David Shuster Defends His Attack on GOP for Using Phrase 'Harlem Democrat,' Silent on Luke Russert Doing Same Thing
MSNBC Host David Shuster on Tuesday continued to attack the National
Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) for the organization's reference to
Charlie Rangel as a "Harlem Democrat." He reiterated, "I pointed out the NRCC
did not call him a corrupt New York Democrat or just corrupt. Rather, a corrupt
Harlem Democrat. And I asked a guest if this was racially tinged."
Shuster, however, was silent on the fact that MSNBC reporter Luke Russert
basically did the same thing. Appearing on the March 3 edition of the Ed Show,
he commented on Democrats who wanted to strip the controversial Rangel of his
chairmanship.
Russert explained that these politicians are in "conservative districts, who
really saw problems back home in their rural districts in the mountains being
associated with a
Harlem Democrat who writes the nation's tax laws who a
lot of folks say is not paying their taxes." Does this mean that Luke Russert is
using "racially tinged" language? Will Shuster call on his colleague to
apologize? (Hat tip to Clay Waters of
Times
Watch for noting the Russert comment.)
Shuster recounted the E-mails he received slamming him for challenging the
NRCC: "First of all, I didn't say the NRCC or the press release was racist. I
asked a guest if it was racially tinged." So, Shuster wasn't calling Republicans
racist, just wondering if they were racist-leaning?
Shuster first attacked the NRCC on Monday for releasing a press release on
Rangel which used the supposedly controversial term. More on the original story
can be found
here.
A transcript of Shuster's comments, which aired at 3:55pm EST, follow:
DAVID SHUSTER: Finally, I received several complaints about a segment I did
yesterday that touched on New York Democrat Charlie Rangel. During the segment,
I reported on a press release by the National Republican Congressional
Committee, or NRCC. It described Rangel twice as, quote, "a corrupt Harlem
Democrat." I pointed out the NRCC did not call him a corrupt New York Democrat
or just corrupt.
Rather, a corrupt Harlem Democrat. And I asked a guest if this
was racially tinged. Several of you e-mailed, "You blank-edy blank! Harlem is in
Rangel's district? And how dare you say this was racist?" First of all, I
didn't say the NRCC or the press release was racist. I asked a guest if it was
racially tinged.
Secondly, note the difference between the NRCC's treatment
of Rangel and their approach towards other Democrats. An NRCC press release
criticizing Representative Earl Pomery calls him a North Dakota Democrat, not a
Bismarck Democrat. A press release criticizing Representative Michael McMahon
calls him a New York Democrat, not a Staten Island Democrat. But, Rangel gets
called a corrupt Harlem Democrat.
I stand by my reporting on this and I stand
by my questioning as to whether the press release by the National Republican
Congressional Committee was racially tinged. I've asked officials at the
NRCC to come on the show and respond. So far, they've refused. I'll keep you
posted.
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on
Twitter.