MSNBC's O'Donnell suggested Sen. Clinton is "stiff" rather than "stately"

On the April 26 edition of MSNBC Live, when Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons said that Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has a "very sort of stately demeanor," anchor Norah O'Donnell interrupted: "Did you say 'stately' or did you say 'stiff?' " Simmons replied: "You said 'stiff,' I said 'stately.' " Republican strategist Phil Musser agreed, saying: "I'd say 'stiff.' "

From the 9 a.m. ET hour of the April 26 edition of MSBNC Live:

O'DONNELL: Well, you know, debates, as both of you know as political operatives, are always about moments and the very famous moment, of course, [former president] Ronald Reagan and the microphone -- the sound bites that we will play over and over again tomorrow as we handicap what happened in the debate. There was a moment earlier this week when [Sen.] Barack Obama [D-IL] was appearing before Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network, and let's just play a clip from that.

OBAMA [video clip]: There's something humming down here. Oh, that's somebody's BlackBerry. That's Sharpton's BlackBerry. Is that Hillary calling?

O'DONNELL: Jamal, that's the kind of light touch -- of poking, but also suggesting a little bit of rivalry there that may be a moment in the campaign that could really help someone like Barack Obama or one of the lower-tier candidates that you talked about.

SIMMONS: That's right. And one thing, the person who really will benefit from a moment like that will be Hillary Clinton. She's got this very sort of stately demeanor, and everyone's looking to get a window in --

O'DONNELL: Did you say "stately" or did you say "stiff"?

SIMMONS: You said "stiff," I said "stately."

MUSSER: I'd say "stiff."

SIMMONS: Everyone's trying to get a peek into her, you know, her inner soul -- who she is -- and I think this -- if she has one of those moments, it could be hers that really sets that tone.

—B.J.L.