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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STAND YOUR GROUND! She spoke the truth! ann romney is probably trying to get mutt to run for office again because she is so jealous of Mrs Obama – and they needed a black face in their white Republican family for the press to see in order to give him a shot at winning!
people say all kinds of stupid things.
Why is it Republicans can say the most outrageous, offensive, and complete lies on FOX and even on real national TV networks and NEVER apologize? Never held accountable? Only responding with words like "taken out of context" when their words were clear and disgusting.
How does a Republican Congressman get caught buying and using cocaine, get nothing but probation, spend a month in rehab and them go back to being a Congressman with no consequences, censure, or thrown out of office?
Republicans are never responsible, never held accountable, never apologize, and act with arrogance when called out for the most disgusting, demeaning, degrading comments on women, the poor, and with total disrespect and bigoted hate towards our President. Republicans should be held accountable for all the nothingness they have done for the People and the hate and lies they have created to do anything to win. Not one should remain in office after the 2014 election.
Fire her, we don't need hate mongers and race baiters polluting the airwaves
I'm sure all the Duck Dynasty fans have taken to the streets in support of this anchor's first amendment rights, right? I guess that only matters if you hide behind the Bible.
Gee a tearful apology AFTER it hits the fan, yeah really sounds sincere to me. No wonder PMSNBC loses every time slot to Fox in the ratings
it is incredible the double standard the media has. rather then applauding adoption and welcoming transracial adoption, she mocks it. she should be fired, no question. what would she say if fox news mocked her own family? would simply just apologizing be the end of it?
Where is the NCAAP on this issue?? Oh, wait wrong person being racist so an apology will suffice and no demand for firing or anyone being sued.
"Her words are a window into her soul". She should be fired and never allowed such a position again. What a racist bully she is !
She apologized. Lesson learned. Use this as a teachable moment. No matter what side of the aisle you are on using families for political gain is WRONG!
Romney hardly deserves a tear-filled apology for some unprofessional behavior by a reporter- for waving a black baby in front of a camera during a photo op. After all, he was the candidate of choice for a political party that cares not a bit that thousands of children go to school hungry every morning because the GOP cut the funds for the breakfast program.
All the people on her show are racists.
Soon the world will be calling us the States of America - there won't be a need for the word "United", so sad.
Welll, like all the goobers have been tellling us everytime they make an inappropriate comment, " Relax, it's just a joke. Can't you take a joke" ?
Notice how she gives are REAL apology, not one of those "If I offended anyone, then I apologize" non-apologizes. Pay attention politicians. It was poor taste Ms. Harris-Perry. I am glad you not only apologized, but have thought about your hurtful actions. Apology accepted.
It seems that these times are such nowadays that you can offent a white person all you want, except when there is any little piece of a color skin in any shape or form, then it's a no-no. Not quite equal opportunity.
Is there a reason she still has a job? Regardless of your political view (mine is negative regarding Romney) this was way over the line. How someone keeps their job after this is maybe the biggest story.
This is overblown. I hate MSNBC and will take every shot I can at them, but I think she barely crossed the line here and has apologized. I have heard worse. So, lets just take the apology and then blast MSNBC when we then truly deserve it. I'm sure someone from MSNBC will do something next week that is far more worthy of our derision.
MSNBC apologizes for this totally inoffensive remark. Conservatives are never wrong so they don't have to apologize.
I am sorry, she just sustained the stereotype that people of color are more racists that whites. She was not crying for what she did...she is crying because she had the rug pulled out from under her and she wants to keep her job.
This type of situation takes place everyday on MSNBC. This is just another day in the life of this vile network.
How many times has Rush targeted families of politicians, and said worse than this? How many times has he apologized, and how many times have his fans called for him to? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!
I do not see most white racist offer any kind of apology...But if a african american make a little mistake people just pounce on them....
So, Ticker, you allow obnoxious statements from people who can't get beyond their hate, but you won't allow
me to remind them of the not so pure faux news "commentators". If you want to rile up the children, then
don't be so selective in who you allow to do the riling.
She apologized. You won't get that from the faux people.
The hate filled Progressives (Socilaists). How pitiful.