Shuster initially defended his comment.

[catagory5]

Not to add more gasoline to the fire but I thought the Info was "relevant"

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8408.html


Reporter initially defended Chelsea comment
By: Michael Calderone
Feb 8, 2008 10:06 PM EST



Before MSNBC's David Shuster was suspended by the network Friday for on-air comments he made about Chelsea Clinton, the television reporter engaged in a heated correspondence with a spokesman for Hillary Clinton in which he defended his appearance and refused demands to apologize.

A copy of the e-mail exchange between Shuster and Philippe Reines, a longtime Clinton aide, was obtained by Politico and is reprinted here.

On Thursday, Shuster guest-hosted Tucker Carlson's MSNBC show, "Tucker," and in referring to Chelsea Clinton's role in calling superdelegates on behalf of the Clinton presidential campaign, he asked if she was "sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

Later that night, he heard from an outraged Reines, who called the remarks "absurdly offensive."

Shuster was unrepentant. He told Reines his commentary was justified because of the contrast between Chelsea Clinton's overt political role and the aggressive way campaign aides "jump down the throat" of reporters who seek to question her about it.

He was more contrite the next morning, apologizing on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show, "Morning Joe."
But that didn't satisfy the Clinton campaign. Communications director Howard Wolfson told reporters in a conference call that Shuster's comment was "beneath contempt."

Wolfson also raised the possibility that Clinton would no longer participate in an MSNBC debate, scheduled for February 26.

In a statement before Shuster's second apology, on Friday evening's "Tucker," the network said that Shuster had "extended an apology to the Clinton family."

"NBC News takes these matters seriously, and offers our sincere regrets to the Clintons for the remarks," continued the statement.

Behind the scenes, Phil Griffin, senior vice president at MSNBC, took the criticism over Shuster's remarks from the Clinton camp especially seriously, and Tim Russert helped mediate the situation, according to sources.

But one high-level NBC source told Politico that apologizing was an act of cowardice on behalf of the network.

"This is at least the second time they've caved to the Hillary Clinton campaign," a source told Politico, referring to Chris Matthews' recent apology over remarks he recently made about Clinton that were widely denounced as sexist. "What does this do to journalism?"

Reines, reached by Politico, declined to comment. Shuster did not respond Friday night to an e-mail interview request.

In the Reines-Shuster corresondence which follows on page two, the e-mail addresses have been removed, as have the names of NBC and Clinton campaign officials who were copied on the exchange.