MSNBC suspends analyst Mark Halperin after he calls President Obama a four-letter word on air
MSNBC analyst and TIME magazine writerMark Halperin has been indefinitely suspended by the cable newschannel after using a four-letter epithet to refer toPresident Obama in a comment which was not edited out of the programMorning Joe.
Halperin said "I thought the president was kind of a d--k yesterday," he said, right after warning the show's prducers by asking if there was a delay on the show's audio.
I'm not sure why Halperin was suspended if nothing happened to the producers who let his comment air unbleeped. But in an election season that's going to be long, we really don't need to go to locker room so early, which Halperin himself seemed to acknowledge in his own apology.
I've often felt that MSNBC uses Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski to cover a frat house vibe that takes over the program too often, anyway. Perhaps this will be a wake up call for MSNBC to get a few more women and more measured commentators in the mix.
And didn't host Joe Scarborough once use the f-word on air himself? Did he get suspended? (Nope. That happened for giving unauthorized political donations to Florida politicians.)
Here's the dueling press releases and video clip of comment and apology below:
Statement from MSNBC:
Mark Halperin's comments this morning were completely inappropriate and unacceptable. 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.
Statement from Mark Halperin:
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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