the interview. "No. As somebody who's covered politics for a while, I understand all the forces that were in play."

Matthews himself created controversy with remarks about Hillary Clinton that many viewed as sexist and for which he himself was ultimately forced to apologize.

Visit TVNewser to read the entire interview, which includes Shuster's explanation, "Tensions were clearly building. I was at the wrong place at the right time, or the right place at the wrong time. I don't know which."

UPDATE: Shuster returned to the air on "Hardball" with a package on John McCain and the New York Times. Screengrabs from his first day back on the job below:

David Shuster back on the set of "Hardball" after serving his two-week suspension

David Shuster and Chris Matthews on the set of "Hardball," or,
David Shuster and the father whose sins he was "thrown under the bus" for

Comments

[hjo4]

Much ado about nothing, Shuster said nothing wrong,Yes he was "thrown under the bus" but I'm glad he's back.Now when will Chelsa give an interview to the media, she is working for her mom now.That's fair game

[2lib4oh]

Was Chelsea "fair game" when she was a child in the White House and she was called "the White House dog" by a Republican?
If Hillary is overly sensitive maybe there is a reason. She's a mother.

[accountability]

Besides which... who says anyone HAS to give an interview.
WTF?

[USMC1980]

Shuster should have been fired and left to go cry in a ball, like the little "bitch" that he is. He STILL isn't owning up to his despicable remarks, and now he is blaming Chris Matthews. What a punk. The fact that this little loser, STILL doesn't think calling a candidates daughter a "Ho" is improper...is really sick and disturbing on his part. Shuster in nothing but an MSNBC "butt plug"...he should be fired and forgotten, along with Matthews, Olbermann and Russert:)

[wigcon]

Nothing David Shuster said is comparable to the continual babble that Chris Matthews spews day after day insulting women with a holier than thou attitude. Chris should serve permanent suspension just for that intolerable laugh.

[MikeL1]

Let me correct you a little. Chris Matthews does not insult women. He insults Hillary Crookton.....I mean Clinton. Let's not get frantic & start thinking crazy. Hillary Rodham is not EVERY woman. She's 1 woman. Let's calm down. BTW, Mr. Shuster was a fool 4 saying such a thing. But it's blown WAY out of proportion. Pay attention 2 Bill O. Ya know? REAL stuff.

[dwt]

Meanwhile, it's ok for Bill O'Reilly to use the word "lynch" in connection with the next president's wife, for Rush Limbaugh to spew divisive venom daily, and for the deranged hatemonger Ann Coulter to appear on Faux News as a "pundit."

Much as I disdain losers like these, I respect the 1st Amendment, which protects both assholes and genuises. "Firing" them for being extreme and sometimes - or often - crossing the line of good taste is complete bullshit. Ask Don Imus.

For a jarhead, you're the one that sounds like a whiny punk bitch, not to mention a complete imbecile. Here's a hint: If you don't like the commentator or the message, change the fricking channel.

[laurelnyc]

No, it is definitely wrong of Bill O'Reilly to use the word "lynch."

Yes, one is free to say what he/she wants, but cable news is a business and if the customers are outraged about something, it is normal for the company to try to make amends with its base, sometimes they fire or suspend someone. If Bill O'R isn't held responsible, it's because his viewers aren't outraged...so there is no economic threat.

Viewers have every right to be outraged...it then is the company's decision to make regarding whether to appease or ignore those cries.

[tlcutter]

Take your own advice and change the channel. But first take a deep breath. My God man you sound a like a raging lunatic.

[wilhelmR]

Go and keep watching Fauxnews that DISTORTS and INSULTS everybody who THINKS. FauxNews is full of Pitbulls and they only attack, they never reason. O'Reilly says: "OK, I'll give you the last 30 seconds BUT first let me say this..." and he finishes the 3 seconds himself. Chris Matthews is extremely smart amd he plays the game as he wishes: He has fun and he makes money doing it. Is his job to be fair? If I were him I wouldn't it a shit, I would do what he does (see above.)

[DavidE]

I think it's amusing that they have to take their own medicine. The media has mauled many a politician for much less.

[TyroneTanic]

It seems to me Shuster still doesn't believe he said or did anything wrong.

[Orion123]

I agree. But really, to have said, or thought this in the first place. MSNBC has been my news station of choice, and now I am wondering why this would be tolerated. David Shuster, by making such a comment, told a lot about himself, and his views toward woman. It should have nothing to do with who we support as a candidate. To say that about anyone. I know many have brought this up, but can you imagine the rage, if by taking his girls on stage, this same comment was mad about Obama. Katy bar the door. Shuster would have probably been fired on the spot, as he should be now. No serious reporter or commentator would make such and remark.

[Seafarer61]

Cry me a river David...own up to your failed attempt at being "hip" with your poor choice of words and get on with the rest of your 15 minutes.

[Mattatat]

He's still unapologetic in that interview.

What a complete and total douchenozzle.

[OhComeOnNow]

David,

You absolutely were thrown under the bus, so they didn't have to deal with one of the real problems - Tweety!

I feel for ya, even though your comment was HORRIBLE!!

[newslamp]

We love watching MSNBC because of the ever-present possibility of a melt-down.

Click on "newslamp" for more about Shuster.

[enoughalready13]

After throwing up too many times at how cock-whipped Matthews is for Obama, we had to turn the channel.

[Aladdinc]

Oh pleeze...get him off the air.

[Caramba]

McCain

Hope you are keeping your credentials with Latino Vote.... I want to hear your latest stand regarding Immigration. You have great heart, compassionate and tell straight to the American people...

Here in NC as Republican will stand as Independent.... Elizabeth Dole is and Anti-Immigrant Senator.... This time we should retire her and send her back to Kansas with Mr. Dole!

Anti-immigrant people are ANTI-LIFE, anti-Christ..... Is she a Christian? Let the Voter Know .... The Republicans should lose their coat this time of election for their anti Christian attitude....

GO Mccain!

[crablover]

I meant "write," not "right."

[CammyV]

Welcome back David. I missed your cute little claymation face. Watch and see if you don't think he was created by Will Vinton.

[BlueBoomer]

I don't know who Will Vinton is, but I've always thought he kind of overworks his mouth when he speaks...kinda wierds me out.

[TRYKER]

Schuster might as well go ahead and wear a giant unibrow or try being funny or something. He is such a turn off, I'd be afraid to turn my back on him.

Indeed, "they threw me under the bus"...oh cry and moan, what a wuss. Why not just say, "h h h hey, I got what I deserved for being an a a a asshole ."

[KeysDan]

Chris Matthews just cann't believe the NYTimes reporting on Senator McCain being a bedfellow with lobbyists. To support his belief, he has Mike Barnacle on as a guest to decry the NYT journalism. This is the same Mike who was let go from the Boston Globe for plagarism--a newspaper then owned by the NYTimes.

[krocklin]

shuster and mathews are just career hacks.
but it could be worse. i LIKE the way mathews approaches a subject headon; its his style and makes him distinctive. is he courageous and full of principle? no. somewhere in between, but being realistic this is all we can expect.
shuster however (few people remember this) shilled bush's war (as did mathews) in the early days, and denigrated prominent opponents of bush and the war.
i remember one particular broadcast when my gut response was "this guy is rightwing". but probably he was just pandering and career motivated. but thats the way almost all the media is almost all of the time.
we have to be realistic. at least if its not ALL OF THE TIME - we have to be grateful for that.

[dosomethingaboutit]

Yeah, Matthews is a douche bag. I'm sure in the office politics game he's a back-stabbing sonuvabitch, too, all the time telling himself what a sly hardballer he is.

What I don't understand is why Keith Olbermann lets himself be seen on the same set with this dork. Matthews' confrontation with the Obama supporter last Tuesday was just ridiculous, and Olbermann made it pretty clear he didn't support what Tweety did. But why doesn't Keith just tell management, "That's it. It's him, or me. You choose." That would be some hardball. Olbermann's got to know he's the only guy there with any serious credibility as a journalist.

-- ARG in Chicago