Statement from David Brock on Pattern of Sexist/Misogynistic Outbursts on MSNBC: "The Time for Apologies Has Passed"

MSNBC's David Shuster Latest to Apologize for Comments; Less than One Month after Chris Matthews' Apology for Sexist Comments

Washington, D.C. - David Brock, President & CEO of Media Matters for America, today released the following statement regarding the latest high profile misogynistic comment and on-air apology, this time from MSNBC correspondent David Shuster.

"Like Don Imus, Tucker Carlson and Chris Matthews before him, David Shuster's reprehensible comments are part of a troubling pattern that has become all too common on MSNBC broadcasts.

"If MSNBC was genuinely trying to tackle the problem of sexism on their airwaves, this wouldn't keep happening.

"Instead of constantly searching for the right response to these outbursts, MSNBC should be searching for ways to foster an environment where they don't happen in the first place.

"The time for apologies has passed. The time for a real commitment to change is long since overdue."

Background

On the February 7 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, correspondent David Shuster, filling in for host Tucker Carlson, said, "doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way" by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) presidential campaign. The following morning on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Shuster addressed the remark saying, "Well, last night, I used a phrase -- some slang about her efforts. I didn't think that people would take it literally, but some people have. ... [T]o the extent that people feel I was being pejorative, I apologize for that. I should have seen that people might view it that way, and for that, then I'm sorry." Following Shuster's apology, NBC President Steve Capus issued a statement condemning Shuster's remarks as "irresponsible and inappropriate." He added that Shuster "has been suspended from appearing on all NBC News broadcasts, other than to make his apology."

On the February 8 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, Shuster addressed his earlier comments about Chelsea Clinton again, stating, "Last night during the show, I spoke about Chelsea Clinton and noted the affection that so many of us have for her. I also spoke about phone calls she has made to super delegates to convince them to support her mom. In describing this effort, I used a phrase that was inappropriate, and I apologize to the Clinton family, the Clinton campaign, and all of you who were justifiably offended. As I said this morning on MSNBC, all Americans should be proud of Chelsea Clinton, and I am particularly sorry that my language diminished the regard and respect she has earned from all of us and the respect her parents have earned in how they raised her."

NBC/MSNBC's Pattern of Sexism and Misogyny

NBC's Holt surprised that primary voters say a "woman candidate" "would make the best commander in chief"?

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802060004

Discussing exit polls during MSNBC's coverage of the February 5 presidential primary elections, NBC correspondent Lester Holt stated: "With the field of Democratic candidates reduced to two, we asked primary voters, 'Who would make the best commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces?' And here, it was [Sen.] Hillary Clinton [D-NY] who was the clear favorite. The first woman candidate with a serious shot at winning the presidency beat out her male rival -- look at these numbers -- 50 percent to 35 percent. Keep in mind, this at a time the nation is fighting on two fronts."

Scarborough to Brzezinski on Morning Joe: "[D]on't make me backhand you"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801300002

On the January 30 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough said to co-host Mika Brzezinski, "Mika, don't make me backhand you." Scarborough made the comment after telling CNBC chief political correspondent John Harwood: "I, actually -- I don't endorse anybody because, as you know, I'm a journalist," prompting Brzezinski to laugh. Brzezinski responded to Scarborough's "backhand" remark: "Oh, lord."

All-male Morning Joe panel laughed as Barnicle compared Clinton to "everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801230004

Discussing the most recent Democratic presidential candidates debate on Morning Joe, political and social commentator Mike Barnicle said Sen. Hillary Clinton "look[ed] like everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court," eliciting laughter from the all-male panel that featured MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, Willie Geist, and David Shuster.

MSNBC's Carlson mocked Clinton for her comments about gender discrimination

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801230007

After airing a video clip of Sen. Hillary Clinton talking about "gender equality" during a Democratic presidential candidates debate, MSNBC host Tucker Carlson stated: "It takes a lot of guts for a rich, privileged white lady who is one of the most powerful people in the world to claim that she is a victim of gender discrimination."

Russert suggests irony in women identifying with "self-avowed feminist" who showed emotion

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801190001

On the January 19 edition of MSNBC's Tim Russert, referring to a campaign event prior to the January 8 New Hampshire Democratic primary during which Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (NY) voice broke as she talked about why she is seeking the presidency, host Tim Russert asked New York Times columnist Gail Collins, "Is it ironic that this self-avowed feminist went to New Hampshire, showed some emotion, and that seemed to be a real help to her with women voters?"

Joe Scarborough: "[I]t's outrageous that Chris Matthews has to apologize" for Hillary Clinton comments

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801180004

On January 18, Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough said it was "outrageous that Chris Matthews ha[d] to apologize" following his January 9 comment, documented by Media Matters, in which he said that "the reason" Hillary Clinton is "a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around." By "apologize," Scarborough was referring to a statement Matthews made at the start of his January 17 show addressing the firestorm sparked by his earlier comments.

With women, Matthews administers the "Chris Matthews test"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801170001

A Media Matters for America review of MSNBC host Chris Matthews' commentary has found a history of degrading comments about women, in which he focuses on the physical appearances of his female guests and other women discussed on his show.

After vowing not to underestimate Clinton, Matthews asserted, "[T]he reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801090008

During MSNBC's coverage of the New Hampshire Democratic primary, Hardball host Chris Matthews stated, "I will never underestimate Hillary Clinton again." But Matthews asserted on MSNBC's Morning Joe the next day, "[T]he reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around."

Matthews asked if Pelosi is "going to castrate Steny Hoyer" if he becomes majority leader

http://mediamatters.org/items/200611140006

On the November 13 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews asked political and social commentator Mike Barnicle if Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the presumptive speaker-elect of the House of Representatives, was "going to castrate [Rep.] Steny Hoyer [D-MD]" if Hoyer is elected House majority leader in the 110th Congress.

MSNBC's Carlson suggested women may be "so sensible, they don't want to get involved in something as stupid as politics"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200711060008

On the November 5 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, while discussing "the so-called gender card in the '08 presidential race," host Tucker Carlson asked Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation: "You don't sort of look down a little bit on women ... who would vote for [Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)], partly because she's a woman?" Smeal responded, "No, absolutely not. ... [L]et's face it, she's very qualified. But the reality is, you also would like to break this glass ceiling. You would like to have some representation," adding, "I mean, it's embarrassing, Tucker. We're 68th in the world for representation of women in our Congress." Carlson replied: "I'm not embarrassed. I almost -- when I get up at a baseball game and sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' I don't hang my head because we don't have enough women in Congress. I'm actually not embarrassed by it at all." Smeal responded, "Well, it has nothing to do with your baseball game obviously," to which Carlson said: "I don't know why that's embarrassing. You could make the counter case that most women are so sensible, they don't want to get involved in something as stupid as politics. ...They've got real things to do."

MSNBC's Carlson invoked Lorena Bobbitt to claim Clinton is tapping into women's anger toward men
http://mediamatters.org/items/200711020002

On the November 1 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, while discussing the response by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) presidential campaign to the October 30 Democratic debate, host Tucker Carlson asked whether Clinton can "claim to be a grizzled veteran of rough and tough politics and then cry 'No fair!' when her male opponents fire a few jabs at her." Carlson then said that Clinton "clearly is playing the gender card" and asked MSNBC political analyst Pat Buchanan, "Does that work?" Buchanan rejected Carlson's assertion, stating, "I don't think she's saying that." Carlson went on to state, "I think whenever she appears tough, I think it's good for her. I think she actually is tough. But the one thing we learned from the Lorena Bobbitt case is there's a great deal of resentment among women aimed at men. That's why Oprah's huge."

Matthews to CNBC's Burnett: "You're a knockout"; "It's all right getting bad news from you"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200708120002

On Hardball, Chris Matthews told CNBC anchor Erin Burnett: "[Y]ou're beautiful" and "[y]ou're a knockout," before closing their interview by saying, "It's all right getting bad news from you."

Matthews on Burnett comments: "I was just kidding around"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200708140003

The New York Post reported that Chris Matthews said "he was only fooling around with [CNBC anchor Erin] Burnett because the camera lens had already made her appear closer than usual." The article then quoted Matthews saying, "It was this weird fishbowl look . . . I was just kidding around."

Tucker Carlson on Clinton: "[W]hen she comes on television, I involuntarily cross my legs"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200707180009

On the July 16 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, discussing presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), producer Willie Geist described a Clinton doll being advertised at the website HillaryNutcracker.com that features "serrated stainless steel thighs that, well, crack nuts," according to Geist. He later asked, "What do you think they're saying about Hillary?" Host Tucker Carlson replied, "I have often said, when she comes on television, I involuntarily cross my legs."

Sunday Shutout: The Lack of Gender & Ethnic Diversity on the Sunday Morning Talk Shows
http://mediamatters.org/items/200705140001

Not only are the Sunday morning talk shows on the broadcast networks dominated by conservative opinion and commentary, the four programs -- NBC's Meet the Press, ABC's This Week, CBS' Face the Nation, and Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday -- feature guest lists that are overwhelmingly white and overwhelmingly male. And the top-rated Sunday show -- Meet the Press -- shows the least diversity of all. The NBC program is the most male and nearly the most white (Face the Nation beats it out by 1 percentage point), and it has the highest proportion of white males to all other guests.

Locked Out: The Lack of Gender and Ethnic Diversity on Cable News Continues

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705070003

During the recent controversy over former radio and television host Don Imus' remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team, some cable-news viewers may have noticed something unusual: the presence of significantly more African-Americans. The nature of the controversy led the cable networks to seek comment from a far more diverse group of people than they ordinarily do, which begs the question: To the extent these cable programs included a more diverse guest lineup during the Imus controversy, why do they provide such diversity only when issues of race are in the news cycle? Do cable-news producers view the guests added to the lineup during the Imus controversy as qualified to talk only about issues of race, and not other issues of national and political significance?

Imus called women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos"

ttp://mediamatters.org/items/200704040011

On the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team, which is comprised of eight African-American and two white players, as "nappy-headed hos" immediately after the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hard-core hos." Later, former Imus sports announcer Sid Rosenberg, who was filling in for sportscaster Chris Carlin, said: "The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the [National Basketball Association's] Toronto Raptors."

Tucker on Sen. Clinton: "[T]here's just something about her that feels castrating, overbearing, and scary"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200703200013

On the March 20 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson noted that a 1984-inspired attack ad posted on YouTube.com characterizes Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) "as an Orwellian Big Sister" and proceeded to endorse this depiction of Clinton, saying, "But there's just something about her that feels castrating, overbearing, and scary." Carlson maintained: "I mean, you've gotta admit, when you watch that, it does get right to heart of people's instinctive problems with Hillary, which don't have to do with policy." Carlson further noted that the ad "seems to be the work of one person with a computer who doesn't like Hillary or, in any case, perceives the truth about her."

Matthews asked about Clinton endorsers' "willingness" "to become castratos in the eunuch chorus"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200712180002

On the December 17 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews claimed: "Every day I pick up the paper and there's another quote out there from somebody who's a wannabe, saying whatever the Clinton people told them to say apparently." Moments later, Matthews asked Financial Times U.S. managing editor Chrystia Freeland: "[A]ren't you appalled at the willingness of these people to become castratos in the eunuch chorus here or whatever they are?" Matthews made the comment in the context of discussing endorsements of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and specifically that of former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE), who made reference following a December 16 campaign event to, among other things, Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) middle name.

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