After Time editor-at-large and MSNBC talking head Mark Halperin called President Obama a "dick" during Morning Joe, the veteran newsman apologized via Twitter, statement and on MSNBC. Jon Stewart looked at Halperin's apology and wondered why MSNBC couldn't just focus in on Halperin, instead making it seem like Halperin's apology was chaperoned by Willie Geist:
MSNBC suspended Halperin indefinitely and Time magazine issued a statement, "Mark Halperin’s comments on air this morning were inappropriate and in no way reflective of Time’s views. We have issued a warning to him that such behavior is unacceptable." However, Media Decoder noted that Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough "later complained on the air that the show’s executive producer failed to bleep the word," saying, "I would tell you what I think of him, but he doesn’t know what button to push," which suggests tensions between Scarborough and the show's team. Speaking of the show's producers, this morning's MJ had a flub with airing the wrong soundbite which annoyed Mika Brzezinski and Scarborough, who said, "Press the button that says... 'I'm the right button'?":
Obama adviser David Axelrod told the Washington Post, "What [Halperin] said was obviously stupid and tasteless, and he exercised poor judgment,” Axelrod said. “I think he’d be the first to acknowledge that. I strongly disagree with his analysis. But I’ve known him for decades. He’s a decent person and a good journalist. I’m sure that no one regrets this more than he does.” Yeah, Halperin was regretful when he once called Obama a "pussy," too.
