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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I love the bouncing ball ear rings.
And the award for best actress in a drama goes to...Melissa Harris-Perry for her role in "Hypocrites: They're on TV"
I realize we all make stupid and insensitive comments on occassion but Perry's comment is biblical in bad taste. I cannot imagine what this woman was thinking while her mouth was running. Not only that but it wasn't a single phrase but she carried forth with a dialogue on this absurd and insulting subject while on TV. She obviously has some serious hiddden issues regarding her own ancessstry she needs to address.
MHP, perhaps I am in the minority but I didn't feel that you needed to apologize in the first place. Mitt Romney and his family are opportunists and I think you called it for what it was worth...and so did your guest. Please don't let the Right dictate and make you backtrack your comments just because what you said didn't come across what for them. Take a stand and stick with it.
sorry – I just don't buy these democrat apologies anymore – their hatred and intolerance has gotten to be a HABIT... and it turns the stomach... not just in this action with this hypocrite – but in tons of hate speech that keeps going on dividing this nation
Hey – DeepeThought – A mistake would be getting a name wrong or showing the wrong photo. This was an attack of a family for the sake of 'humor'. The only reason Harris-Perry made a scripted, shallow, hollow tearful apology is people were calling for her head on a platter and she feared losing her job and career in 'journalism'. I guess the trend today is you can say what you want as long as you apologize for it later. And for those wondering why they adopted a child of color? What business is it of yours? Nobody questioned Brad & Angelina when they adopted children of color...
II am glad she apologized and Mitt should accept her apology with grace. I was afraid that the apology would only be done on Twitter. I am glad she finally went on air with it as well. People make mistakes in judgement. Mistakes are how we l learn. I respect her apology. To err is human....to forgive is divine.
I wonder if she is sorry she made the comment or if she's sorry she got caught? It's just amazing to me that our society has gotten so angry or so willing to kick someone for laughs – in this case ratings. It's so sad.
reasonbyfaith says:
January 4, 2014 04:44 pm at 4:44 pm
A conservative would have been fired.
-
A Republican would have doubled down on the insult.
Still waiting for an apology from Rush Limbaugh for decades of worse comments made against the left.
Waiting for O'Reilly to apologize to Jeremy Glick.
Ann Coulter for telling people to take a bat to "liberals"
Fox News for constantly lying and calling people socialists or communists when they disagree.
Duck boy to gays and black people... and the list goes on and on!
You people on the right are abject hypocrites.
So sad, too late, too little and black...had this been a white female commentator she would have already been fired...this lady needs to resign as she is not longer effective at all for MSNBC now as a liability as ALL the blacks try to come resuce her from her own folly!!!
If this was the other way with a white anchor making fun of a black family the storm would be a lot more with the news and political parties. But seeing its the other way its ok.
Msnbc needs to review policies with its anchors. They are really getting out of hand with these insensitive comments.
If people would take a minute to think before speaking all these apologies we're hearing lately wouldn't be necessary.
"The news" is such a joke these days... The people who "report" think they're on reality shows, and it's mostly opinion and emotional reactions to stories anymore–which is why m*r*ns like these "newscasters" keep having to apologize for making immature remarks about other people. Ridiculous.
Too bad. You don't get to unring that bell. Apology not accepted. And F U to all the democrats who are saying she's better for this than Fox because Fox doesn't apologize for their transgressions. That's just garbage from a garbage party trying to make this wrong a right. Has nothing to do with politics and is just stupid people making stupid comments....period. And if you're one of the idiots trying to justify the jokes, you're a cerebral-deficient dumb $%#%# too.
I would like to introduce Harris-Perry to the works of F. Fanon; Especially Fanon's observation, if people are oppressed long enough if not carefully will start behaving like the oppressor (paraphrased). This is a very important lesson for "People of Color, including children of inter-racial backgrounds.
how is she not fired??? if this was a white person poking fun at a black family, they would be gone immediately. complete bs double standards.
She's still on the job, though isn't she? If it had happened on Fox, people would be calling for her head. She cried, though, so I guess that makes everything okay. Makes me wanna puke on my shoes.
Msnbc used fovea good network....until about a year before Microsoft bailed because they were too far Left.
MSNBC has finally succeeded in becoming Fox News on the left. Will she be fired? No. We all know why.
She needs to be fired.
Romney's Grandkid will turn out like Carlton while the rest of the African-American kids around him will be like Will Smith
Romney's Grandkid will turn out like Carlton while the rest of the African-American kids around him will be like Will Smith!
reasonbyfaith
A conservative would have been fired.
***************************************************
You mean like Phil Robertson? Or Megyn Kelly? Or Rush Limbaugh?
Liberals apologize. Conservatives just say they were "joking" or are defiant.
Croc's. tears. She should be fired.