(CNN) - Yahoo News' said Wednesday the company had fired its Washington bureau chief after he made a statement they called "inappropriate" in a webcast.
A conservative media-watching website posted audio of the ABC News-Yahoo News webcast. In the background, the bureau chief, David Chalian, could be heard saying to laughter, "They're not concerned at all. They are happy to have a party with black people drowning."
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Chalian said in a statement posted to his Facebook page Wednesday afternoon, "I was commenting on the challenge of staging a convention during a hurricane and about campaign optics." The Republican National Convention opened this week, and Hurricane Isaac last night made landfall in Louisiana.
In his statement, Chalian said he was "profoundly sorry for making an inappropriate and thoughtless joke."
"I have apologized to the Romney campaign, and I want to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to Gov. and Mrs. Romney," he said. "I also regret causing any distraction from the exceptional coverage of the Republican convention by Yahoo News and ABC News."
Yahoo News said in a statement posted to Twitter on Wednesday that his comment was "inappropriate and does not represent the views of Yahoo! He has been terminated."
"We apologize to Mitt Romney, his staff, their supporters and anyone who was offended," a separate post read.
The audio was posted by the website Newsbusters which says it documents "liberal media bias."
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It was a joke obviously based on how he really feels. The liberal media is showing their true colors this season to save their guy, Obama. And theY've not been the least bit coy about it. Their bias is on full display and this was an open mic that caught it. He's only sorry because he got caught.
I have never taught my child or grandchild racism but unfortunately this country, not the World, is teaching them and it's so sad.
Typical Liberal. Only sorry because he go caught saying what he said. You Dems that think the Repubs are racist need to look in the mirror.
I bet this is one of many comments he makes when noone is listening. I don't think his apology is sincere, he's just sorry he got caught. Remember when he produced the famous interview with Gibson and Sarah Palin and Gibson played a dirty trick on Palin saying he had quoted her the "Exact words' and it wasn't true, the words were incomplete?? Wow, the guy does have an anti-Republican issue so I am sure he is not sorry and meant his words. But, not to worry, I am sure he can go back to work at ABC or PBS Newhour and will have a huge following of Democrats. He must be feeling like a hero by now.
This guy is not a journalist. Just like most of the left leaning media, they have forgotten the meaning. A journalist is supposed to independently report a news story without bias. The left leaning media has forgotten this and have become nothing but schills for Obama.
Test
So much for free speech! This seems like a setup! A conservative group set up audio to capture a guy saying something many of us think & have said before & now he's Fired for it! Many people mentioned it during Katrina, because it seemed so True! I guess we should all be careful of what we say about the GOTP; I've heard there is surveilance equipment that can hear private convos in your own home, now! Well, I still think they only care about the rich & the hail w/the rest of us!!
I see you democrat lefties are moderating the comments to suit your agenda! Your all communists.
Or does it reflect the image the GOP itself has nurtured.
The GOP loves to blame the media for how it’s perceived…I think it’s time the GOP take a good hard look in the mirror and see what’s it become over the last 4 or 5 years. The party that I once supported no long exist, it's been taken over by the radical fringes and the extremely wealthy who care nothing for the country, only their own interest.
Of course he's sorry. He's sorry he stupidly said it into an open mic, and he's sorry it cost him his job. The rest of his apology is just the usual BS anyone in that situation has to spout in the every hope to work again.
I watched the convention speakers repeatedly mention that their prayers were with the people in the path of the storm. It sounds to me that this man was the one that was enjoying the tragedy and couldn't wait to post a biased article blaming republicans for the weather.
Good riddance!
Just another mensa member in the media.
Ahhhh the beauty of the NON-BIAS media! What? They don't like conservatives? No! Kudos to Yahoo for firing him.
This guy made an inappropriate joke, was penalized for it and he apologized.
...still waiting for Mitt Romney to do the same about his recent birth certificate "joke".
First sam l jackson tweet and now this. i guess the black vote doesnt matter to the liberals this time. they have feelings and wont be taken for granted. Romney cares and will show that when he is voted into office
He was only telling the truth. Why is the truth always the liberal media. What about Fox News and their bias
Thank you so much for this helpful site i need to do a lot of current events for school and I always look for political events here thank goy
The liberals in the media are dirty. All they care about is to tell lies and divide the country by race. The Republicans respect and love African Americans. Do not forget which party supported the ending of slavery!
Liberals = shameless liars
We know that you can only say what you want if you are part of the GOP. #wouldratherliveeverydayinissacthenonedayunderamittromneypresidency
Namemaximusgary
I suggest you tune into Fox for all that non-bias reporting you like so much. I mean, there is now way Fox is a schill for whatever republican is running for anything.
If it doesn't have a ridiculous hard right bias, they call it the "elite liberal media".
There is no non-partisan journalism. If you aren't attacking the government for over-taxing in every single sentence, you're the liberal media.
If you aren't bashing president Obama in every story, you're the liberal media.
If you ask Romney why he didn't live up to his republican fathers own standards of releasing 12 years of tax returns, you're the liberal media.
Unless you slant every story and lie to favor republicans, you're the elite liberal media.
Fired for telling the truth..while Republicans snicker in their peanuts because they know he’s right. Why apologize to Romney?