Pimp My Right
February 9, 2008 at 8:37 am
Apparently Chelsea Clinton is off limits …
In case there was any doubt, using a prostitution metaphor for the daughter of a presidential candidate is not a good career move.
MSNBC suspended correspondent David Shuster yesterday for an undetermined period for making a disparaging on-air remark about Chelsea Clinton. Meanwhile, officials in her mother’s campaign raised the possibility of punishing the news channel by boycotting future debates.
While filling in as a host Thursday, Shuster was discussing the 27-year-old’s role in Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign with two guests when he asked: “Doesn’t it seem as if Chelsea is sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”
… but President Bush isn’t:
Keith Olbermann, 9/20/07: “And in pimping General David Petraeus and in the violation of everything this country has been assiduously and vigilantly against for 220 years, you have tried to blur the gleaming radioactive demarcation between the military and the political, and to portray your party as the one associated with the military, and your opponents as the ones somehow antithetical to it.”
Wasn’t Olbermann’s description equally whore-rible?
reliapundit said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:02 am
EM:
The meaning of words depends on their context.
The context here is not MSNBC, but whether the word refers to a lib or a conservative.
Pimp is perfectly OK to use when referring to a conservative or Republican. So are Hitler references, and putting hawkish pol’s in blackface.
Because, by definition, Dems and libs CAN’T POSSIBLY be racist or extremist, they can use any words or images they like.
This logic is similar to the one employed by libs with regard to global warming: cold is weather; heat is climate.
It’s similar to their logic with regard to the Iraq War: increases in violence are irreversible trends; decreases in just a blip.
It’s similar to their logic with regard to tax cuts: an across the board tax-cot of 15% for all payers unfairly favors the rich.
I DEFY ANYONE TO TELL ME A SINGLE POLICY OF THE LEFT WHICH IS LOGICAL.
The left’s whole outlook on life is illogical, hence their policies and rhetoric is illogical.
And their ideology is a mishmash of contradictions, double standards, and defeatism.
If they didn’t control the MSM and the Academy they’d have gone the way of the dodo bird long ago.
Al said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:08 am
I found some more via lexisnexis:
CNN, 1/6/04:
[quote]CARVILLE: I think Pat Robertson is just out there pimping for the Republican Party, as if God is going to whisper something to Pat Robertson.[/quote]
CNN 3/10/04, reading viewer email:
QUOTE
CAFFERTY: Indeed it is. And viewers have some interesting ideas on that question, who is responsible for fixing America’s weight problem?
Rhonda in Ubly, Michigan, has her finger right on a big piece of the answer. She writes this: “I’m the mother of three girls ages 8, 7 and 3. It’s pretty hard to compete with Scooby Doo and Dora the Explorer pimping their sugar treats on TV. How about having characters advertising for carrots for a change? And by the way, where are the good-for–you food commercials?”
CNN, 1/16/07:
QUOTE
DONALD TRUMP, CHAIRMAN & CEO, TRUMP HOTELS & CASINO RESORTS: Thank you. Good afternoon.
LEMON: Last time we talked to you, you were — you know, you were pimping your new vodka. And we certainly enjoyed…
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: … enjoyed that.
Nancy Grace show, 6/4/07:
QUOTE
SHERYL MCCOLLUM, FORMER DIR. MADD GEORGIA: Absolutely, Nancy. It`s complete BS. And I`ll tell you something. Paris Hilton is a pimp. She is pimping herself so hard, and we`re all buying into it. She`s going to meet with her lawyer every day. They`re not going to photograph her behind, you know, the police car, inside the police car. They`re not going to photograph her handcuffed. She`s going to have a…
GRACE: Well, I`ve never actually thought of Hilton as a pimp. I don`t get that.
MCCOLLUM: She`s pimping herself! She`s going to turn everything into money. Every7thing. IT`s going to be a book deal. It`s going to be a million-dollar seller. They`ve already called her the — you know, the most famous inmate in the world. She`s going to turn this into money. It`s all about her. It`s not about the victims. It`s not about changing her behavior. It`s not about correcting a behavior.
Nachman’s show, 4/14/04 (since cancelled due to the anchor’s death):
QUOTE
SCOTT: That’s a false image of what being a black man is all about. And they seem to buy into that.
And we call this phenomenon — and especially when you’re dealing with the hip-hop movies, all the blood and guts. We call this phenomenon Hollyhood and the pimping of black
(CROSSTALK)
NACHMAN: Say that again. Say that again.
SCOTT: Hollyhood.
NACHMAN: Hollyhood.
SCOTT: And the pimping of black depth. And I can’t get into the minds of those white kids, why they think it’s cool to see a black man dress like a thug and acting like a thug. But we’re here to say now that black power is back and back in full effect. As Public Enemy once said, black is back.
Ann Coulter on MSNBC, 4/14/04:
QUOTE
COULTER: I think the point is this is going to be hard. It’s going to take a long time. But it’s something that absolutely has to be done. We need…
BUCHANAN: Why?
COULTER: We need an Arab Israel over there. We can’t keep pimping for Israel. We need a puppet government. We need to be on the ground. We need a friendly government. We need democracy.
Chris Matthews, 9/19/07:
QUOTE
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL. The John Edwards campaign took a swipe at Hillary Clinton yesterday for a fund-raiser she held here in Washington, saying that that fund-raiser that brought together the kind of Washington insiders that Senator Edwards says are running politics today. I`m with Edwards`s campaign manager right now, David Bonior.
By the way, we were supposed to be joined at this little roundtable by Texas congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. She`s a Clinton campaign national co-chair. Well, she was about to come over here about a half hour before broadcast today, and canceled. I am really wondering what was going on there. She was at the meeting, let`s be blunt about it, of these lobbyists and members of Congress.
Let me ask you, Mr. Bonior. You worked on the Hill for years. You were a member of Congress for many years from Michigan. Is it kosher to have a meeting set up where you bring a bring a bunch of lobbyists who sell equipment to the federal government, vendors, people that want money from the till, with policy members (ph) — lawmakers from various committees, set them all together, give them food and booze, and say, Why don`t you guys get together? And by the way, give me money in my campaign — for this little matchmaking, some might say pimping. Do you think that`s good politics?
Anybody, feel free to steal these.
Andrew Berman said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:16 am
As much as I detest Keith Olbermann, yes there is a difference. “Pimping out [20 something daughter of Presidential Candidate]” is fundamentally different from “Pimping [General]”. They are both rude, but one is a lot nastier.
edh said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:23 am
Your juxtaposition should compare MSNBC’s treatment of Hillary Clinton and George Bush or Chelsea Clinton and General Patraeus, not Chelsea and Bush.
In both the Sushter and Olberman examples, a meretricious metaphor was invoked to impugn the alleged political use of “neutrals” by Hillary and Bush. Each implied a neutral was being prostituted by a politician. In one case a daughter, the other a general.
Seems to me by comparing MSNBC’s treatment of a nuetral, Chelsea, to its treatment of Bush, you understate your case about the inconsistency between the response of MSNBC to the two situations.
Of course, this is separate from the issue of whether the metaphor of a parent prostituting her daughter is more derogatory than a charge of prostituting a general, or whether the use of the speaker in one situation crossed a line the other did not.
david still said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:26 am
One could Imus-like go through all the cable guys and find distasteful remarks and ban them all (not a bad idea), but if yo are not able to distinguish between calling a woman’s daughter the name here used and a general or whatever then you are beyond the old conventions–and you are conservative–that distinguishes differences of this sort for women, daughters, etc. But then, badmouth the opposition rather than recognize responsibility.
john smith said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:05 am
David, that is a very nice observation. I wrote 2 paragraphs in reponse to you, then just deleted it. Not worth the effort and you wouldn’t get it anyway (the inference there is you’re a DA). The sycophant’s life is rough and one of choice. One difference between myself and the Clintons is that I do not pimp my daughters out to further my goals in either a personal or professional endeavor. Your mileage may vary.
red said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:07 am
Nice pair of moonbat incomprehensible comments above. I think what they are saying is that “it depends upon what the definition of pimping is”.
I particularly miss the point of “and you are conservative-that distinguishes differences of this sort for women, daughters, etc.”
Apparently I need to study up on the politically correct approved guidelines for calling men vs. women names. Its all so confusing — or illogical as was so well put by reliapundit.
rjschwarz said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:09 am
I understand your point but I think the term referring to a mother/daughter combo just hits closer to the offensive mark than when used about a man and and an unconnected soldier.
Of course there is also the known response. Bush would do nothing to defend himself because he never really does while it gave HIllary sympathy and a chance to show what a good mother she is. These reactions were entirely predictable and he couldn’t have scripted the entire affair better herself if she’d wanted to.
john smith said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:20 am
so, Sherwood, LOL. “couldn’t have scripted the entire AFFAIR better herself…”
wtf, dude? “it just hits closer to the offensive mark..couldn’t have scripted the entire affair better…” but, let me slide (get it) some more sexual innuendo into the conversation. For the love of everything holy, could you attempt to make a more nebulous point on the morality of english language usage, please?
Let me translate your observation, it’s offensive when discussing a woman and her daughter, so let me be offensive.
red said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:24 am
Oh— and in the analysis of offense taken, I am a 10 year military veteran, schooled from day 1 on the nature of civilian control of the military. I was deeply offended - as every non-moonbat citizen should have been - by the demonization of Gen Petraeus. This honorable soldier, who in addtion to his professional achievement of increasing responsibility had education far superior to those politicos who grilled him in congress, was called a traitor and a liar.
rjscwartz has it right, Bush should have taken offense as Commander-in-Chief. The ability of a general, commanding in the field, to make a report to Congress –at their direction — should not be distorted by politicization. The democrats once understood that - see the McCarthy hearings.
At long last, have you no decency?
After Secretary of the Army, Robert T. Stevens, refused to intercede to halt an overseas assignment for McCarthy’s chief consultant, G. David Schine, who had been drafted, McCarthy’s committee began a two-month investigation of the Army.
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6444
Thank God for General Petraeus and his vision and professionalism
Kevin R.C. O'Brien said,
February 9, 2008 @ 11:33 am
I think the basic difference is that a number of adults were watching the tube, and actually saw Schuster make the statement. Olbermann doesn’t have that problem.
Les Nessman said,
February 9, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
Andrew:
” “Pimping out [20 something daughter of Presidential Candidate]” is fundamentally different from “Pimping [General]”. They are both rude, but one is a lot nastier. ”
You’re right. Saying such rude things about an honorably serving soldier is nastier than saying it about a priveledged campaign worker.
Is Chelsea a child or an adult? Is she working for one of the nastiest political dynasties in a nasty political campaign or is she living a private life?
The Clintons keep trying to have it both ways and many people are willing to give it to them.
nick said,
February 9, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
you morons dont know that news is different than opinion?
mark l. said,
February 9, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
Aren’t the Clinton’s ‘pimping out’ the Chelsea story for sympathy?
The story of the weekend will/should be, Obama takes lead in delegates after dominating caucuses and primaries…
but topic #1 is ‘poor chelsea, bad shuster’.
william said,
February 9, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
I think you nailed Oilyman. I think his sense of fair play will cause him to list himself as next week’s Worst Person in the World.
richard said,
February 9, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
Shows what it takes to get a discussion going here.
Rey said,
February 9, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
First, Chelsea is 37 years old. I know hard to believe, not a little girl. Second, the Clintoons ARE pimping her out there. Third, the only reason that mathews can call the POTUS a liar, criminal, etc. but Shuster can not say a word about Chelsea is fear of the Clintoons. The media expect them to be POTUS again and are terrified to insult them. They will actually get even. Unlike the current POTUS and people like David Gregory and Helen Thomas.
section9 said,
February 9, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
What Rey said.
The lickspittle poodles at MSNBC are deathly afraid of being held to account by the Clintons. They do retaliate, unlike this President, who doesn’t.
Take Olbermann, for example. That swine would never think of criticizing Hillary in the way he criticizes Bush. He knows his ass would be back at a local affiliate.
Dylan Macak said,
February 11, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
People, just grow up. ‘Pimping’ is not such a bad word any more, this is 2008, we are pimping our rides, we are pimping our apartments, pimp costume is #1 Halloween seller, we are pimping out our profiles on MySpace and Facebook. It is just another way of saying that Clintons are using Chelsea in their campaign, nothing too bad here.
It seems to me that we are making a story out of nothing,
Frank Lobo said,
February 11, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
First- Chelsea is a TWENTY-SEVEN year old “child”. Hardly a doe-eyed innocent.
Second- A few weeks ago, at a Clinton fundraiser, you could WIN A DINNER WITH CELSEA.
If one could PAY MONEY to enjoy SPENDING TIME with the senator’s daughter, I’d call that pimping.
Bud Micalizio said,
February 11, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
Bush DID pimp out Petraeus to report on the “good news” out of Iraq.
Frank Lobo said,
February 11, 2008 @ 7:28 pm
…and Hillary DID pimp out Chelsea for “votes”.
Diana said,
February 12, 2008 @ 3:19 am
You know it’s hard out here for a pimp,
When she tryin to get the votes for the pres
For the plane and ad money spent
Because a whole lot of pondents talkin sh*t
In my eyes I done seen some crazy thangs in the streets
Gotta couple girls workin on the changes for me
But I gotta keep my game tight like Kobe on game night
Like takin from Barack don’t know no better, I know that ain’t right
Done seen people killed, done seen people deal
Done seen people live in poverty with no meals
It’s not f*cked up where I live, but that’s just how it is
It might be new to you, but it’s been like this for years
It’s blood sweat and tears when it come down to this sh*t
I’m tryin to get delegates ‘fore I leave up out this race
I’m tryin to have thangs but it’s hard fo’ a pimp
But I’m prayin and I’m hopin to God I don’t slip, yeah
Wait I got a latina, and a black girl too
You pay the right price and they’ll both smile for you
That’s the way the game goes, gotta keep it strictly pimpin
Gotta have my hustle tight, makin change off these women, yeah
You know it’s hard out here for a pimp,
When she tryin to get the votes for the pres
For the plane and ad money spent
Because a whole lot of pondents talkin sh*t
Adapted from It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” the 2005, Academy Award winning song written for the film Hustle & Flow by Memphis hip hop artists Paul Beauregard and Jordan Houston (both from rap group Three 6 Mafia).