Campbell Brown Hits Ed Rendell For Open Mic Remark

Campbell Brown dedicated her "Cutting Through the Bull" segment to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell Tuesday night over a remark he made while he did not know his microphone was on.

Speaking about Obama's Homeland Security Secretary pick, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Rendell said, "Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family, perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."

Brown — while never using the words "sexist" or "sexism" — (somewhat apologetically) chastised Rendell for the remark, which she suggested would never be made towards a man and unfairly focuses on work-family balance because Napolitano is a woman.

"I don't meant to rake you over the coals," she said to the always-candid Governor, "I know what you meant to say. But your comments do perpetuate stereotypes that pus us in boxes, both mothers and single women."

Watch:

Comments

[butlerman]

Really Campbell. He thought the mic was off and the same remark could have been made about alot of unmarried busy men. i actually enjoy much of your commentary. But you should be commenting on the news not trying to create it. Get a sense of humor.

[dessertsfirst]

the comments are a non-story... a non-issue. and who cares?

[miamia]

Boo, you stink, Campbell. He thought the mic was off.

I'd love to hear all of your off air remarks and those of the other tv personality "journalist"..

[btanner]

Much ado about nothing. CB is simply overreacting.

[coot]

Campbell Brown please shut up !!! go already

[Happylib]

I'm sorry, am I missing something? Does my governor have a family that I am not aware of? A secret family? If not then this story is a desperate grasp for scandal. Campbell, please do not take on that unattractive Repiglican trait of "phony outrage." It is not becoming. How about covering the last ditch Bush moves to destroy the environment. I know it is not as sexy as an "open mike" comment by a politician but it certainly is more important.

[Myshkin57]

Id i ot ic. Campbell Brown goes out of her way looking to make a big deal out of nothing daily. She should get a job writing headlines for this site.

[miamia]

:)

[Danvanh]

What the hell is wrong with Campbell? His comment didn't have anything to do with her gender.

[bloominglater]

i couldn't agree with you more. she is really not on her game. what's simple is true--many uber-powerful/successful people do not have a good work/life balance. doesn't matter if you're a male or a female--some people don't have a life. that works a lot better when you have to devote your life to your job.

wtf, campbell?

please. shut it.

[theone718]

The problem was Rendell saying she had no life. It had nothing to do with gender whatsoever. This is why my channel doesn't change from MSNBC from 8-10.

[rcozad]

Actually Gov. rendell was paying Gov Napolitano a supreme compliment, and one that has earned her the high marks a Democrat can get in our red state! She is lights out bright, and that is a given, but she has put in the backbreaking work schedule that only a career driven person could possibly maintain! She is the right choice for many reasons none the less is that the workload required to tackle the homeland security job will require a person that can work a nightmarish schedule and that she can and does!! Brown was right Chertoff had outside interests , true, but who among us would ever suggest that he did a good job!?

[11907281]

Was Brown a PUMA? Manufactured controversy that is transparent.

[Lazslo]

Increasingly, reading about Campbell's "editorials" is like getting hit with a bag of organges. Someone please help the dear woman. People ALWAYS say that remark about men. I hear it in my office constantly about men. If someone had said the opposite, that Napolitano could not devote large amounts of hours to her job due to her family life, now THAT would be somewhat sexist, except for the fact that she just might make that choice, which would negate any such sexism charges. Does Campbell not know what sexism is? She's like chicken little with this garbage.

[McChimp]

Campbell Brown is becoming the female Bill O Reilly, always hammering the democrats for every little thing, while giving the Republicans who do the exact same thing a free pass. Crying sexism Ms. Brown? Where were the complaints of sexism during the primaries, or during the election with Sarah Palin? Ms. Brown you need to either report the FACTS or shut up and take your rantings over to Fox and become Hannity's new co-host!!! Hannity and Brown: two right wing n ut jobs ranting and raving, perfect place for you!!!

[Lazslo]

actually, she did go on (and on and on) about alleged sexism against Palin during the campaign.

[rhondadavis28]

she is terrible at reporting

[OriginalScreenName]

So is this the supposed sexism the media didn't catch during Hillary's Campaign? So no one would ever be concerned about a man pulling 20 hour work weeks causing family problems? We're just expected to neglect our families.

The only problem with Rendell's remarks is that he assumes someone without a family is capable of doing a good job working 19/20 hours a week. Anyone, including people without families will suffer from burnout working those types of hours and their performance is going to decline dramatically. If the Secretary of Homeland Security is that over-worked, we need to hire them some more assistants.

There's no sexism involved here at all CB, get real.