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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How many times is MSNBC going to let this racist cross the line????? Acting like children or immature teens seem to be this network strength...probably why nobody watches.....Lean Forward....maybe Bend Over is a better way to describe this network.
This is quite comical. She is mentioning that her mother is a white Mormon woman for her apology? Could this be the first time a biracial liberal has played the "White" card?
MSNBC hosts apologize, Fox"news" hosts keep repeating daily spew of bs and nonsense, that's the big difference.
She has nothing to make an apology about. To imagine that the Romneys in their perfect whiteness and perfect affluence are using this adoption as anything less than some sort of political stunt to show they accept people of color is the ultimate in fantasy.
She should be fired. If she was non-black she probably would have already been terminated. It was a racist comment and holding a position as she does, is inexcusable.
I think we have seen enough fake apologies in the media and politics to recognize an authentic one and this qualifies.
She should not lose her job, just as Robertson should not have been suspended.
So... According to conservatives Gay bashing by Duck Dynasty rednecks is okay but a joke like this is not??
Melissa, as far as I am concerned no apology was necessary. It was Willard's son and his wife that adopted the child not Willard. I also believe that if necessary Willard would have used the fact that it was African-American to his political advantage.
I want her fired. They fire white people for making racist comments. Fire the black lady making racist comments. It's only fair!!
What is MSNBC?
She has issues...
MSNBC is pure trash. Why do people even watch that crap?
Can you imagine Fox News if a large Back Family adopted a White child?
"Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences"...Norman Cousins
This woman is a elitist racist and is only upset because her job is on the line.
She needs to go!
Really? She has to apologize for speaking the truth? Where are the apologies for the disrespect shown to the President of the United States of America and his family? Certain people can give criticism but are too weak to accept it, typical.
If she hadn't apologized, the right would be all over her and the network. She blundered big time, end of story. Palin blunders all the time, where are her apologies? I know this is not about Palin.
Word of advice to the right: stop spewing those hate one-liners on air, now you know how it feels.
She was just saying what everyone was thinking. Come on, an all white mormon family with a black adopted son. Come on, don't lie to yourselves and say you weren't thinking the same thing.
Where are those tampon earrings she likes to wear??? That would have made the apology more convincing!!
When will Mitt the twit apologize for not releasing his tax returns for the past 10 years? When will he apologize for impugning the integrity of the bottom 47% of Americans? When will GWB apologize for killing tens of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of American soldiers? When will.... you get the idea.
Very annoying lisp.
She's apologized profusely and seems very genuine. It was in poor judgement but I believe people deserve second chances.
I am so sorry. Boo hoo hoo. My ass.
She apologized- I'm so bored I didn't even tune in to hear the insult or apology- when will everyone get tired of demanding everyone else's jobs and making mountains out of mole hills? At least for a change its a non white having to cover their thoughts and speech- tip of the ice berg for him- plenty of poor white children need a good home-
personally I think it appears faddish and insincere but I’m just a viewer. Why would any family think they should put such a burden on the child is beyond me when I’m sure there are plenty of families their own race to raise them. Accepting yourself and your own race is just as important as accepting others, it’s also insulting to suggest otherwise. Tell us all again which race predominants the world and why?
Nice distraction from real news. I.e :Romney's racketeering charges