No talk of ‘pimps,’ prostitutes or Cohibas: The sex line of defense around the Clintons

Commenter JJ Mollo takes issue with my contention that the threshold for suspending news reporters who offend Republicans is much higher than the threshold for news reporters who offend Democrats.

The case in point, of course, is MSNBC reporter David Shuster, who was suspended Feb. 8 for asking:

“Doesn’t it seem as if Chelsea [Clinton] is sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”

Petraeus pimped. Yet this was on the same network in which President Bush-hater Keith Olbermann last Sept. 20 safely spewed these words at Bush:

“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.”

Olbermann was not suspended, despite the fact that his remarks appear to have been prepared in advance, not an off-the-cuff question like Shuster’s.

Only one punished. My point wasn’t that Olbermann should have been suspended, too. My point was that neither of these news broadcasters should have been suspended. But the only newsman punished was the one who foolishy offended a Democrat.

Imagine, some pundit saying, during the 2004 campaign,  “Doesn’t it seem as if the Bush twins, Jenna and Barbara, are sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”

The reaction to that would have been,  “That guy’s an idiot” or nothing at all. President Bush and Laura Bush probably wouldn’t have said a thing.

Obvious metaphor. It’s not as if someone directly accused Chelsea Clinton of prostitution. Shuster obviously was using a metaphor, suggesting Chelsea was being forced to do something -- campaign for her mother -- against her will.

But with the Clintons, it’s more than the fact they’re Democrats. It’s that Bill Clinton has a lengthy and lurid record of sexual harassment that the Clintons don’t want mentioned anywhere at any time.

For the Clintons now, the sex-talk zone of defense is so deep it looks positively Puritan. You pull out a cigar and you’re tackled.

Frank Warner

Comments

[Hogarth]

Threshold: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

You argument should be that the threshold for suspending news reporters who offend Republicans is much higher (as in "harder to get over") than the threshold for news reporters who offend Democrats.

In other words, it is harder to get suspended (one could even say impossible) for offending a Republican than a Democrat because the threshold is higher.

Just sayin' is all.

[Ross]

While I agree with your basic point I agree with Hogarth that you have used threshhold in a way that it was not intended. I also believe that is possible the the "pimped out" term is not necessarily meant in the way that you interpret it. One popular usage of the term "pimped out" now is when an item is made to look attractive for the purpose of display. Such as "He pimped out his car." Obviously in the example nobody was offered the opportunity to have sex with the car. Rather the car was decorated in a way the owner thought was attractive in order to enhance its appearance.

[Ross]

While I agree with your basic point I agree with Hogarth that you have used threshhold in a way that it was not intended. I also believe that is possible the the "pimped out" term is not necessarily meant in the way that you interpret it. One popular usage of the term "pimped out" now is when an item is made to look attractive for the purpose of display. Such as "He pimped out his car." Obviously in the example nobody was offered the opportunity to have sex with the car. Rather the car was decorated in a way the owner thought was attractive in order to enhance its appearance.

My name is Hillary Clinton. You insulted my daughter, prepare to die. (Movie reference, not a threat. No secret service visits needed thank you.)

[buzz]

I think Olbermann should be suspended, but not necessarily for the pimping comment. Rather for consitantly doing his stupid commentary that he writes as if he is a freshman in a creative writing class. ..."the violation of everything this country has been assiduously and vigilantly against for 220 years, you have tried to blur the gleaming radioactive demarcation...."
Good Lord, does the man not have an editor?

[Shawn Levasseur]

Under normal circumstances, the cry of double standard would fit. But there is something a bit more sleazy about using the "pimping out" metaphor to a daughter in her 20's, as opposed to an Army general. The mind is more easily drawn towards the less metaphorical interpretation.

Anyway the metaphor was misapplied in this case for other reasons. Chelsea wasn't being pimped out. She was the one DOING the pimping.

Pimping her mother('s campaign.)

Now mind you that could be offensive too, from Hillary's perspective. But you now can have a slightly more P.C. image of Chelsea. Funny in fact, if you imagine her in a garish fur coat, tons of bling, cane, etc.

[Frank Warner]

Yes, the threshold is higher for suspending reporters who offend Republicans. Thanks, Hogarth!

[roger]

It is salacious to ponder Bush pimping out his daughters. It is obscene to ponder the Clintons pimping out Chelsea. It would be in bad taste to make any comments about the Mondale daughter and Clinton.

[George]

New Drudge headline: NOT PIMPING: Chelsea Dines with 21-Year-Old Superdelegate...

Heh.

[jj mollo]

That is so fun-nee! "Hey, Jason ..." But really, what did he expect? As a superdelegate he's a big gun, whether he's 17 or 81.

There is, however, no moral condemnation of honest campaigning or even selling used cars. It's not like sending out the cheerleaders to recruit football players. What Chelsea is doing has to be considered completely honorable -- unless you're in Saudi Arabia.

Her looks have improved, I think.