MSNBC-Clinton Feud Continues: Tucker Goes Off

The grudge match continues between MSNBC and Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. And this time, it's Tucker Carlson who is carrying the network's baton.

During his program tonight, Tucker went off on Clinton's press shop, accusing them of repeatedly "threatening people," flipping out, and telling lies.

"They're awful to the media," said the formerly bow-tied host. "Let's be totally blunt. They're awful to the press. They treat the press like enemies. Howard Wolfson [Clinton's press secretary] is always calling around threatening people -- threatening people, news organizations. They do that. People hate you if you do that. I mean they've earned the enmity of the press in my view. They have. It's been hard, but they've done it."

Ironically, Tucker's tirade came during a segment focused on the Clinton campaign's recent complaints about press treatment. Earlier in the day, Wolfson somewhat angrily bemoaned on a conference call with reporters that Sen. Barack Obama had been treated with kid gloves by the fourth estate.

"I think it is true," he said, "that every time the Obama campaign in this campaign has attacked Senator Clinton in the worst kind of personal ways, attacked her veracity, attacked her credibility, said that she would say or do anything to get elected, the press has largely applauded him."

Tucker's refrain, however, seemed as much about the recent animosity between MSNBC and the Clinton campaign as it was directed at Wolfson's remarks. Indeed, just ten days ago, another station fixture, Chris Matthews, referred to the Clinton press shop as "knee cappers" who were "lousy" and delve in the business of "intimidation."

Prior to then, the Clinton camp had privately and then publicly complained about the pattern of deemed-misogynistic remarks coming from Matthews and the rest of the MSNBC crew. The conflict boiled over when correspondent David Shuster was suspended (he was recently reinstated) for saying the campaign had "pimped out" Chelsea Clinton to recruit superdelegates.

Story continues below

advertisement

All of which seemed to be more than Tucker could take.

"You report on them and then they call you and threaten you and flip out and lie to you," he said. "They do it to a greater extent. They all do it, everybody does it, but she does it more. I'm not just saying that for political reasons. I think you ask any garden-variety liberal Democrat reporter...and they'll say the same thing."

The panelists, however, did not take the bait.

Said the Washington Post's Eugene Robinson: "They're not the warmest and cuddliest campaign."

Added Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen: "That's a 'grow up' thing, Tucker."

Comments

[bluegreen]

one thing i don't get, why isn't the media going after hrc about releasing her tax returns? i'm not trying to give her a hard time, i'm really wondering why she's the only major candidate not to have released them. what gives? c'mon media, do yer job!

[realpolitic]

McCain has not released his and has made no pledge to do so.

[realpolitic]

I hear Tucker was a former East L.A. gang banger and he has the prison tattoos to prove it. Watch out, he'll cut you!

[generaldelivery]

I distinctly remember Chris Matthews on MSNBC doing 10 minutes on the air about how he hated Hillary's laughter! He said she(who has a very warm and natural laugh)didn't laugh but "cackled". He used the word 6 or 7 times. We all know that its witches who cackle. If Hillary really was a "nasty bitch", who could blame her after the way these paparazzi treat her?

[Cos1]

I usually can't stomach Tucker, but on this one, he has a point. When the Clintons thought Hillary had the campaign all wrapped up they ignored the media and expected them to dance to their tune. Now, Hillary has major compitition in Obama, and he has personality, something she has to work at displaying.

The media is not responsible for the screw ups of the Clinton campaign. Hillary and her people have blamed every problem they have had on somebody else. The media is catching all of this, so of course the Clinton's will say their biased. The Clinton campaign doesn't have a clue what they are doing and it shows. The Clintons are actually emplying that the media should stop showing and giving credit to the Obama campaign for being so well run because it is making them look like a complete ass. If the media really wanted to go after Hillary, they would be calling for her to end her campaign. She really should.

If Obama had lost 3 or more states, everyone would be on his case to end his campaign.

The media is looking out for itself. Hillary's screwups are great for ratings. Hillary's campaign is the real reality show. They don't have to do anything special to make her look bad. Her campaign does it on its own.

[jbsouth]

okay OBAMATRON...the media has not been asking the same tough questions of Obama's record. That's hardly undeniable. It is now being lampooned by SNL. Why is it funny when they lampoon it. IT'S TRUE.

[PackyJ]

I don't like Hillary Clinton much, but I like Tucker Carlson even less.

Jon Stewart had the snotty, whining little fucker pegged.

[hobe]

Are we tired yet of the news media bias against a woman and the misinformation against Hillary. the news media apparently is afraid of a woman candidate and thinks anything goes. She is the best candidate with the most experience and independence to get things done.
That is what they are afraid of.

[meileen]

Problem is, we can't do anything about it, they control the airwaves, therefore the election outcome.

Think Bush. He did not win one debate, yet the announcers all said crap like, "He did really well, blah, blah..." and a lot of the sheeple believed that spin. New cycle now, same thing.

Most of America only knows what it gets from the talking heads, regardless if those heads are empty or not.

I miss guys like Brokaw and Rather and the late Jennings.

[MikeL1]

I think Tucker is absolutely right. I have no problem with you liking Hillary. But my problem is, which I have problems with Dems, if you all are screaming "Hillary has experience", here's my 2 questions.

1.) When does being a 1st Lady makes you experieced 4 president?

2.) Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Dennis Kucinich & Bill Richardson has more experience than both of them put 2gether! Why you all didn't vote 4 them?

I think it's not about experience. It's about gender bias. Am I wrong?

[Futuristic]

Some of you Hillary fanatics think that she should get a free pass from the media simply because she is a woman. When the right woman comes along with the right credentials and attititude she will succeed. Since when does being the wife of a former president automatically qualifies you as presendential. Hillary is under this assumption and so are her fanatical fans. Being the wife of a dog does not necessarily make you a qualified pooch. The media is right by pointing out Hillary's awful character along the campaign trail. She is not the right woman for the job of president because she epitomises an impulsive phoney character that will destroy everything in her path to get her selfish way. Great deplomacy is what this country need on the world stage right now, and someone who have demonstrated they know how to run an organization as in "campaign." Don't blame the media for her awful character and shortcomings. When the right woman is in the race she gets my vote, but not this one.

[kellygrrrl]

wait. someone watches F^cker Carlson?

seriously?

[jbsouth]

Yeah.....to see what the enemy is up to.

[timinhi]

"You report on them and then they call you and threaten you and flip out and lie to you," he said. "They do it to a greater extent. They all do it, everybody does it, but she does it more. I'm not just saying that for political reasons. I think you ask any garden-variety liberal Democrat reporter...and they'll say the same thing."

First Tucker, it's not "reporting" when you say things like "If you're a man, doesn't the sound of Hillary's voice make you instinctively cross your legs?--It's kind of like fingernails on a blackboard­,"--that's called "editorializing."

Tucker's comments are basically longhand for he can dish it out, but he can't take it. What a wuss.

[visions]

Tucker Carlson is the biggest A--Hole employed by MSNBC and we all know they have an entire crew of them. Just who will they/he pick on should Hillary depart the race.

[fastannie]

Did Tucker say that about protecting his "balls"? I thought it was Matthews. Thanks.

[kfdan]

Time to diversify media ownership and bring back restrictions held and proven effective during Roosevelt's Presidency. We forget sometimes, the idiots on the tube are not observers but participants. We need to diversify the participants!

[Lazslo]

Sam, you're getting better. You wisely have left out the part of misogyny in your advocacy of the Clintons. Now, if you can just get it straight who holds the grudge, and who is the begrudged...

[daveny]

Sigh... there was a wise saying from a political master of the 20th century that "Getting into a fight with the press is one you can never win. They don't just get to choose the battlefield, they ARE the battlefield."

Amazing that the Clintons, with all their alleged skill and experience, never had the wits to learn this.

[Dogma]

This widespread repulsion for the Clintons didn't happen in a vacuum, or overnight. They came to power by Machiavelian means and now it's time to pay the toll.

In other words, Whiney Tucker is finally right.

[orderinchaos]

Hillary brought this on herself. She was out there courting Matt Drudge...MATT FREAKING DRUDGE!!!!??? A guy who outed Bill regarding Monica Lewinsky. WTF. They are still sending him "scoops". So now she would prefer to shoot the messenger. Jeez!

[accountability]

ummmmm. Earth to order in chaos.
Stop shouting.

Has their been proof of your allegations?
If so could you please post them for all to see?


Why would a so called Progressive believe anything Drudge says.

You would give him the benefit of the doubt?
Please.

How do you know the Obama campaign didn't out the picture just for this reaction.

After all they inserted the race card and pushed the continuation of the racism stories. Obama admitted as much when Tim Russert "confronted" him with 4 pages of talking points and emails sent to the surrogates and the media outlining anything that could be construed as racism and how to present it as such.

nice.

politics as usual.

you hateful neo-con tools have ruined an election that should have been a shining moment for our country and the Party. You pissed all over it with your malignant smears, your lack of anything remotely resembling humanity, your hateful hard-heartedness and your unmitigated malice and malevolence.

It is you and those like you who have once again created strife and ugliness with your venomous unreasoned rage.

If McCain wins I hope you will take a good look in the mirror and into that lump of atrophied muscle where your heart once was.

In fact if Obama wins I hope you will do the same because I cannot for the life of me see what change or hope is possible with you and your kind "rolling up your sleeves" and changing Washington, politics and the country for the better.

All I can see coming from the Obama supporters here and every other "Progressive" blog is more puerile reactionary ideological self righteousness, intolerance and rage.

And I would lay odds that a good percentage of you will turn on Obama as soon as you see that he really means it when he says he will work with the Republicans and cuts his first deal. Which he will. That is how you get things done in Washington. You give something to get something else.
If you believe that Barack Obama is an ideological purist you are in for a rude awakening and a shattering of your ideals.

Happily it has already happened to me as I became aware of his manipulations and distortions.

[mommadona]

Tucker Pucker ALWAYS 'goes off'....

It seems to be a sexual "tension relief" kinda thing with him.

He has actually fathered children. Can you imagine?

[accountability]

mommadona...
LOL

I cannot tolerate him so I don't watch. Hell, I would watch Chris Wallace before I'd watch him.

but he looks like the kind of preppy boy who just can't leave home cause its cheaper... and he gets to drive a grown up car.

Silver spoon conservative.

[Snickerdo]

You who wrote this so called jounalism is as big a looser as that stupid twit sucker tucker..