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MSNBC Drops Imus Permanently

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:22:08 PM EST
Tags: don imus (all tags)
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It's over for Don Imus at MSNBC. He's been dropped permanently.

NBC Universal said in a statement: "This decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension."

What's behind it? More advertisers dropping out.

The move by the media company comes after a number of major corporations, including General Motors and Sprint Nextel Corp., withdrew their advertising from the Imus show.

How long till CBS follows suit?

Related: Don Imus's wife Deidre has canceled her book tour due to the imbroglio to be with her family.

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    MSNBC Drops Imus Permanently | 12 comments (12 topical)

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    What's behind it? (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by squeaky on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:04:49 PM EST
    More advertisers dropping out.
    Well it isn't about ethics or morality. That may be their spin, but they make decisions based on the bottom line, and that is about the sum of it as far as I can tell.

    Imus' Collateral Damage-The End of Obama (2.25 / 4) (#6)
    by theobserver on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 10:40:45 PM EST
       Up until now, the fact that Obama is black was a minor issue. His intellect attracted supporters.
       Now we have a situation where a white person loses his position because he utters 3 words, admittedly inappropriate, but 3 words that are of common usuage with the black underclass. The hysteria was fed by two black leaders, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Despised by many whites as opportunists promoting black racism and white guilt while living lavishly off their ministry to the poor.
        Sharpton had already approved of and supported Obama. However the day before Imus loses his position, Obama appears with Jackson after having gained Jackson's support. Obama then vilifies Imus. Obama is now rightly perceived as the surrogate for Jackson and Sharpton.
         Whites can reasonably conclude that if Obama is elected there will be 4 years of  hypocritical politically correct drama and whites will be the worse for it.
         Remember that blacks are an insignicant irrelevant minority in most of America; especially where the powerful white majority live. This incident is the wake up call that Obama threatens the status quo and his election would be the gateway for the ideas of Jackson and Sharpton.
         From this day forward expect Obama to be skewered, not on the basis of being black, that is too obvious, but on the weakness of his ideas. His polling negatives will soon outweigh his positives and the underlying reason will be because he is black, like in Jackson/Sharpton black.
         The Imus incident was bad timing for Obama because there is now a sense of unfairness among whites in the result. That will unleash white fear of being overwhelmed by the culture and ideas of the black underclass and also of suffering a similar fate to Imus by reason of some random careless act.
          Hilary demonstrated her typical modus operandi of trying to go for what she perceives to be the favored direction. She was wrong on the war and she is wrong now.
          Hopefully Edwards and Richardson say nothing. The Republicans can sit back and watch the politically correct Democrats destroy themselves as the Republican constituents more than likely side with Imus while that valuable middle class group of voters will do what they can to avoid a similar fate to Imus.

     

    WTF (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by squeaky on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 05:52:17 AM EST
     The Imus incident was bad timing for Obama because there is now a sense of unfairness among whites in the result.
    Speak for yourself.

    You sound pretty rascist here yourself. Your whole little speech was coded with the same hostititly and racism that Imus had, except you use coded white speak.

    Parent

    how much kool aid ... (none / 0) (#9)
    by Sailor on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 09:04:41 AM EST
    ... does one have to drink to associate a presidential candidate with a racist talk show host? Sheesh!

    The white backlash, my god, it's like something out of a george wallace flashback.

    Parent

    Imus/Obama (none / 0) (#7)
    by thewalrus on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 12:26:08 AM EST
    The end of Obama?  I don't think so.  It's probably not even the end of Imus.  Yes, we can expect Obama to be "skewered" in proportion to the threat of his candidacy as perceived by the overlords of American politics--the "Establishment" or whatever who are no doubt very concerned.  Obama is an anomaly, an X-factor in the equation.  Who knows what a black (or half-black) President might do?  But he will not skewered or vilified or left behind in the polls because of the "weakness of his ideas."  The condition doesn't exist.  His ideas aren't weak.  True, his ideas are not as articulate as they should be, but who are you comparing him to,  Socrates? Spinoza? M.C. Escher?  Hilary Clinton?  Does anyone now slouching around the American political landscape have an "idea" worth talking about?  What Obama brings to the game, other than youth and an obviously bright intellect, is novelty--a whole new set of concerns.  And unless some more young, bright, black politicians jump into the presidential race, that novelty will endure.  It evokes a freshness; a sense of excitement that will invigorate the primaries, and perhaps beyond.  And this, whether Obama ever has a recognizably good idea or not.  Face it, he IS a good idea!  Just standing there. . .

    Parent
    Just three words? (none / 0) (#10)
    by eric on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 11:42:59 AM EST
    because he utters 3 words,

    Not so much.  Imus has a long history of bigotry involving many more than three words.  As this editorial from the Boston Globe explains, this is about more than one comment.

    Besides the "cleaning lady" crack about Ifill, Imus called New York Times sports reporter Bill Rhoden a "quota hire." He once called Washington Post reporter Howard Kurtz a "beanie-wearing Jewboy." He called the New York Knicks "chest-thumping pimps." More recently, according to Media Matters for America, Imus sidekick Bernard McGuirk, performing as his character Cardinal Egan, said on March 16 that the "whole nation is talking about" reports of a "young colored fellah pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York and takin' away some of her money." Added McGuirk: "I'm speaking, of course, about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton." On March 6, McGuirk said Clinton "will have cornrows and gold teeth before this fight with Obama is over."


    Parent
    New doghouse... (1.00 / 1) (#3)
    by jnickens on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:10:21 PM EST
    I suppose he can find a new home at Fox News.

    Which doghouse would you want to be in? (none / 0) (#1)
    by TexDem on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:38:30 PM EST
    His wife's or the public? Not that he has a choice, but oh my. To cause your wife to have to cancel her book tour, wow!

    no, he's in the public doghouse (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:52:54 PM EST
    the graphic wasn't related to the wife.  I try to vary them, and to show off C.L.'s great work.

    Parent
    MSNBC drops Imus -- but McCain didn't (none / 0) (#5)
    by MacLane on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 09:04:08 PM EST
    It does looks bad for McCain to have stated that he would appear on the Imus show. For McCain to attempt seize the post-Katrina below-sea level high-ground by professing to be a "great believer in redemption" makes him look like almost as big an imbecile as Imus.

    imus (none / 0) (#11)
    by TAC on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 11:46:42 AM EST
    Everyone in this country needs to go back to the rules of growing up when someone teased you or called you a name. STICKS AND STONES.
    i think people forget that names cannot hurt you , but actions can, like the actions of a scumbag expoiter like al sharpton ,does anyone remember Tawanna Brawley???
    Al sharpton needs to get a real job, and stop worrying so much about name calling. The africnan american community uses these words and much worse every day of their lives. just stand on any  city street corner or ride the subway ,and see what you hear. Or listen to the rap songs today. if these words bother Al's community so much , he should beg his peaople to stop using them in their vocabulary. This counrty has bigger issues to worry about than this BS

    Sticks & Stones? (none / 0) (#12)
    by thewalrus on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 01:34:52 PM EST
    Reading TAC's blog, I am reminded why our country is perpetually caught-up in racial turmoil.  Listen to black people on the subway?  Listen to rap artists?  I'll make this as easy as I can: It's not the words!  It's who is saying the words! Okay?  When a black person talks about race or whatever--say, uses the "n" word--it's coming from another place, another planet than when a white person is speaking.  And it doesn't matter how benign, how "liberal" the white person may be.  A particular user-restricted type of expression is reserved for those who live the black experience--outside in, inside out.  Everybody else should be able to read the "No Trespassing" sign posted on the color line.  It's not just language we're concerned with--it's a cultural identifyer. It's how we tell "gansta" rap from all other rap.
    If you don't think "names" can hurt you, I've got some bars for you to walk into (chose your city) and start spouting the "n" word or some other choice epithets.  Word of advice: Pretend you're John MaCain touring Baghdad--like, have a lot of heavily armed bodyguards. . .

    Parent
    MSNBC Drops Imus Permanently | 12 comments (12 topical)

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