On MSNBC, Crowley called Edwards a "metrosexual," "the prettiest one of the Democrats"

In response, co-host Mika Brzezinski said: "I think he and [Republican presidential candidate] Mitt Romney are taking a spa day."

As Media Matters for America has documented (here, here, here, and here), media have repeatedly echoed conservatives' characterizations of Edwards as effeminate.

From the August 7 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, guest-hosted by MSNBC correspondent Willie Geist:

GEIST: I think, John Edwards -- we've been paying so much attention to [Sen. Barack] Obama [D-IL] and [Sen.] Hillary [Rodham Clinton] [D-NY] over the last couple of weeks -- he's got to be feeling a little left out here -- I mean, the third-place guy. Do you think he's going to take advantage tonight and try to -- maybe he engages Hillary, maybe he picks a fight with her?

CROWLEY: Yeah, the metrosexual in the race is really lagging. Not a lot of traction here for John Edwards, much to his surprise and chagrin, I think, because he's the prettiest one of the Democrats.

BRZEZINSKI: I think he and Mitt Romney are taking a spa day. Is --

GEIST: No. You know, why are you objectifying men? I hate when you do that.

CROWLEY: The one time!

BRZEZINSKI: The one time! Whatever -- I'm sorry.

GEIST: Talk about the issues.

CROWLEY: You know what? I think that John Edwards is trying to get headlines wherever he can and, a couple of days ago, he criticized News Corporation -- Rupert Murdoch's company -- and urged all Democrats to boycott everything News Corp., and to return money if they've got it from Rupert Murdoch, or any of his top executives.

And, look, I think at this point, even though Edwards is leading in Iowa, his lead there is slipping, and he's grasping at some straws here, which might make for some great fireworks tonight because he's got to try somehow to upstage both Hillary and Obama.

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