Pimped out

The Clinton machine is out in full force against MSNBC in general and reporter David Shuster, in particular. Last week Shuster said Chelsea Clinton was being "pimped out." He has since apologized twice and was suspended. That's not nearly enough for Clinton or Media Matters. They say this is a pattern with the network that used to employ Don Imus and continues to employ Chris Matthews.

I understand the anger surrounding all the comments that have drawn outrage, mostly from the left. I get the defense of Chelsea Clinton. Bill Press, who was on opposite Shuster at the time of his comments, rejected the notion that Chelsea Clinton was being used as a tool. He's right, of course. She's a smart, individual, grown woman who believes in her mother's candidacy and has every right and ability to go out and campaign on her own. (If you sense a "but," you're right.)

But the ignorant, misogynistic comments came from the same MSNBC trio that have loudly fought against Bush's war. They came from three talking heads who regularly push hard questions on Republicans and have created cries from the right that the network is liberal. Shuster was by far the best reporter on television when it came to covering the Scooter Libby trial.

Surely their opposition to the war doesn't excuse their comments. And certainly the network could find solid reporters who won't make misogynistic comments. But the immediate anger at a comment, and the call for "change" at the network is excessive. The Clinton machine has overplayed its hand on this one, and it's time for the calls for Shuster's ouster to stop.