MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews on Thursday connected Don Imus's firing in
the wake of the "nappy-headed hos" remark to Rush Limbaugh, hinting that
the conservative commentator could face similar problems for referring
to "sluts" who "must be paid to have sex." (MSNBC, of course, is no
stranger to contorversial comments. One anchor on the network recently
compared Rick Santorum to mass murderer Joseph Stalin.)
Matthews played a clip of Limbaugh's comments, made after college
student Sandra Fluke testified before Congress on the issue of birth
control.
The anchor linked the two radio hosts: "You know, this cost Don
Imus a lot of career, you know? A lot of career, this kind of talk.
Calling people sluts, whores. This kind of stuff." [MP3 audio here.]
Matthews brought on Democratic strategist Steve McMahon to trash the
host. McMahon derided Limbaugh as sounding "like a vile, disgusting
pervert who had come completely unglued on the radio."
Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele piled on:
"And I think in this instance, I think a lot of people have a problem
with [the comments]... And I think in this particular case, that line
has been crossed."
A partial transcript of the March 1 segment can be found below:
RUSH
LIMBAUGH: What does it say about the college co-ed, Susan [sic] Fluke,
who goes before a congressional committee and, essentially, says that
she must be paid to have sex? What does that make her? It makes her a
slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have
sex.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: You know, this cost Don Imus a lot of career,
you know? A lot of career, this kind of talk. Calling people sluts,
whores. This kind of stuff. I just wonder about this guy who you guys
all bow before as the great as the great Alexa Hente [sp?], the one who
approves or disapproves your crop of thinking every year. Are you going
to take him on or are you out there all alone?
MICHAEL STEELE: Well, you know, I've already gotten in trouble on that
front point- that front porch. And remember, you know, I tried to put
in context when asked as chairman, you know, what does Rush Limbaugh
mean to the party? Well, he means a lot of different things to people.
And I think in this instance, I think a lot of people have a problem
with it. I mean, I''m sure his lawyers are having a conversation with
him about the fact this young woman may have something to say about what
he called her on national radio. Now, you put it in the context of
hyperbole and entertainment and, you know, free speech, but there are
lines. And when you're having a national political discussion, you know,
the political parties have to be sure that they clearly distinguish
where they are and where the entertainment picks up. And I think in this
particular case, that line has been crossed. I don't think Republicans
are standing here saying we agree with Rush on this because I think it's
above the pail. It's not part of advancing the public discourse right
now. The name calling and all of that. So I have to put it in the
category of entertainment, because anything else becomes a problem.
...
MATTHEWS: I'm waiting to see one Republican elected official go after this guy. Steve?
STEVE MCMAHON: Michael, listen. Listen, love you, man. But he
sounded today like a vile, disgusting pervert who had come completely
unglued on the radio. You know, I cannot believe what he said. I cannot
believe that he'll get away with it and I cannot believe that it won't
cost him millions of dollars in a slander suit that if this woman is
smart she will bring tomorrow morning. It was outrageous and I
can't believe, frankly, he hasn't apologized yet. There's nothing
entertaining about disparaging misogyny. And that's exactly what it was.
And it was appalling. It was disgusting.
- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
