Hours into his temporary removal (no one’s saying how temporary) from the MSNBC airwaves, we’re learning more about the hours after David Shuster‘s comments that got the correspondent suspended.
Politico’s Michael Calderone obtained last night’s email exchange between Shuster and Sen. Clinton’s Press Secretary Philippe Reines who called the comments “absurdly offensive.”
Shuster, filling in on MSNBC’s Tucker Thursday night, questioned whether Chelsea Clinton was “sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?” Chelsea Clinton has been calling superdelegates on behalf of her mother’s campaign.
An NBC insider close to the situation is outraged at the suspension. “This is the second time in a month we’ve caved to a political campaign, kowtowing under pressure for what were basically legitimate observations,” the insider tells TVNewser. “We’re not even pretending to be journalists anymore.”
Many TVNewser readers echo that sentiment; others place the blame elsewhere. We’ve added more comments after the jump…
> This was wrong on just about every count. a) It was a sexist comment. You wouldn’t say this about someone’s son. b) It was unprofessional and crass. Get some class. And while you’re at it lose the bias and report the news. WE don’t need you telling us what to think.
> What else do you call it when you use your daughter to campaign for you, call superdelegates and panelists from the view to vote for your mom? Shuster called it like it was and in the United States of the Perpetually offended that’s just not allowed!
> It’s absolutely ridiculous that David Shuster got suspended by MSNBC. It’s even more duplicitous on MSNBC’s part, because I’m sure his bosses encourage him to be edgy and provocative with his analysis. Yes, perhaps his comment was inappropriate, but a suspension is going too far.
> Oh the rewards of telling the truth…Shuster was crude but truthful
> A CNBC on-air woman “reporter” called President Bush a monkey and then went on late-night tv to yuck it up about her comic genius and nothing happened to her. Shuster makes a remark about a liberal Dem like Clinton and the ceiling falls on his head. Oh yeah, I forgot. It is okay to disparage Republicans, but not Democrats. And the MSM continues to say you are not biased…what a joke.
> Up until today I watched MSNBC only. They just lost this viewer. Talk about throwing a hard working reporter under the bus. MSNBC should grow a set and defend their people.
> It is my belief that these news reporters have become too casual on these shows and terms such as “pimping out” are not appropriate except maybe around the water cooler, but not on what is supposed to be a serious newscast or analysis.