Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
May 26, 2011 at 3:42am
What did MSNBC do to Ed Schultz? Yes, what he said about Laura Ingraham was vile, and an apology was in order, but this ... well, look for yourself. You'd think he'd been caught with a necklace made of severed Vietcong ears.
If he'd said that on Ricochet we would have redacted the comment and sent him a warning about our Code of Conduct, but I don't think we'd have scalded his nether regions in boiling water, subjected him to a show trial, threatened the lives of his children and subjected him to a mock execution--like MSNBC obviously did.
Relax, Ed. On behalf of the nation's right-wing women, I accept your apology. Let's say no more of it.
MSNBC, stop doing whatever you've been doing to him or we'll call the cops.
- Comment (47)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Love your headline! Ha Ha !!
Dec '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Newsflash to Ed Schultz -- Rudness and vile comments in a public forum are neither classy nor acceptable. Why anyone takes him seriously is beyond me. HIs thought processes and line of reasoning (if you can call it that) are at best disconnected from any sense of reality. His penchant for going over the top has finally gottten the best of him. MSNBC should can him...Oh, and by the way. Where's NOW and all the rest of the Women's rights groups? Crickets chirpping...
Jun '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Yeah, the crickets are certainly chirping.
It is amazing that he is keeping the job & was merely suspended. If he held some kind of crucial job on which national security depended, or only he knew how to cure cancer, then I could see keeping him in place after a humble apology. But really......there isn't a line of eager, clearly more skilled and sane broadcasters snaking out the door of MSNBC's human resources dapartment?
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
I've tried to watch his show a few times but his level of aggression turned me away. All heat and no light. Nothing to learn there.
I'll credit him for the apology though. It seemed sincere and there was no hiding behind "context" or "heat of the moment" etc.
As a Christian I take the obligation of forgiveness (note well: I said obligation) seriously.
I use the religious standard:
If the transgressor apologizes, is sincere in the desire not to repeat the transgression and performs a penance and/or restitution, then the burden shifts to the aggrieved to offer forgiveness.
Failure to forgive should be seen as a transgression itself, though our society seems to pay no mind to it.
Have you ever forgiven someone? It feels so much better than staying aggrieved.
I hope Laura will forgive him. She will look great if she does.
May '11
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
His seemingly heart felt apology might have something to do with this...
http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/25/feminist-watchdog-group-to-msnbc-suspend-schultz/
Jan '11
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
The gross offense was noticed, talked about, embarrassing, even to MSNBC listeners, and therefore a response was crafted to be commensurate with the gravity of the error. Well done, but my guess is that nothing has changed.
MSNBC will keep Schultz for the same reason they hired him - they are vitriolic when it comes to those who think differently than they do - which is why they support diversity and multiculturalism, right?
Keep tuned; nothing has changed
Edited on May 26, 2011 at 7:22amJun '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Personal forgiveness is an entirely different matter than corporate policy and broadcasting standards. And Ingraham came across quite well in her response -- she threw him a funny dig without using any feminist histrionics. She will move on from this slight. But MSNBC should fire him.
But really -- calling a woman a slut should be grounds for termination, regardless of how sorry he is. I assure you that my husband and the men in my circle just don't use that word and it would never come to mind as they were criticizing a woman for any reason. It's indicative of a twisted mind & an ugly soul.
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Forgiveness seems premature. It's virtually certain that the only thing he is sincere about is not wanting to lose his job. After all, his entire career is built on nothing more than misrepresenting those he disagrees with and demonizing them as utterly evil. He makes Keith Olbermann seem like an adult. Furthermore, he's only in trouble because he called Laura Ingraham a slut. He could have called her anything else, even a Nazi who likes to kill children and old people, and MSNBC management would not have objected. In fact, he has said things like that, hasn't he?
Jul '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
That was a real apology with out the word "if". As in "if I offended you Im sorry".
He should be fired.
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Tommy De Seno:
I'll credit him for the apology though. It seemed sincere and there was no hiding behind "context" or "heat of the moment" etc.
As a Christian I take the obligation of forgiveness (note well: I said obligation) seriously.
I use the religious standard:
If the transgressor apologizes, is sincere in the desire not to repeat the transgression and performs a penance and/or restitution, then the burden shifts to the aggrieved to offer forgiveness.
Failure to forgive should be seen as a transgression itself, though our society seems to pay no mind to it.
Careful there. Though forgiveness is enjoined by our faith, I don't think failure to forgive is rightly considered a transgression. It has an element of grace and gratuity to it that make it something very different from the obligation not to commit a wrong against someone.
Further, pre-maturely shifting the onus to the offended party often only adds a new layer of victimhood to the injured party. It's for her to judge the sincerity of the apology and the adequacy of the amends offered.
Sep '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
More people now know about Ed Shultz than MSNBC managed in all their promos and advertisements since he's been on the air.
A couple of things to note about this:
* Shultz "suspended" himself - not NBC. "...MSNBC management met with Ed Schultz this afternoon and accepted his offer to take one week of unpaid leave for the remarks"
* From the apology: "What matters is what I said was terribly vile and not of the standards that I or any other person should adhere to"
Still preaching while apologizing.
So I expect when Shultz cames back next week off his self-imposed hiatus, the 70,000 viewers who he's managed to con into believing he's a working-class champion will see a toned-down version of Sgt. Shultz. He won't call for Dick Cheney's throat to be ripped out, or call Republicans "bastards"
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
To quote a passage from that grand (and usually unsuitable for Ricochet) prose poet Ace:
The swells at MSNBC, like Larry O'Donnell, with his boyish good looks untouched by any required military service in Vietnam, do not want to share his company. As he's a gross toad.
They're really looking for a reason. They'll put up with fewer viewers and more losses if they don't have to be buttonholed by him, mouth spraying out spittle and partially digested appetizers, at corporate events.
Think that sums it up. He was called on the carpet, and they're really not fond of him, so it's not like he has leverage. While possibly buoyant, he didn't like the idea of walking the plank.
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
This does raise the question, however, oft overlook'd. What will now happen to The Black Agenda, hosted by Ed Schultz? Surely such a valuable program cannot be allowed to fail.
Mar '11
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
In my humble opinion, the proper response from conservative women in general and Laura in particular is this: Consider the source, and then move on.
Dec '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
poorlittlepinkus: His seemingly heart felt apology might have something to do with this...
http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/25/feminist-watchdog-group-to-msnbc-suspend-schultz/ · May 26 at 5:25am
Lord, there's hope for the world. I also spotted the excellent reply by Laura to the reptile. Perhaps this is his Arthur Godfrey moment.
I've always pictured the oaf as a used car salesman, or a manager of a "Chucky Cheese" then again that's demeaning them...
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
I've seen so many publilc apologies and there are always people who don't accept them.
Always.
The folks who constantly reject them need to step up and write the standard on how to apologize so the rest of the world knows how.
I'll take the religious standard, but it seems to be rejected here on this Ricochet thread.
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Laura Ingraham just tweeted "Ed Schultz: Apology accepted."
I reserve the right to make jokes, though.
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Kennedy Smith: Laura Ingraham just tweeted "Ed Schultz: Apology accepted."
I reserve the right to make jokes, though. · May 26 at 7:18am
Thank goodness. I was starting to feel alone in the world.
Nice job, Laura.
Christianity is proud of you today.
Edited on May 26, 2011 at 7:25amJun '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Tommy De Seno: I've seen so many publilc apologies and there are always people who don't accept them.
Always.
The folks who constantly reject them need to step up and write the standard on how to apologize so the rest of the world knows how.
I'll take the religious standard, but it seems to be rejected here on this Ricochet thread. · May 26 at 7:10am
I agree with you, Tommy. You have it exactly correct. katievs brings up an interesting point about whether there is a commandment-level requirement to forgive someone who apologizes sincerely. I agree that it isn't that clear how Jesus thought about that -- whether we commit a sin in not forgiving. But, we have the assurance that God will forgive all things if we have remorse. Surely, that is a good example to work with. As devotees of the Christ, we should at least try to please Him in this way and take even his smallest wish as a commandment from God.
May '10
Re: Do You Think MSNBC Tortured Ed Schultz to Extract This Confession?
Tommy De Seno: I've seen so many publilc apologies and there are always people who don't accept them.
Always...
I'll take the religious standard, but it seems to be rejected here on this Ricochet thread. · May 26 at 7:10am
Lots of what passes public apologies aren't. They're accusations disguised as apologies.
Schultz' was clearly a real apology, inasmuch as he acknowledged the wrong as real (not just perceived) and his. I agree with Claire that it was rather over the top--especially considering all the awful things he says routinely for which he doesn't apologize. That leaves him open to the suspicion that he's more motivated by the fear of losing his job than by genuine remorse.
I think Laura's response was the right one. But if she had said, "Sorry, not good enough," I wouldn't have blamed her.
There's a difference between viciousness and lack of virtue. Someone who steals deserves a different kind of blame from someone who's not especially generous.
Edited on May 26, 2011 at 7:45am