Whatever happened to free speech?

[Gob]

The White House says an off-colour remark about President Barack Obama by MSNBC analyst Mark Halperin was inappropriate.



During an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Thursday, Halperin said that he thought Obama "was a dick yesterday".

The Time magazine editor-at-large was talking about Obama's performance at a White House news conference on Wednesday.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the comment was an inappropriate thing to say about any president.

Carney also said he had expressed that sentiment to network executives.

Halperin quickly apologised on the air on Thursday.

MSNBC suspended him indefinitely hours later.

MSNBC also said Halperin's comment was completely inappropriate and unacceptable.

The network apologised to Obama

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/tv-analyst- ... z1QnYINiXQ

[Scooter]

Just because speech is free doesn't mean it doesn't have consequences.

[rubato]

When did "being a jackass in public" become free speech?

One of the least intelligent posts I've seen here.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Just because speech is free doesn't mean it doesn't have consequences.

That's a fair point, but is the president immune from criticism of that nature?

[Miles]

I have personaly been appauled by the idea that we, as Americans, have refered to our Presidents by their first names since President Clinton. Granted he wanted to be considered a down home, grass roots man. However, I have always considered the President of the United States Of America to rate the respect or his office and anyone who would publicly call him a
'dick' needs more than a wake up call but a good ass wooping and I would personally consider it an honor to administer said wooping.

[Sue U]

The remark was wholly inappropriate for a nationally televised program because it demonstrated a lack of professionalism. That said, if I were the network exec in charge of such things, I would not have suspended Halperin for merely expressing his opinion, which was what was asked of him. Yes it was coarse and disrespectful. But politics ain't beanbag.

[BoSoxGal]

No matter how much a pundit dislikes a President's policies, or even dislikes him personally, calling him a 'dick' in a forum intended to provide intelligent discourse is unprofessional, disrespectful, and undermines the credibility of both the pundit and the forum. If he were my employee, he'd be axed outright.

[Liberty1]

Proof he was right

[The Hen]

Gosh, I bet you got a stuffy from that lib1. Nearly as good as a thief trying to profit from the name of John Lennon, eh?

[dgs49]

The commentator was not - and will not be - charged with any crime for making his critical remark about the President, because his speech is protected by the First Amendment to our Constitution. This is the essence of Free Speech - you can criticize the Government without fear of official reprisal.

However, this does not mean that your private-sector employer is prohibited from reacting to what you said and how you said it. The sentiment was expressed in a manner that might have been appropriate for a conversation among men in a bar or a locker room, but not in a public setting. A professional communicator should have had the skill to express his thought more artfully and less offensively.

Not to rub salt in a wound, but much, much, much worse things were said routinely about GWB43, with nary a peep from anyone but we right-wing nutballs.

[The Hen]

Not to rub salt in a wound, but much, much, much worse things were said routinely about GWB43, with nary a peep from anyone but we right-wing nutballs.

From commentators? An example would be nice.

[Joe Guy]

Not to rub salt in a wound, but much, much, much worse things were said routinely about GWB43, with nary a peep from anyone but we right-wing nutballs.

I never heard anyone on TV call Dubya a dick or anything similar or worse.

Like Hen, I'd like to see an example.

[Gob]

Mikes, is it possible to respect the office and hold it in the highest esteem, but not to respective the holder of the office?

[Joe Guy]

Mikes, is it possible to respect the office and hold it in the highest esteem, but not to respective the holder of the office?

I'm not Mi(l)es, but I would say definitely yes.

[Gob]

Oops, apologises Miles.

[loCAtek]

Quite common, in fact to respect your boss, but not like him personally.

Most military upheld their oaths, under Clinton, " ...I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me."

It's a matter of utmost honor and integrity to keep your promises, regardless of your personal opinions.

[dgs49]

Have any of you ever heard anyone express the thought that "Bush lied; people died"?

Is this not an accusation that the President intentionally lied about military intelligence, resulting in thousands of deaths of brave, well-meaning Americans and tens of thousands of "innocent" Iraqis?

Is that worse than being called a "dick"?

Sorry. I thought it was.

[Scooter]

Sounds very similar to the claim that Obama wanted to establish "death panels" to me.

[Liberty1]

Not commentators, but plenty of hate nontheless

[The Hen]

Have any of you ever heard anyone express the thought that "Bush lied; people died"?
.

Not down here I didn't. However, was it a commentator?




Oh lib, calm down sport. Your usual over reaction was not needed. I can produce many many pictures, and from Australia as well, to support the fact that the public thought your previous President was an absolute dick. However that is not what is being discussed.