CNN Slams MSNBC Over Imus Controversy

Photo of Matthew Balan.

On Monday’s "American Morning," CNN spent five minutes on the outrageousness of its daily competition: Don Imus’s remarks on MSNBC describing the Rutgers University women’s basketball team as "nappy-headed hoes." New CNN contributor Roland Martin was brought on to echo Al Sharpton’s demand that Imus be removed from his radio and TV microphones. Martin also went after left-wing women’s groups for not signing on to the anti-Imus cause as quickly as the National Association of Black Journalists.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: I was surprised to see how many women's groups did not sign on early on. You listed some now, but that's like late, right?

MARTIN: Absolutely. Now, I posted something on my blog on Saturday. I was outraged. I went on Google and typed in 'Martha Burk' and came up with nothing. I said, wait a minute, this is the week of the Masters. Several years ago, she was protesting in Augusta National, nothing.

I typed in 'NOW and Don Imus,' nothing. And so I put something on the blog and I sent it out to 5,000 people on my e-mail blast and I said, this is ridiculous. How can this man insult young women, college-educated women, many of them carrying 4.0s, one has a triple major, and they say nothing? Now, Susan Scanlan said, well, Easter weekend. I said, Susan, I don't buy that. He made the comments on Wednesday, NABJ came out on Friday. NABJ released two statements in one day. And so these women's organizations were asleep at the wheel, so it's about time they stepped up. But again, they're absolutely late to this ball game.

Later, Martin went on the offensive against two individuals who are associated with Imus’s show.

S. O’BRIEN: Don't you think we are a forgiving nation and people say, wow, he really looks like he's contrite and he didn't mean it, he was trying to be funny. And should he lose his 40-year career because of those remarks?

MARTIN: Well, let's see, Sid Rosenberg, who made the racist comment -- I think his last name was Rosenberg, hope I didn't get it wrong. He previously made a racist comment, he's still on the show. His executive producer was the one who made the original 'ho' comment. He's still on the show. And so, you accept people who made comments in the past, and they still work for you, and then to say, well, you know, this really isn't me.

Martin did in fact got it wrong about Rosenberg, but it doesn’t involve his name. Rosenberg was banned from Imus’ show in May 2005, after joking about pop singer Kylie Minogue’s breast cancer diagnosis.

Finally, in reporting Don Imus’s scheduled appearance on Al Sharpton’s radio show, both O’Brien and Martin glossed over Sharpton’s own past when it comes to racially-charged controversy. This isn’t surprising, at least in the case of Soledad O’Brien, since she stood up for Sharpton and his record in February 2007.

Martin made another appearance on CNN on Monday. On the "Newsroom" program, he compared the Imus controversy to John Edwards pulling out of a presidential debate that was going to air on the Fox News Network.

T.J. HOLMES: What do you say about those folks, those politicians, those presidential candidates, who love going on the Don Imus show? What are they supposed to do now? Do they have a choice, or will they definitely be criticized and deserve to be criticized if they continue to go on the show?

MARTIN: Wait a minute. John Edwards just pulled out of a debate that the Democrats were going to host on Fox. The Democrats didn’t cancel it. The Congressional Black Caucus, they're going to hold a debate on the network, as well as CNN. He said I'm not participating in the one that’s going to air on that network. Now, you tell me - if they have enough sense not to appear on those type of shows they deem to be biased, why would you go on this show?

Martin’s comparison is completely out of proportion. Edwards pulled out of the planned debate, due to pressure from left-wing bloggers and groups, who criticized the perceived bias of Fox News towards Republicans and conservatives. Imus made a concretely offensive comment, and now there’s a push for notables to avoid his show.

Now, if Martin is right about Democrats, and they have enough sense to not appear on shows that are biased, would they be appearing on CNN and MSNBC programs?

—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.


Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Now, if Martin is right about

Now, if Martin is right about Democrats, and they have enough sense to not appear on shows that are biased, would they be appearing on CNN and MSNBC programs?

Why you ask...surely you jest!

The hypocrisy is running rampant!

You made great points here Mr. Balan...wished I hadn't posted about all of this earlier...sure others will take it up this evening.

I just heard that Imus' radio

I just heard that Imus' radio show will be suspended for two weeks on msnbc...

Big Whoopee!

They will just show reruns most likely!

Laugh out loud funny to me...this whole thing!

BT,Suspended?  Like from sch

BT,

Suspended?  Like from school?  I'm confused.

I thought they had to go to rehab for bad statements...a la Gray's Anatomy.

This is what I find to be really interesting, though...Martin, a self described "black journalist" as a member of the Black Journalists organization (NABJ), said the following:

….And so I put something on the blog and I sent it out to 5,000 people on my e-mail blast and I said, this is ridiculous.

Talk about "advocacy journalism" and the reporters becoming part of the story!  Sheesh.

Did anyone see Dan Abrams hos

Did anyone see Dan Abrams hosting "Scarborough Country" on MSNBC?  Dan Abrams attacked FOX News for their reporting on IMUS and their constant attack on MSNBC. 

Changing the subject

That's called "changing the subject".

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

ZD...I saw it..and to think t

ZD...

I saw it..and to think they made him number two head guy for msnbc....

What a joke...it was pitiful...that BS Abrams put out blaming FOX will never fly anymore than pigs will.

Fools all.

I heard that Dan Abrams will

I heard that Dan Abrams will no longer be #2 at MSNBC this coming May.  Also Dan Abrams is a hyporcite because MSNBC constantly attacks FOX News every day...

Simply cherry picked outrag

Simply cherry picked outrage, even though I admit the wrongness of the comment.

Later on Sharpton's show he s

Later on Sharpton's show he said you people... when taking a bunch of crap from congresswoman Carolyn Kirkpatrick on the phone, (he took calls).... there was a big scuffle about that with her and Sharpton...it is all so hypocritical, he made a mistake going on the show anyway...but he is getting his just rewards too as far as I am concerned.

I am still laughing my arse off.

I wrote or posted a lot more of how I feel about all of this on Mark's thread I think it was.

Imus is equal opportunity bad guy

I think the real reason they are going after him is he is not a down-the-line lefty.

I've heard him say some pretty disparaging things about lefties, including the Clintons.

He also has said some nice things about Rick Santorum, whom the left hates.

Yeah, he tilts left and allot of times he says vile things and no one blinks eye, to me this is all Faux outrage, in an effort to make racism illegal.

And liberals claim that you can't legislate morality, and here they are trying.

What do we do with racists?

Kill them? Death penalty for racists?

Or life in prison?

The way the media is reacting

The way the media is reacting to Imus and the way the left-wing rushes to pucker-up to Sharpton and Jackson's buttocks only spreads racism more rampant. Imus is a predominantly white, middle-class audience. The more that audience see's the way Imus is being treated, the more they are going to hate the "homey's" of the world (i.e. Sharpton and Jackson). Cracks me up, this double standard we have in America. And so what??? So what if I think the womans-basketball team looks like a bunch of "nappy-headed ho's"? Definitely not politically-correct, but can't a person express the way they think anymore??? Why do I have to keep it in? Screw you P.C. shmucks...you are ruining America with you socialist ideals.

Bottom line...this is about

Bottom line...this is about $$$. If Imus did not have a huge fan base that generates a lot of ad revenues, he would be history. This is the ONLY reason that CBS and MSNBC have not canned him already. Of course, Sharpton/Jackson are up to their usual antics; out for a scalp to enhance their own stature. I don't see any good guys in this story.

Sharpton and Jackson can whin

Sharpton and Jackson can whine all they want. Lot's of white people feel the same thing that I do: we are sick and tired of not being able to vent our frustrations at the hypocracy. Last I heard, blacks can vote, blacks can start businesses, blacks can become millionaires, blacks can marry a white woman, blacks can do anything white folks can. Also, most of the white people in the U.S. immigrated in the 20th century and have no ties to slavery. So, stop whining about how "racist" America is. Besides, you will never change a racist's views by being a hypocrit. Enough is a enough. And who the hell does Sharpton think he is to ask for somebody to be fired??? Wake up people. Whether you like or dislike Imus, let's not give up our 1st Amendment Right to speak how we feel, ok? Besides, blacks entertainers are always making fun of white-women and their SUV persona.

Fo sho, yo.Pull your pants up

Fo sho, yo.

Pull your pants up, Wakawaka. We can see your skidmarks.

Your words not mine. I just

Your words not mine. I just refuse to treat anyone different because of their skin color. That INCLUDES bowing down to the Sharptons and the Jacksons of the world. You can't force me to like someone, and I don't like Al Sharpton. I am also sick of extreme political-correctness in America. I say what I want when I want, you should give it a try. After all, the 1st Amendment is the "First" Amendment for a reason.

waka,Try that one more time a

waka,

Try that one more time and you are GONE!

The board won't tolerate your euro racism.

Don't you find it interesting

Don't you find it interesting that the little lib finds it convenient to shout out a "racist" epithet in the disguise of a screen name?

Waka waka racist fella.

The libs are so nuanced, and all.

Very interesting indeed! Lib

Very interesting indeed! Liberals don't know WHERE they stand anymore.

Too many meds for wacky tonig

Too many meds for wacky tonight.

Oh whacky one has been talkin

Oh whacky one has been talking to KKK Byrd just a little toooo much.

No Kidding! I'm glad they de

No Kidding! I'm glad they deleted his posts. Guy needs some serious shock-therapy or something. Wanna know what makes me upset? It isn't black folk "in general" that are hypersensitive; instead, it is the Al Sharptons and the Jesse Jacksons that are hypersensitive. The only reason THEY are hypersensitive is MONEY and POWER!

I found this statement tellin

I found this statement telling, "NABJ released two statements in one day. And so these women's organizations were asleep at the wheel, so it's about time they stepped up. But again, they're absolutely late to this ball game."

Women's organization (read liberal women's organizations) like NOW, et al, didn't get the memo.  And, guess why?  Imus is a liberal!  Which, of course, must remind all of us about the liberal women's organizations total silence on the serial flanderer, Horndog Bill Clinton.