"pimped out"

" In a conference call with reporters, Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson Friday excoriated MSNBC's David Shuster for suggesting the Clinton campaign had "pimped out" 27-year old Chelsea by having her place phone calls to Democratic Party superdelegates on her mother's behalf. Wolfson called the comment "beneath contempt" and disgusting."

Why was David's comment offensive and inappropriate? What does "pimped out" mean?

It's actually fairly benign in this context -- it just means that Chelsea is being used due to her former status as first daughter to lend some name recognition. But the phrase, although used in other contexts in a tongue-in-cheek way, has a crude original meaning: to have one's sexual services offered to customers by a pimp. That was the connotation Wolfson was objecting to -- the other sense of "being used".

I'm sure Shuster knew exactly the effect his choice of words would have, too -- it's fun to watch journalists needle their subjects, and so they do it for the reaction.

I don't think he was intending to get suspended by the network.

It also implies that they're forcing her to do it when she, on her own, may not have been out campaigning.

Why is she being forced? Technically, a pimp doesn't force a prostitute to work, but manages the clients.

A pimp doesn't force a prostitute to be a prostitute, but tells them where to be, whom to be with, etc.

I think most prostitutes (AND pimps) would allow that there is actually plenty of coercion involved, both physical and emotional. It's not really the healthiest business relationship.....

Um, it's perfectly professional business, aslong as you are a proper prostitute and work for a proper establishment. There is even Prostitutes' Union.

In most of the United States, prostitution is illegal.

Wasn't US the land of freedom? Don't people have the right to sell their body?

Only in parts of Nevada, actually.

Prostitution on the black market is a whole different story than it is in places where it is legal and regulated. Where it is illegal, it tends to have a more furtive and exploitative nature.

Showing your body parts for the sake of earning money does not fall into the catagory of freedom. Having plenty of freedom at your disposal does not mean youhave got to allow every bit of immoral stuff in your society. Anyways, only poor and uneducated people resort to such a business for earning an income.

<it's fun to watch journalists needle their subjects>

Uriel, what does "needle their subjects" mean? Does it mean studyingtheir subjects thoroughly, delving into every bit of tiny details??

<< what does "needle their subjects" mean? >>

In this case, I think it means to irk/bother/mildly torment them.

<<Showing your body parts for the sake of earning money<<
This is not what prostitutes do.
You need more input on prostitutes.

I agree that sex between consenting adults should not be regulated, even if there's money involved... Unfortunately, in America, the Commerce Clause of the Constitution requires "commerce" (which is not defined in the Constitution, and the Supreme Court has decided makes it a broad definition) to be regulated by the Legislature.