Msnbc – Reporter Apologizes for Calling Obama a Kind of a D….(bleep)
by Reporter apologizes for calling Obama a (bleep)
Mark Halperin, a Time magazine editor-at-large, a best-selling author and an MSNBC political analyst, apologized on that network’s Morning Joe program this morning after calling President Obama a vile name while assessing yesterday’s White House news conference.
“I thought he was kind of a d— yesterday,” Halperin said, apparently thinking the word would be bleeped out.
It wasn’t.
Halperin said later: “Joking aside, this is not a pro forma apology, it’s an absolute apology, heartfelt to the president and to the viewers. … I made a mistake, and I’m sorry and I shouldn’t have said it. I apologize to the president and to the viewers who heard me say that.”
MSNBC later announced it has suspended Halperin indefinitely.
It should be pointed out that Halperin — co-author of Game Change, the essential account of the 2008 election — initially said he didn’t want to characterize the president’s performance Wednesday.
When Morning Joe panelists urged him to go ahead, Halperin — noting that the show broadcasts with a seven-second delay so that producers can bleep out offending material — provided his pungent opinion.
Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski admonished producers for not bailing out Halperin, and also apologized to Obama and the viewers.
MSNBC later released this statement:
Mark Halperin’s comments this morning were completely inappropriate and unacceptable.ć We apologize to the President, The White House and all of our viewers. We strive for a high level of discourse and comments like these have no place on our air. Therefore, Mark will be suspended indefinitely from his role as an analyst.
Halperin followed up with this statement:
I completely agree with everything in MSNBC’s statement about my remark. I believe that the step they are taking in response is totally appropriate.
Again, I want to offer a heartfelt and profound apology to the President, to my MSNBC colleagues, and to the viewers. My remark was unacceptable, and I deeply regret it.
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Post CommentMeg Smith
On June 30, 2011 at 2:54 pm
It’s sad to see that people cannot express an honest opinion anymore. The word used may have been inappropriate, but the behavior that had to occur to prompt it is something that the President should think about.
lmonline
On June 30, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Meg, great comment. Congrats
Anastasia Zoldak
On June 30, 2011 at 3:03 pm
No matter what you think of his policies, the presidential office deserves respect. Do I think he’s phoning the job in from the golf course ( He’s golfed 75 times in the last 2 years), yes but calling President Obama names distracts from the real issues our country faces.
ashan1614
On June 30, 2011 at 3:06 pm
I have to say to Meg that said “behavior” was not any worse that what many, MANY others have been guilty of. So maybe we start calling everyone a D*** on National TV????
ashan1614
On June 30, 2011 at 3:09 pm
And to Anastasia…. I personally know people who golf 75 times in a SUMMER (let alone 2 years) … and they hold full time jobs.. so that argument doesn’t fly either.