Hillary Clinton silences David Shuster

In a chilling foreshadowing of the next 8 years under her rule, Hillary Clinton recently caused the suspension and public shaming of MSNBC correspondent David Shuster. His crime? He used the term "pimped out" while questioning daughter Chelsea's role with her campaign. His actual quote from his conversation with Bill Press:

"Bill, there's just something a little bit unseemly to me that Chelsea is out there calling up celebrities saying, 'Support my mom.' And, apparently, she's also calling these super delegates." After Press responded, "Hey, she's working for her mom. What's unseemly about that? During the last campaign, the Bush twins were out working for their dad," Shuster asked: "But doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

Hillary's chief hatchet man, the always reserved Howard Wolfson, called the remarks "beneath contempt". Coming from the communications director of a campaign that has used such principled tactics as wondering if Barack Obama sold drugs, or writing off his victory in South Carolina by comparing him to Jesse Jackson, one could view this statement as high praise.

Clinton herself used the controversy to show off her Thatcheresque strength and composure.

“I am a mom first and a candidate second and I found the remarks incredibly offensive,” ”I have sent a letter to the head of NBC expressing the deep offense that I took.”

Watch out Putin and Ahmadinejad, this lady means business! If Iran doesn't back off from its nuclear program Mahmoud's mother might even be getting a call.

Now, obviously Hillary is trying to score more points with her base, which at this point seems to consist of post-menopausal women trying to direct their hot-flash driven rage toward any sexist slight, real or imagined. That is her prerogative, and to expect better from her would require ignoring the last sixteen years of her Machiavellian use of her gender for political gain; yet this comes off as desperate, a cheap ploy even by Clintonian standards.

The tears in New Hampshire worked, she came off as an exhausted martyr, her emotions laid bare after years of fighting for YOU while fending off attacks from the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. But this is a harder sell, if it was Rush Limbaugh it would be one thing, but Shuster is virtually unknown, and MSNBC is not Fox News, no matter how hard Chris Matthews has been on Hillary.

The actual problem with Hillary's gambit is the absence of any real controversy in Shuster's remarks. Yes, it was kind of in bad taste, but this is 2008, and I highly doubt many people are really offended by the term in the era of "Pimp My Ride". Even today Chelsea was having breakfast with a 21 year old superdelegate in Wisconsin, not quite working the corner, but certainly not above scrutiny.

This shows just what we will be dealing with for the next 8 years if Hillary is elected. She is a vindictive, spiteful, woman with a very long memory, who will not stand for any attacks on her or her family. George Bush was happy to live in his bubble, I truly doubt he saw the worst of the criticism against him, and if he did it didn't seem to bother him. Journalists, bloggers, pundits, everyone had better learn to watch what they say about the Clinton dynasty.

And keep your resume up to date, just in case.