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."
[twitter-follow screen_name='politicalticker']
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.
From CNN Politics
- Pressure builds on Biden to act on guns in wake of Colorado mass shooting March 23, 2021 01:03 pm
- Sidney Powell argues in new court filing that no reasonable people would believe her election fraud claims March 23, 2021 12:15 pm
- Postmaster General set to announce 10-year plan including longer mail delivery times and cuts to post office hours March 23, 2021 12:02 pm
- Progressive group launches $3.2 million advertising buy to push federal voting law March 23, 2021 11:01 am
- US and allies announce sanctions against Chinese officials for 'serious human rights abuses' against Uyghurs March 23, 2021 10:32 am
- Analysis: Trump's army takes aim at 2022 touting his election lies March 23, 2021 05:01 am
No need to apologize ... whoever you are. Most people don't ever watch MSNBC anyway.
Mellissa, please hold your head up as high as you can. Why is Mitt coming on Fox tomorrow??? He is using this opportunity to try and resurrect himself back into the media??? Before this he was forgotten. Mellissa, the whole GOP and Mitt owe you. Also, MSNBC should give you a raise because you have given the network a lot of publicity.. You Go Girl...
I'll continue to watch you. No dis-respect to you or your husband but you are nice to look at..Too WMSR
The kind of apology you will never find on Fox "news"...
She is nasty and hateful person. The things she tries to teach kids is disgusting. Typical socialist lib.
Enough w/ these self important moron. They're nothing but reading off teleprompter and some can't capitalize on that. Here they're sitting around poking fun at another human being and child. That's show how low and ignorant they are. Look at these anchors make me think of them that the lowest of low. What a waste of oxygen.
I don't know what the big deal is, except that poor child will be so messed up he wont know if he's Kinta Kunte or Uncle Tom
She is disgusting. She really teared up nice for that.. What does the left do if FoxNews goes after a liberal in the same way? Liberals in general are disgusting.
Not so, Deepe Thought. Liberals see through the fear, intolerance, ignorance, and hate in conservatives, then get so worked up that on occasion act live conservatives themselves. Accept her apology and move on! BTW...haven't seen the far right apologize for the outrageous lies and disrespect they've shown our President.
Just imagine if the script were flipped and it were Palin or O'Reilly making these racially charged comments directed at a baby. They (MSNBC/ leftists) would be WILD....
Suck it up buttercup, ""Whatever the intent was..."" you know what the intent was. Go away.
A sincere apology would have come immediately after the insensitive comments, not days later. As for citing opposition to Obama's policies as a defense against mocking an innocent infant and his family's good intentions, what the hell is wrong with you?
She is an idiot for what she said. That being said, I find it laughable at best that all you right wing extremists have such faux outrage for a TV personality saying something stupid. All you right wing nut jobs do is say hateful and awful things about fellow Americans...at it starts with the Fox News personalities all you weak minded nuts take your marching orders from.
Crocodile tears. She's just trying to save her job & will do anything & say anything in her desperation.
Those were "I have a lisp and am thankful for my TV show please don't fire me" tears.
Fake tears,
Like that wasn't fake as hell, all day. FOX and MSNBC are damaging our country and dividing this great society of ours to no end.
I'm glad these MSNBC anchors are being let go or are at least being forced to apologize (not that i think its sincere), but the point is they have been running their mouths on anyone on the right for so long they are such a pathetic excuse for journalism
So another quip and another apology and another lie.
Fox News does this kind of thing almost on a daily basis. Their employees get bonuses instead.
This is not an apology. This is a desperate no talent begging to keep her racist bully pulpit.
MSNBC: Mad Sicko Nutty Batsh-t Crazies
They have 0 journalistic integrity. Never forget how they altered the Zimmerman 911 audio recording in order to spark racial hatred.
Say what you want, some of you nasty folks on this thread, but I say that the fact that those of a intelligent and liberal leaning are far more likely to apologize when something comes out wrong or people are offended. Way more hateful and truly ignorant things are said on Fux News or by Rush or Beck or Palin or the other idiots, but I never ever hear an apology ever uttered by their moronic lips. Kudos to MHP!!
Better than 75% of these people talk as if they knew exactly what happend/....exactly why and just what should be done about it........This program was no better nor worse than we see and hear every day from both sides of the street and you are all a bunch of "smart mouths"... Both parties are equally guilty of nastiness and name calling...THAT IS 'BOTH'!!!....GOT IT??????BOTH!!!!!!!!! And that does mean you! and you and you.....!!!!!!
Oh yeah and here comes the chorus of "if it was a conservative they woulda been fired." Man these righties are the biggest bunch of whiney victimization addicts the world has ever seen.
Yeah, when job is on line or judicial litigation they cry and empathize - otherwise they say whatever they want you to hear.