David Shuster will definitely continue manning MSNBC’s 4pm hour, a NBC source confirms to us, but that doesn’t mean he’ll quit what he’s good at: primetime reporting. He’ll continue filing reports for the NBC Nightly News and appearing on-air during MSNBC dayside, pulling double duty with the new role. But don’t expect Shuster’s hour block to be branded around him; we’re told it’ll remain the nondescript “MSNBC News Live,” a la Andrea Mitchell’s 1pm hour.

So why will Shuster be filling in at 4pm? For one, it’s likely to save cash. While Shuster may get a small bump in pay for hosting the hour, it also means MSNBC doesn’t have to shell out for another anchor’s entire salary. (Just another example of 30 Rock filling MSNBC jobs with NBC News talent.) And also: Chris Matthews has been complaining about the lead-in numbers for his 5pm Hardball.

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Is David Shuster taking over MSNBC’s 4pm hour? [TVN]

NBC News SVP Phil Griffin, here with Dan Abrams, on MSNBC’s talent: “Our people are not in straitjackets. They speak openly; they’re passionate. There’s a liveliness and richness to the conversation that you don’t see on CNN or Fox. Do we leave ourselves open a little more? Yeah. But I think it’s part of our success.” Funny, because when David Shuster said “pimped out,” Griffin screamed at him and wanted him fired. That doesn’t sound like someone who cares for people who speak openly. [LAT]

Now that David “Pimping Out” Shuster has made his way back to MSNBC’s broadcast after a two-week suspension, he’s free to … wax nostalgic on being “thrown under the bus for the sins of the father.” [TVN]

Is the scandal over David Shuster’s “pimping out” a matter of MSNBC-wide misogyny? Or a problem with the network’s use of pundits to host hard news coverage, and the use of supposedly unbiased reporters to host opinion programs?

Shuster’s suspension comes after the network was playing defense against criticism for Chris Matthews’ regular Hillary Clinton swipes, including the most egregious one, among other infractions: Concluding the only “reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around.” (Amusing, then, that Matthews is filling in tonight as MC for the Washington Press Club Foundation’s dinner, thrown by an organization originally founded, in part, because the National Press Club wouldn’t allow women to join.)

But Shuster didn’t make the remark while reporting from the White House, or the campaign trial. He uttered the now-infamous phrase while filling in for Tucker Carlson on Tucker, a show whose DNA includes throwing around thought bubbles. Shuster, though, is usually seen on-air in a correspondent role, giving Brian Williams or Chris Jansing the latest election campaign details. His role hasn’t been to voice his own ideas — which a reporter isn’t being paid to do.

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Last week, David Shuster was indefinitely suspended for suggesting that the Hillary Clinton campaign was “pimping out” first daughter Chelsea, the most likable member of the Clinton entourage.

Chelsea Clinton has always been a bizarre public figure. In 1992, she was her dad’s biggest supporter. But since becoming first daughter, she has understandably struggled with her lack of privacy as an adult. Until Iowa, Chelsea mostly hid in the background of her mom’s campaign.

In Maine, where Barack Obama won one of four primary elections over the weekend, Hillary Clinton wrote NBC News president Steve Capus, “Nothing justifies the kind of debasing language that David Shuster used and no temporary suspension or half-hearted apology is sufficient.”

No one denies that Shuster’s verb choice leaves something to be desired, but indefinite suspension seems sufficient to say the least, especially considering that that Chelsea has been “pimped out” before. After all, how many teenagers do you know who held the hands of both parents on leisurely walks to a presidential helicopter following an investigation into their father’s infidelity?

While MSNBC correspondent David Shuster has been suspended indefinitely for suggesting the Clinton campaign was “pimping out” Chelsea, with her making private phone calls to superdelegates and even The View gals, consider this: Keith Olbermann made a very similar comment on Sept. 20.

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This is the video that, as of today, got David Shuster suspended indefinitely from MSNBC. On yesterday’s Tucker, the well-liked correspondent suggested the Clinton campaign was “pimping out” Chelsea. Are we looking at the next Don Imus?

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