MSNBC's O'Donnell suggested Sen. Clinton is “stiff” rather than “stately”
Written by Brian Levy
Published
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.