MSNBC Suspends Mark Halperin For Calling President Obama A ‘Dick’ On Morning Joe
by Colby Hall | 7:55 am, June 30th, 2011
In the event that anyone think that Morning Joe is becoming formulaic and predictable, I present the following clip. While discussing President Obama’s press briefing yesterday (in which he showed a feisty, if not combative style), host Joe Scarborough asked regular contributor Mark Halperin what he thought of the President’s demeanor . After being assured that the show was on a seven second delay, Halperin called it like he saw it, saying “I though he was kind of a dick yesterday.”
A rough transcript of the exchange (via TVeyes):
Joe Scarborough: Mark Halperin, What was the president’s strategy? We are coming up on a deadline and the president decided to please his base, push back against the Republicans.I guess the question is, we know a deal has to be done. Is this showmanship? A lot of times you go up there and both sides and they act tough so their base will be appeased, then they quietly work the deal behind the scenes.
Mark Halperin: Are we on the seven second delay?
Mika Brzezinski: Lordy.
Halperin: I wanted to characterize how the president behaved.
Scarborough: We have it. We can use it. Go for it. Let’s see what happens.
Brzezinski: We’re behind you, you fall down and we catch you.
Halperin: I thought he was a dick yesterday.
Scarborough: Delay that. delay that. what are you doing? i can’t believe — Iwas joking. Don’t do that. Did we delay that?
Halperin: I said it. I hope it worked.
Scarborough: My mom is watching! We’ll know whether it worked or not.
Shortly after the incident, a chagrined Halperin apologized to the audience and later expressed a similar sentiment via his Twitter feed:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/mark-halperin-calls-president-obama-a-dick-while-on-morning-joe-quickly-apologizes/
DO SOMETHING!
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