Students on the HC-J list:
Some of you may or may not be aware that MSNBC anchor David Shuster said
on the air on Thursday that Hillary Clinton had "pimped out" her
27-year-old daughter by having her call Democratic superdelegates on
behalf of her mother. Shuster, who apologized on the air for his
comment, has been suspended.
I thought some of you might like to see the email exchange between MSNBC
correspondent Shuster and Hilary Clinton's press secretary that
immediately followed the "pimping" comment. And I'd love to know what
you think.
I don't, though, want to seem completely neutral: I love rough, honest
political reporting that cuts through the spin and calculation, but I
confess to being old-fashioned enough to feel that no serious print or
broadcast reporter should ever use language like this.
But this email exchange is very revealing of the ongoing struggle
between campaign staff and the press that is quite routine during a
national campaign.
Steve Gorelick
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-----Original Message-----
From: Philippe Reines
To: David Shuster
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 7:14 p.m.
David - how hard is it for someone, anyone, in the vast MS/NBC universe
to contact any one of us at the campaign for comment about Chelsea
before going on air and saying that she is being "pimped out" ? It's
absurdly offensive. And what the hell does that even mean?
I just don't get MSNBC - does GE not allow you to make toll calls?
What's the problem.
Philippe Reines
Press Secretary
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
-----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.
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Sent using BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Philippe Reines
To: David Shuster
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 9:00 p.m.
Since you guys asked for the transcript - here specifically is what
David said on air:
SHUSTER: "But doesn't it seem like she's being--but doesn't it seem as
if Chelsea is sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"
I have a hunch that such offensive and unacceptable language was never
used on MSNBC's air about Karenna Gore, the Bush twins, Venessa & Alex
Kerry, Kate Edwards, the Romney sons - or any other adult offspring who
chose to campaign on behalf of a parent.
-----Original Message-----
From: Philippe Reines
To: David Shuster
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 9:16: p.m.
David - I want to make sure I'm crystal clear here - you're saying that
because she doesn't grant interviews and makes calls on behalf of her
mother, you are right to say that she is being pimped out?
I don't need to read a the whole transcript for context, you were way
out of line. Nobody's jumping down your throat about asking for an
interview or talking about calls she made. And you know it.
There is simply no excuse for being so offensive.
By actually rationalizing your behavior rather than accepting
responsibility and apologizing, you become the poster child for
everything wrong with tv journalism, and it's a shame your NBC
colleagues have to be associated with this (expletive).
-----Original Message-----
From: David Shuster
To: Philippe Reines
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 9:29 p.m.
No. That's not what I'm saying. And if you bothered to look at the
transcript and saw all of the glowing things I said about chelsea and
the way she was raised, you would know that.
The issue is not her making calls. As + said on the air, I have no
problems with that what so ever. The issue is not her refusing
interviews. The issue is that the campaign has come down hard on
reporters who merely sought to ask chelsea questions. You can't have it
both ways. Reporters have long respected the clintons desire that we
avoid chelsea and let her have her space. But to get angry at reporters
seeking to talk to her now is patently unfair. And you know that.
--------------------------
Sent using BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Philippe Reines
To: David Shuster
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 9:49 p.m.
I think we've each said what we have to say on this matter. Based on
this email exchange, we're assuming two things:
1) You are not disputing that you said on air: "But doesn't it seem like
she's being--but doesn't it seem as if Chelsea is sort of being pimped
out in some weird sort of way?"
2) You have no intention of apologizing for the above.
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