TPM's Sargent: It Was Not About Shuster, It Was About NBC And Tweety

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Media
Posted on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:33:23 PM EST
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By Big Tent Democrat

Good for Greg Sargent and good for TPM:

Anyway, this should settle it: As dumb and clueless as Shuster's "pimp" remark, this was never really about him. The Clinton campaign, while genuinely upset about what Shuster said, lashed out at the network because they were primarily irked by Matthews' conduct, and were sending a message to MSNBC that it's time that Matthews muzzle himself.

Of course Tweety was the biggest problem, but Shuster (who defended Matthews and has his own pattern of sexist comments), Joe Scarborough and the entire network have a sexism problem in their coverage. But the important thing is it was about NBC's pattern of behavior, not about David Shuster's one remark. Good to see TPM acknowledge this.

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TPM's Sargent: It Was Not About Shuster, It Was About NBC And Tweety | 33 comments (33 topical)

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Defending Matthews (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Saul on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:41:33 PM EST

after he apologized is what I thought was so ingenious. After Chris apologized on the air, and you can bet he was ordered to do it and not because he did it on his own, you would think that it would be a signal from the upper echelons of MSNBC telling all concern to cut it out or else, yet right after the apology the next day on Morning Joe, Scarbough was saying how wrong it was for Chris to be apologizing. Are all these guys mavericks and are allowed to continue do do what ever they want after the boss has said to cut it out?

No they're not mavericks (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by rebecca on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:47:34 PM EST

They've been allowed to run wild for too long that's all. They took the demand for an apology to be not serious. If management had come down on them after their response to the apology they would have realized this was serious. But since management allowed them to ridicule the calls for the apology and basically continue their ways they just continued. We'll have to see how it goes now. If management allows them to go on without comment as they test the newest apology they will know that they can keep on being as misogynistic as they want.

It's all about management. Do they call them on their misogyny as it happens or only when the cries of anger get loud enough from viewers? It doesn't help to have people like Josh Marshall accepting this behavior too. Hopefully this post by Sargeant shows a change in his behavior too. We'll see.


Here is a shocking concept (none / 0) (#28)
by Richard in Jax on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:36:39 PM EST

Turn off that damn TV. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH IT!!!! If you don't like these guys shut them down. Every time you turn on that crap you make them MONEY!!!


: i don't watch the pundits anymore. (none / 0) (#34)
by hellothere on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 06:16:14 PM EST

my tummy and brain just couldn't take it.

: I've stopped watching them (none / 0) (#37)
by rebecca on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 06:44:53 PM EST

However, we can't just ignore them. We need to keep aware of what they are doing. If people don't complain they will continue their obnoxious, bigoted behavior. It's only because of the outcry against their behavior that Matthews and Shuster apologized. They may not understand how awful their behavior was and is. These are professionals. If their behavior is continues to cause problems for management then management will rein them in or if they won't rein in then they will find work elsewhere. It's a matter of pressure.

Shuster was too (none / 0) (#3)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:42:45 PM EST

He has a pattern here as well.


Scarborough threatened to hit (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by MarkL on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:45:35 PM EST

Mika B.---on the air.
As far as I'm concerned, that should have been a firing offense.
Firing Scarborough for that would have sent exactly the right message.

Scarborough/Mika (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by auntmo on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:43:42 PM EST

I saw that, MIke. I have't watched since.


: Sorry. Meant Mark. :) (none / 0) (#18)
by auntmo on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:44:53 PM EST

ole joe has his own dead female intern (none / 0) (#35)
by hellothere on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 06:17:07 PM EST

he story which i am sure he wants to keep hidden.


Whoever said (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by Kathy on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:46:15 PM EST

that calling the network, GE and the top ten sponsors of MSNBC's programs wouldn't work...I'd like an apology, please. It does matter when people react, and it does make others start questioning what is really going on. Now that tempers have had time to settle, I think that folks are really looking at the facts, and the facts are that MSNBC has a pattern of abuse that needs to be seriously addressed.

Don Imus... (5.00 / 2) (#7)
by Alvord on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:49:07 PM EST

...had the early morning slot at MSNBC for many years. I can't help but believe that he made a large contribution to the mindset at MSNBC and why MSNBC continues to employ people like Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough.

Good On Greg (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by BDB on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:04:41 PM EST

He's the best of the bunch at TPM. And I thought that before the Obama-fest started over there.

But then I also think taking on the media is one of the most important things liberal voices can do. So much of the conservative movement depends on its noise machine and its ability to push stuff into the bloodstream of more mainstream news organizations.

TPM/Greg Sargent (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by auntmo on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:20:21 PM EST

I'll take your word for it, but I'm not going back to TPM until it's over, if ever.


: Perhaps TPM Is Improving? (none / 0) (#31)
by BDB on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 05:09:18 PM EST

Perhaps things are evening out over there - Josh posted this video showing an Obama super delegate doing all kinds of double talk about the issue of who super delegates should support. It's actually quite funny and I don't think you have to be a Clinton supporter to think so. It really captures the absurdity of politics - link. BTD, if you're reading this, I think you'd particularly enjoy the ridiculousness. Ah, politics.
And they also posted this on a report that Obama has far outpaced Clinton in making donations to Super Delegates. So perhaps all is not lost over there.

I just posted a comment (none / 0) (#1)
by standingup on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:38:29 PM EST

on this in the open thread. I am waiting to see if there will be an additional comment from Josh since he gave so much front page attention to it himself.

Please do not respond to comments (none / 0) (#8)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:57:28 PM EST

you know will be deleted.

Do not feed the trolls.

This is a fine example of how, (none / 0) (#9)
by oculus on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:57:34 PM EST

no matter what HRC does, Hillary hate turns the tide:

it was about keeping Clinton's name in the news (in a way that's not followed immediately by the words "is losing")

What did I just write? (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 02:58:20 PM EST

Please IGNORE them.


: Got it. Timing is everything here. (none / 0) (#12)
by oculus on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:10:50 PM EST

that's not true (none / 0) (#23)
by Jeralyn on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:19:11 PM EST

when you first came here I had to delete several of your comments for being denigrating to others, calling people "sweetie" and the like. Also, at times you didn't comment, just posted Obama screeds from elsewhere.

I haven't read your stuff today -- I just saw this comment and wanted to point it out.


: Oculus has a snippet (none / 0) (#29)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:44:13 PM EST

Obamamama accused Hillary Clnton of faking outrsge over her daughter being compared to a prostitute and herself to a pimp to "keep her name in the news."
This comment was repeatedly posted despite knowing it was over the line and since then this troll comment has been posted repeatedly as well.
This person does not respect the site rules and is patently offensive and disruptive.
If you do not ban her/him from the site, I ask permission to ban her/him from MY posts.

My take (none / 0) (#13)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:19:30 PM EST

This is typical of media.

Make a page 1 distortion.

Then, days later when no one is looking anymore, make a page 7 retraction.

This isn't enough to make me forgive TPM.

Josh making a Front Page apology, retraction (none / 0) (#15)
by jawbone on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:30:24 PM EST

would go a long way toward establishing his journalistic ethics and the general standards over at TPM.

Think he'll do it? He was pretty adamant that that mean Hillary just wanted Shuster fired.


Josh (none / 0) (#20)
by auntmo on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 03:46:17 PM EST

Front page apology? He doesn't have the courage.


: I disagree (none / 0) (#21)
by standingup on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:12:25 PM EST

Josh has written corrections on previous occasions. I do believe this is a good test for Josh and hope he will have the courage to address this on the front page.

I have a question for TPM (none / 0) (#26)
by ghost2 on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:23:34 PM EST

I believe that Horses Mouth is the least read part of the TPM: it's equivalent to bottom of page 24 on a dead tree newspaper.

So my question is: why Greg does his magic headline writing in TPM election central and Josh does his part on front page, but if they have pieces like this, it goes to Horses Mouth?

This is probably the third or fourth time that I have seen a pro-Hillary piece been sent to Horses Mouth, whereas Greg continues his curious pattern of headline writing on Election Central. I stopped checking TPM when I was tired of that, and of them having a picture policy similar to MSM. You know, nice, huge picture of Obama on TPM top right corner, with every small piece of news for him, and relegating Hillary's news to 'below the fold'.

: Hillary and TPM (none / 0) (#27)
by Alvord on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:31:29 PM EST

...relegating Hillary's news to 'below the fold'
Unless it is bad news for Hillary. Then it will get headline treatment.

I await a mea culpa from Josh (none / 0) (#30)
by andgarden on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 04:46:07 PM EST

Glad they are speaking out against MSNBC! (none / 0) (#32)
by hillaryisbest on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 05:25:21 PM EST

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the petition: "Presidential Debate - Women's issues and sexism in the media coverage of the 2008 election".

Please take a moment to read about this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. We are trying to reach 1000 signatures - please sign here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/presidential-debate---womens-issues-and-sexism-in-the-media-coverag e-of-the-2008-election

Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and family to sign as well.

Thank you!

sexism (none / 0) (#33)
by Sunshine on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 05:48:50 PM EST

Has anybody noticed that Jack Cafferty on CNN is just as bad as Chris Matthews.. I am shocked at the amount of misogyny on cable TV and there doesn't seem to be anybody trying to stop it.. Is this something with powerful men(or men that think they are powerful) or what? They seem to be completely obsessed with hate for Hillary and give no good reason for it.. It is not going to be stopped until women make it stop.. I just signed the petition in the post above...

is it just possible that some of the emails (none / 0) (#36)
by hellothere on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 06:18:14 PM EST

made josh sit back and think about it?

hmmmmmmmmmmm, does the play (none / 0) (#39)
by cpinva on Thu Feb 14, 2008 at 09:30:10 PM EST

"lysistrata" ring a bell sunshine? lol

i'm truly impressed. it only took how many days for someone at TPM to take a reading comprehension class? and not even the one doing the noncomprehending. sorry, too little, too late. their street creds have been mortally wounded.