Pat Dollard

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Hillary yesterday

I wonder if she’d agree they’re out to get the Republicans and unfairly cover the war?

Washington Post
By Perry Bacon Jr.

ORONO, Maine — In a press conference at the University of Maine, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called controversial comments made Thursday about her daughter Chelsea part of a “troubling pattern of demeaning treatment” by MSNBC. “There has been a troubling pattern of comments and behaviors that has to be held accountable,” Clinton said after a rally here. On Thursday in a discussion about Chelsea Clinton’s role in the campaign, MSNBC correspondent David Shuster asked: “Doesn’t it seem as if Chelsea is sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?”

Clinton’s campaign has also taken issue with some remarks in the past by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. Responding to questions about the potential impact of superdelegates, Clinton rejected any notion that those delegates should back the candidate who has won the most pledged delegates through elections, as Senator Obama has suggested. “We have a system,” Clinton said. She added “I respect their judgment, a lot of time they have first hand knowledge of the candidates.”

The campaign also released the text of a letter from Clinton to Steve Capus, president of NBC News. The full text of that letter is below the jump.

Dear Mr. Capus,

Thank you for your call yesterday. I wanted to send you this note to convey the depth of my feeling about David Shuster’s comments.

I know that I am a public figure and that my daughter is playing a public role in my campaign. I am accustomed to criticism, certainly from MSNBC. I know that it goes with the territory.

However, I became Chelsea’s mother long before I ran for any office and I will always be a mom first and a public official second.

Nothing justifies the kind of debasing language that David Shuster used and no temporary suspension or half hearted apology is sufficient.

I would urge you to look at the pattern of behavior on your network that seems to repeatedly lead to this sort of degrading language.

There’s a lot at stake for our country in this election. Surely, you can do your jobs as journalists and commentators and still keep the discourse civil and appropriate.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton