MSNBC spokeswoman Gina Stikes confirms that political analyst Mark Halperin will begin appearing again on the network this week. Halperin was last seen on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on June 30, when he said of President Barack Obama’s press conference performance, “I thought he was kind of a dick yesterday.” Halperin apologized for the comment — which he thought would be beeped out during a 7-second delay. Later that morning, co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski discussed the incident on-camera with Halperin.
Scarborough: A couple hours ago we talked about the president’s speech. And something was said on the air that — by our good friend Mark Halperin — that we didn’t think it was gonna go on the air. It was said by you in jest. And —
Brzezinski: We goaded you into saying it. And then we didn’t think you were gonna say it. Then we were kind of shocked. And we laughed because we did not think it was on the air.
Scarborough: We were shocked. But anyway, Mark, you didn’t… You wanted to say something. You want to be totally clear.
Halperin: I can’t explain why I did it, it was inappropriate. It was disrespectful. I’ve already apologized, I will again, to the president. And say I’m sorry. I’m sorry to the viewers. It was the kind of thing you can’t really explain, but I take full responsibility for it. And it was a mistake, and as I said, disrespectful, and I shouldn’t have said it.
Scarborough: And certainly Mika and I also apologize to the viewers. …
Halperin: What I said was disrespectful to the president and the office but it also lowers our discourse and coarsens our discourse and it’s just not appropriate on any level.
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