MSNBC host offers tearful apology to Romneys
Updated 1:49 p.m., 1/4/2014
(CNN) - MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry made a tearful apology to Mitt Romney’s family on her show Saturday, after she and a panel poked fun at a photo of the former Republican presidential candidate with his wife and 21 grandchildren by zeroing in on his adopted African-American grandson.
"Whatever the intent was, the reality is that the segment proceeded in a way that was offensive, and showing the photo in that context, of that segment, was poor judgment. So without reservation or qualification, I apologize to the Romney family," said the anchor at the open of her show, "Melissa Harris-Perry."
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Harris-Perry became emotional as she went on to apologize to all "other families formed through transracial adoption," saying, "I am deeply sorry that we suggested that interracial families are in any way funny or deserving of ridicule."
She highlighted her own interracial background, as the daughter of an African-American man and a white Mormon woman. But, she said, families are always "off limits," and the Romneys' grandchildren should never have been a topic of discussion.
"Adults who enter into public life implicitly consent to having less privacy. But their families, and especially their children, should not be treated callously or thoughtlessly. My intention was not malicious, but I broke the ground rule that families are off limits, and for that I am sorry," she said.
Harris-Perry first apologized on Twitter and MSNBC's website Tuesday, offering a similar mea culpa "without reservation or qualification."
During the segment last Sunday, Harris-Perry asked a panel to come up with a caption for the Romney family photo, and two panelists made jokes about the infant standing out.
Actress Pia Glenn began singing lines from the song popularized by Sesame Street, "One of These Things Is Not Like the Others." Comedian Dean Obeidallah said the picture "really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party."
Obeidallah appears frequently on CNN and writes a regular opinion column for CNN.com.
Harris-Perry described the baby as "gorgeous" and joked that in 2040 he would marry North West, the daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
"Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?" she said, to laughs.
Criticism was swift across social media, with prominent Republicans from Sarah Palin to former Sen. Scott Brown weighing in.
A spokeswoman for Romney told CNN he was on a family vacation this week and unavailable for comment. On Sunday, Romney will appear on “Fox News Sunday,” where he is likely to be asked about the episode.
MSNBC has been in some hot water recently after a handful of their hosts have made controversial comments. Alec Baldwin and the network parted ways in November after his homophobic outburst against photographers, and Martin Bashir resigned in December for his suggestion that Sarah Palin deserved graphic punishment for comparing U.S. foreign debt to slavery.
–CNN's Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
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Her intentions were not malicious? She meant 'token' in the good way?
Another 'I'm sorry you're upset' appology. Fail.
Give the woman a break; she is bi racial herself. This is not news and I doubt the Romneys' are all that offended.
Melissa Harris-Perry's apology was more of a PR move than a genuine/sincere apology. MSNBC will continue to go on racist rants and still get away with it.
It is about time she apologizes on air where she first committed this heinous act. As this was an organized segment involving many others at MSNBC as well as the other willing idiots on stage, MSNBC should be disciplining others as well if they are to ever be taken seriously as a news organization. While they needn't be fired, suspending them for a few weeks without pay would at least put others on notice to start using their brains a little more.
After one year? Good, but don't show these guys any more. Nation is tired of these GOP thugs, enough. Wars, loots, cheats.
I'm confused. Even though I do not condone any slander of any kind, I don't understand how so many Republicans can slander our President and his wife, Michele .. and no one says hardly anything at all, much less demand an apology.
I'm not familiar precisely with what I said, but I'll stand by what I said, whatever it was."
.............Truth HURTS......Romneys
Oh well, it's true.
You're still a loser....think before you speak....or is that asking too much from a liberal?
Glad that she apologized. I am still waiting for Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh to apologize for their racist comments.
This reporter from MSNBC knows exactly what her intent was, it was to humiliate a Conservative Republican. She sorry because American People, at least some, won't stand for this kind of reporting. This is why the American people do not trust some news and cable networks, for they do not know how to report honest, factual news, just hope to report hurtful, bias information that to their knowledge what they surmise is news.
I guess it's a good thing MHP appoligised. It was a stupid thing to do and say. It still amzes me that when someone on the left offends someone on the right they demand an appology. But when the Sununos, Palins, Limbaughs, Trumps and other ilk on the right spew their hateful lies it's freedom of speech.
Harris-Perry heart is dark and evil. Look into her eyes, there is only evil in them.
I would cry too if I had to wake up everyday not only knowing I was a giant loser hypocrite racist Marxist who pretends to do anything worth while towards the betterment of humanity!! But also actually believing that your inferior opinions actually affect anyone . Be sorry for that libtards!!!
A loose cannon on a loose cannon network; say anything to strengthen the brand.
"Sorry" is a liar's bet. It's an ante they can afford to lose. MSNBC could condense their airtime to an hour and invite their viewers to a Starbucks to deliver their talking points. Wouldn't have to pull too many chairs from other tables either.
Thank you for your apology, Ms. Harris-Perry; it was the right thing to do.
I look forward to continuing to watch your show in the future.
Anthing out of this low class fool's mouth is pure class envy and bigotry.
Only MSNBC would allow someone like this on the air.
Tearful, scared she will be fired more like it.
Good riddance
It's amazing how you can cry when your senior management tells you to or lose your job.
An utter disgrace. Dhouls be fired. At any UNBIASED, ethical organization she would have been.
As long as the media and other people tip toe around blacks, there's always going to be racism.
Sarah Palin is a prominent republican? I don't think so. Let's see, ran for VP, LOST. Ran for Governor and won but quit before end of term. I don't see how she is a prominent anything.
"MSNBC host offers tearful apology"
Had to click on the link to see which MSNBC was the latest needing to apologize.
.
Looks like Romney is going to be running for president in 2016
Apology NOT accepted. You planned this out with your other guests and all of you thought it was funny. You're just crying now because you could lose your job.