They Always Return to Imus

The most recent racist remarks of Don Imus have yet to affect his popularity with political and media figures. David Carr points out that "Senator John Kerry has stopped by. Senator John McCain is on frequently. And Senators Joseph I. Lieberman and Joseph R. Biden are part of a legion eager to sit in the guest chair. NBC News uses 'Imus in the Morning' to promote the brands of Tim Russert, Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory. Tom Brokaw was a frequent guest, and his replacement, Brian Williams, has been sanctified by the I-man, as they call him. Chris Matthews from MSNBC has appeared, as have anchors and journalists from CNN and CBS and, on the print side, by reporters and editors from Newsweek and popular opinion columnists from The New York Times. ... There have been temporary breakups in the long-running affair. After Mr. Imus stepped over quite a few lines at the dinner of the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association in 1996, Cokie Roberts, now an analyst for ABC News, said, 'Now none of us can go on his show again.' But she went back; they always do."