MSNBC suspends Mark Halperin for Obama remark

[Steve Williams]

Has anyone seen this one yet

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/msnbc-suspends-mark-halperin-obama-remark-145819640.html

 

[amirm]

I had not seen it. Remarkable that with the producers being put on notice, and with a 12 second delay period, they could not censor the word.

 

[JackD201]

A professional calling a president a Dick is really inexcusable. I can't help but wonder now in what context he made the remark. What was Obama talking about the day before?

 

[amirm]

Watch the video. It is not quite what it looks like in text. The speech apparently was about the budget stalemate.

His use of the word was in the sense of him not willing to compromise. It is very early in the first video so it is worth a watch. I thought his comments and tone were very professional after the use of that word. And he went out of his way to put the station on notice that he was about to say something like that and it should be deleted. Not to defend him for the conduct but the context is useful to see and hear.

 

[JackD201]

The video imbedded wouldn't stream

 

[amirm]

I assume you are not on an Apple mobile product. If so, it might be a territorial restriction. Anyway, the gist of it was what I said. It was being used an expression to mean someone who is unwilling and uncool for not wanting to negotiate.

 

[Ron Party]

So, hypothetically, I attend a status conference in court and state the following: "Judge, I'm about to say something about the opposing party and his attorney. My client and I would like to proceed to mediation, but the other party and his attorney are d!cks. They are unwilling to compromise and have told me they have no interest in mediation."

What reaction do you suppose the judge would have? It would begin with: "counsel, get out your checkbook".

 

[amirm]

Well, change your hypothetical to asking to be off-the-record in an interrogatory, have the recorder say that is the case, you then say that word. Later the tape is played in court and off-the-record word is there. Would you still be censured?

He didn't want anyone but the three others at the table hear the use of that word. Instead, millions did.

Again, I am not trying to justify his use of that word. Respect should have been there regardless. I just want people to have full context who have not watched the video that this was not an anti-government, hoodlum who used that word in rage....

 

[Steve Williams]

Again, I am not trying to justify his use of that word. Respect should have been there regardless. I just want people to have full context who have not watched the video that this was not an anti-government, hoodlum who used that word in rage....

I agree but what recourse did MSNBC have

 

[Ron Party]

Well, change your hypothetical to asking to be off-the-record in an interrogatory, have the recorder say that is the case, you then say that word. Later the tape is played in court and off-the-record word is there. Would you still be censured?

Depends on the judge but, probably, yes. We are held to certain professional and ethical standards.

 

[amirm]

Firing the technician. He is on record as being told about it and later saying, "I hope it worked." Hope? They can lose their license or get fined incredible amount of money by FCC if they don't censor other offensive work or shots. That is why the 12 second delay is there which is quite a bit longer than the one others use. Yet due to incompetence, they weren't able to do their job.

I look at this thing and say one had poor judgement and the other, didn't know how to do what he was paid to do. I would at a minimum fire both.