Time and time again, on-air talent from MSNBC's daytime news coverage has tried to distance itself [1] the far left-leaning commentators on the network during prime time hours.
However, David Shuster has no qualms taking a position publicly and incorporating it into his daytime news coverage. Shuster, who has been outspoken [2] in his support for same-sex marriage, abandoned the pretense of journalistic objectivity and launched into a shouting match/debate with Brian Brown, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) on MSNBC on May 1.
“Explain how it is that the gay couple or the lesbian couple down the street has any impact on my marriage or on yours?” Shuster asked.
Brown said the couple itself wasn't the issue. It was the redefining of marriage that would have the impact, which could interfere with religious liberties. That wasn't good enough for Shuster. He said that same-sex marriage would have a minimal effect on society and asked Brown if he feared he might be attracted to the gay couple.
“Here's the larger issue though,” Shuster said. “Most Americans can't understand why you selectively go after certain parts of the Bible and not others. And that's your prerogative if you want to go after certain parts it. But again, there's no threat – the only way the gay or lesbian couple could be a threat to my marriage or yours is if you really fear that maybe somehow they'll get involved in your marriage. I don't fear that. Do you worry that maybe, I don't know – somehow you're attracted to the gay couple down the street and that will somehow effect your marriage?”
Shuster had already made plain his contempt for the NOM position on the sanctity of marriage. On his Twitter site, Shuster, wrote, “NOM's argument is illogical. and that's why I'm convinced their effort is driven by homophobia and hatred,” Shuster wrote.
Shuster also patted himself on the back for his slanted interview.
“Thanks for all the comments about the grilling of the director of the anti gay marriage group,” Shuster wrote. “We will post the segment on msnbc.com soon.”
On April 30, Shuster took his aim on Miss California Carrie Prejean for appearing in a NOM television advertisement. He praised Perez Hilton for his “assessment [3]” of Prejean.
Jeff Poor is a staff writer for the Business and Media Institute.