MRC's Tim Graham on Chelsea/Shustergate on 'Hannity & Colmes'

February 11th, 2008 1:22 PM

MRC director of media analysis Tim Graham appeared on "Hannity & Colmes" on Friday night to discuss the David Shuster suspension over his suggestion that Chelsea Clinton was being "pimped out" by Hillary. Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes insisted both that Shuster was (a) dreadfully wrong and yet (b) over-punished for a verbal miscue. (FNC's transcript is here.)

Both hosts suggested that Tim was defending Shuster, which he denied. "Chelsea Clinton now is 27 years old. She is not the 13-year-old that moved into the White House. And the problem that — we have a much greater problem in the United States today — that she's been treated....with such an adoring tone. They really treat her like Saint Chelsea." Tim also said MSNBC had a double standard between Shuster and far wilder comments from Keith Olbermann: "Keith Olbermann could come on and say that Bush is responsible for killing 3,500 Americans. Or remember when he called Chris Wallace a monkey posing as a newscaster?"

At the end, Tim summed up: "I'm simply saying I think we do have way too much sensitivity toward Chelsea Clinton. The New York Times, again, this piece that Jodi Kantor wrote last year. She sort of said people are so excited that her lips moved and sound came out. There is just too much worship there."

MP3 audio also available (2.37 MB | 5:15 in length).