Melissa Harris-Perry in tears. Eloquent, heartfelt, humble. This is a human being. Edit w/video.

[nolabear]

Last edited Sat Jan 4, 2014, 03:11 PM - Edit history (1)

She just opened with an apology for bringing Mitt Romney's lovely grandchild into what she called (and I think honestly) an off-the-cuff commentary about the funnier moments in politics this past year. But she admitted that she crossed a line that should not be crossed in letting that photo be used. To have the grace to be embarrassed about something SHE believes is wrong and to let yourself be vulnerable is the essence of extending an open hand and trying to right wrongs. People can choose to believe her or not. But what everyone makes of it says more about them than anything else. Can you (in general) lay down the sword or will you simply continue to believe that everything is cynical, that no one makes a mistake and can ask and receive a gracious allowance?



I think she'll be fine. And I admire her tremendously. We need people who can recover, and people who can realize that good people make mistakes.

Edited because I found the video. And I support her even more on rewatch.

[lamp_shade]

1. I hope she reads DU. Your words would comfort her.

[Gothmog]

2. I agree

I was impressed with her sincerity

[hlthe2b]

3. I agree that the apology should suffice...

But, while I don't compare what Bashir said re: Palin, to that of MPH, his, too was a sincere and well delivered apology.

Given Romney is scheduled for an "opportune" Faux interview, the very unfortunate and irritating fact for Dem/Progressives, is that we let the RW decide when or if our own get to continue. If he has even a modicum of decency, he'll acknowledge her sincerity, but if he leaves it open to interpretation, the RW will not stop and she'll be gone.

[riversedge]

6. It would be the right thing for rommey to do--to forgive.

[pangaia]

16. He's a sociopath, whatever he does Sunday.

That's the difference between MHP and .....jeez, .who ever names their kid Mitt.?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

64. Think THAT'S bad?

[nolabear]

10. Perhaps, but perhaps not. I think she is a much tougher target than Bashir.

He played on the field of outrage, and he was its victim. She is far more careful, intelligent and balanced. If she continues on her course, and frankly if I were her and they continued to attack I'd lean way in and make it a careful, measured, interested topic for a discussion they can't actually have unless they beat those swords into some kind of plowshares. Enough patience and smarts will do a lot for those who are influenceable.

[lastlib]

21. The Gandhi/King approach--I like it.

This was none of the "I'm sorry if you were offended.." BS apology. This was a genuine apology for doing something wrong--real contrition. RWers seem never to have experienced it. If they can't put down the blades now, they come off as the losers they are.

[Little Star]

4. I like her but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out...

if she's all that nice of a person or not.

The way she treated Joan Walsh left a bad taste in my mouth and now this. But I will try to keep an open mind because I think she is a great democrat and I do like her show.

[Alittleliberal]

5. Now this?

She didn't say anything. I don't think she had anything to apologize for.

[Little Star]

9. She apologized so there was something wrong, no?...

She admitted that she crossed a line that should not be crossed in letting that Romney family photo be used, etc.

That is the 'this' I was referring to. So what are you talking about?

[Dawgs]

22. She apologized to keep her job. The only reason it's a story is because of Fox News.

The left is weaker when we're pressured into apologizing because of fake outrage on the right.

[MADem]

32. I'm with you on that one. nt

[nolabear]

46. Sounds as if you believe she actually doesn't care. Is that true?

Neither of us knows her, of course, but I think she felt bad about it. I would have, whether I thought there was faux outrage or not.

[Ranchemp.]

47. I agree,

after watching her apology, I truly believe that she felt bad about what her guests said and her joining the laughter, and, showing that photo.
Unlike many here, she truly has class and hopefully, this issue will disappear.

[Kingofalldems]

86. There you go again, 'unlike many here, she truly has class'

[Ranchemp.]

88. Awwww, did I hurt you feelings?

If you have a problem with my comment, there's always the alert button.

[Kingofalldems]

90. No, I will respond to your comments.

Too bad if you don't like it.

[Ranchemp.]

91. Have fun, I just won't respond to yours.

[Kingofalldems]

94. Actually you don't respond now.

Never address the things I post anyway. But I will be here.

[Dawgs]

52. No. I think she cares and I think she's dumb for caring. n/t

[nolabear]

54. Wow. I don't even know how to respond to that.

[Ranchemp.]

56. I tried to respond but couldn't come up

with anything to describe the stupidity of that comment and not get hidden.

[LukeFL]

65. Agree

When Will stop?

[senseandsensibility]

18. How did she treat Joan Walsh?

I must have missed something.

[Little Star]

29. Joan referred to Melissa as a friend and...

Melissa basically said they are not friends.

Here's what Joan said on Sunday, Sep 25, 2011:
http://www.salon.com/2011/09/26/white_liberals_obama/

Here's Melissa's reply on September 26, 2011:
http://www.thenation.com/blog/163629/epistemology-race-talk

In my opinion Melissa could have handled the 'not my friend' part better. I thought it was very mean spirited and it turned me off.

It just made me think Melissa wasn't very nice and my sympathy went to Joan on that one. But as I've said I still like Melissa even though the whole Romney family photo thing gives me more pause as to just how nice she really is. I'm still trying to be open minded.

[mstinamotorcity2]

119. Her and Ms Walsh are

not friends they are co-workers. Just because you are pleasant to someone you work with doesn't make you friends.

[ceeRoy]

7. Wow!

i don't understand what the controversy was about. how is it those on the right even on faux news say mocking things towards any public personality on the the left and they are not pressured to apologize....i hear laura ingram and many on the right mock and say some of the most insulting things over their programs and nothing happens to them...??...i don't understand it...and when someone on the left even slips up with a harmless comment..imo..we turn and cower out apologies. i guess the right determine whether we eat or not or hold our jobs....sad!!

[nolabear]

11. Yes, but as I said there's a difference between recognizing a wrong and submitting.

The Laura Ingram standard is a low, low, low one. I understand the fear that if we are reasonable and they are not they will simply run over us. But there's a huge middle ground between submitting to them and becoming them. She's strong, smart, and maturely shows that a person who has done a lot of good can also do something that is ill considered, can cop to it, and hopefully can recover and go on. If we can't learn from that we are doomed.

[IdaBriggs]

51. Going after someone's adopted minor child and commenting

"one of these things doesn't belong" (not sure I am paraphrasing) because of skin color was inappropriate.

Apologizing was appropriate. The comment, regardless of party affiliations, was not.

The conversation needs to move on and there are a lot of places it can go: raising awareness about racism and adoption issues would be a good place to start.

[Ranchemp.]

53. +1000.

Unfortunately, some here just don't seem to grasp that.

[BlueToTheBone]

8. Was this before the Nadir segment?

I just tuned in and Rolf is there on my teevee

[nolabear]

12. Short opener. It'll pop up somewhere soon I'm sure.

[BlueToTheBone]

15. Thanks. I'll look for it. nt

[MyNameGoesHere]

13. Well one of the downsides of being a democrat

is always having to apologize. It's that enabling the right that some just can't shake. Well some of us. Apologize? Hell no, never, and not even 20 minutes after I die.

[heaven05]

19. Apologize only if and when you feel you must, the RW never does,

otherwise, I'm with you, hell no!!!!!

[warrprayer]

14. Nurse Ratched

gives Pee Wee lessons on being a Democrat...

[senseandsensibility]

17. I have no doubt that she was sincere, and I also think that Bashir

was sincere in his apology.

[Dawgs]

20. CNN: 'We see it on both sides, the left and the right. They are the same.'

[Spitfire of ATJ]

59. Which is why there are idiots out there who claim "It's always been this way and always will be....

....so give up."

[Vashta Nerada]

23. This was a non-issue.

She didn't need to apologize. She didn't say anything negative about Rmoney's grandchild. It was her guests. And they made her cry on national tv? Horrible.

[liberal from boston]

25. Melissa Harris Perry

Excellent Comment Vashta!! Totally agree- Melissa has nothing to apologize for. The false equivalency promoted by CNN editorial is disgraceful. The whole segment needs to be watched to get a true perspective. 4 photos of President Obama & Michelle shown before the Romney photo & the panelists made joking comments about the POTUS. This is deliberately being exploited by Fox & CNN. MSNBC should ignore this.

[Vashta Nerada]

26. And yet, Phil Robertson insults gays, women, and African Americans, and he doesn't have to apologize

Pisses me off.

[Hamlette]

33. almighty dollar

Phil has good ratings. Bashir did not. We'll know MHP's ratings by whether she gets the can.

Olbermann had good ratings but I'm not sure he got fired for something he said on the air. I thought it had to do with what a jerk he was to work with.

[MADem]

34. No apology AND he gets free advertisement for that shit show of his.

Thank you for pointing that out.

This is a right wing tempest in a teapot. "Oooooh, the black women and the comedian made a COMMENT about the rich white guy's family!!!! Why, THIS. SHALL. NOT. STAND!!!!!!"

It's horse shit. And I still feel sorry for that little kid to whom his parents gave the Irish name for "The Dark One." Talk about being singled out! He got it from jump! At HOME....

[yeoman6987]

36. Can't even compare

Phil was on A&E. MSNBC runs their network the way they want. Had Phil been on MSNBC, he may have been fired. You cannot compare different networks.

[Vashta Nerada]

39. I'm not comparing the networks.

I'm comparing the instances. MHP had to apologize for nothing and Phil Robertson gets to keep his job and got free advertisement for insulting most of the population.

When someone on the left "insults" someone on the right, they have to apologize right away for it (or get fired). Yet, when someone on the right insults a huge segment of the population or people on the left, they get a free pass and everyone screams "First Amendment rights!!!11111" if they get fired/suspended.

That's what pisses me off.

[ceeRoy]

71. Yep!!

exactly what i was trying to convey in my comments above...its unbelievable!

[yeoman6987]

83. It does me too

I don't know why I went on the different network tangent instead of expressing myself as well as you did. Someday I will be as eloquent as some of you folks.

[nolabear]

40. Did you see it? I don't think anyone made her cry. I think she felt bad about what happened.

She might also have felt bad about the diatribes thrown her way, but my sense - and I'll admit it's my sense - is that she sees herself as a compassionate and progressive person who would not bring an innocent child into the Right-Left wars, and set up a segment that did. Her willingness to apologize for creating a situation where that happened is, imo, kind, compassionate and mature. She commented that we can always learn. And, until we are so cruel to one another that we can no longer bear to be together, we can. And when we can't, we all lose.

[Vashta Nerada]

43. I would never apologize.

If assholes like Phil Robertson gets to run around, insult gays, African Americans, and women, and doesn't have to apologize, and keeps his show, why the hell should MHP be forced to apologize over nothing she did?

Yes, it's mature to apologize when you're wrong, but MHP wasn't in the wrong.

[nolabear]

48. I would apologize. I'd keep the little boy in mind.

Either he can be an object for a whole lot of screaming invective or he can be the object of one remark that was acknowledged as insensitive and potentially hurtful. He's going to face a life full of various kinds of objectification, and saying that she did not support that kind of thing is, I think, a kindness toward him and all families who face that long road.

[Ranchemp.]

49. Because she has alot more class than Phil.

[Shrek]

69. Was she "forced" to apologize?

Maybe she did it because she sincerely felt like she should.

[Jenoch]

82. She is the one who made the decision to use the photo.

That showed poor judgement by her and her staff.

[Iliyah]

24. At this point America basically have one sided media (corporate)

and this is not FREEDOM. RWers are totally insane, but hopefully things will change 2014.

[asjr]

28. One sided media is right!

MSNBC needs to get its act together. It has been wishy-washy for years. They should never have been allowed to get rid of Keith Olbermann and Martin Bashir. I can't remember anyone being shoved off on CNN.

[skepticscott]

27. Let's just say

that virtually nothing happens in the national political arena any more that isn't carefully scripted, vetted and staged. Spontaneity and sincerity are pretty much extinct.

[nolabear]

41. I don't think they're mutually exclusive.

I don't think the emotion or sincerity was fake, but I do agree that this was carefully done and with the approval of the powers that be on MSNBC. But that's the nature of the beast. I'm glad this beast leans toward showing compassion for a child.

[skepticscott]

74. Well, to me "carefully done"

leans more towards fake than towards spontaneous and sincere.

[Packerowner740]

30. The only thing she did wrong was allow the segment with the picture to be used

She said nothing wrong. Does she write the show or is it someone else?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

31. Fuck the Romneys and their sycophants.

[yeoman6987]

37. Why?

The Romney's have not said a single word through the entire situation. I don't understand why you are so angry.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

62. Their silence is letting this snowball.

[Ranchemp.]

66. Ahh, so this is their fault?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

67. How many times do we have to throw people under the bus because some rich asshole took offense?

[Redford]

87. I'm not a rich asshole and I took offense

This is basic human decency. What they did to that poor kid was inexcusable no matter who his adopted grandparents were. It was gross and inappropriate.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

109. You mean the offense of saying something that was never said?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

92. Wait a second....

You're saying they "took offense", but before you said their silence had allowed it to snowball.

Be consistent, at least.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

108. By "they" I mean the assholes on the Right who look for ANY opportunity to attack.

[Kingofalldems]

76. Defend those republicans. Of course the poor Romneys have

never said anything offensive about Americans who work for a living. You know, the 'you people' type quotes from Queen Ann Romney. Are you ever outraged by anything republicans do?

[Ranchemp.]

89. You're funny.

Ever think of a career as a comedian?

[Ranchemp.]

44. Why?

Have the Romney's commented on this yet?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

60. They let their attack dogs do their talking for them.

[Lifelong Dem]

35. I tuned in late at 2 minutes past the hour to a commercial

and I was like what the...? Then I saw on DU she had a tearful apology. I missed the live apology, but a video is out now. I think anyone who comes down on her now better watch out.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/melissa-harris-perry-breaks-down-on-air-while-addressing-kieran-romney-controversy/

[nolabear]

57. Thanks. I eventually found it too. And I agree.

There are already any people snarking about it, but that says nothing about her, just shows the filter they see through. And it's obvious, unless you're determined to only see through that filter too.

[Aerows]

38. "good people make mistakes"

Excellent observation, nolabear. None of us are perfect, and rising to the occasion when we make mistakes defines us.

[nolabear]

42. As does the ability to graciously accept an apology.

Hope that happens. Having done some dumb things in my life, I am really, really grateful for those who loved me anyway.

[Ranchemp.]

45. +1000. eom.

[Aerows]

61. Don't know what to say except

[skepticscott]

75. When the apology is voluntary and sincere, yes

When it's forced, scripted and staged for maximum benefit, as in this case, not so much.

[nolabear]

78. So, what would convince you? What could she have done?

Serious question.

[skepticscott]

80. Apologized as soon as it happened

Right then and there, without asking for permission or approval or vetting from her corporate media masters, and without having her apology carefully prepared before delivery. She knew it was wrong then just as well as she does now.

Or would that have taken too much courage?

[nolabear]

103. Okay, and I'll assume the tweet wasn't adequate.

And I'm not find of the twitter apology myself. But my thought is that her contract with MSNBC might have tight controls over what she can say in matters concerning the show. I would absolutely believe they'd go for whatever would generate publicity. Her? I have no idea. But watching her for the last few years I think she's remorseful.

[skepticscott]

107. Which is basically the point I made originally

Any apology made under the auspices of the corporate media isn't a likely candidate for genuine sincerity, truth or realism.

[nolabear]

114. So if I have a job and do something my boss doesn't approve of I can't be sorry for other reasons?

I'm not sure why I'm keeping this up, except for the eternal need to be understood, and probably agreed with. It's now Sunday morning and the usual stuff has happened and she seems to be going on with her job.

[nolabear]

50. OP edited to include the video.

[ScreamingMeemie]

58. Thanks nolabear. The addition of the video makes me appreciate the moment more.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

55. THAT WAS AWESOME.

truth and sincere.

[civillawyer]

68. I Guess Our Nightmare is Over Now

And we can move forward. Sheesh. Is this going to be the year of being offended? Everyone should thicken up their skin, and MHP had no business issuing this.

[nolabear]

72. But given that this IS the climate, it's the high road.

I can say all day that people should have thick skins but in my world it's like saying you should take an antidepressant and do nothing but perpetuate a bad life. There's no actual benefit to attack-attack-attack until the earth is scorched and no one has a good life. It's a real art not to attack back, not because you are a victim but because you are trying to honestly communicate and have firm ground on which to stand. I hope MSNBC provides some of that, but if not my hope wod be that she finds a better venue. We'll all see, I suppose.

[catbyte]

73. I wish she'd stop apologizing. Why wasn't once enough? Baggers are very wrong for

NEVER apologizing for the despicable things they say, but we tend to apologize too much. It's time to move on.

[Squinch]

77. I am more of a fan than ever now.

[RBInMaine]

79. Did Beck apologize when he mimicked one of Obama's daughters? Where was the right wing outrage?

Remember that one? When Glenn Beck mimicked one of the Prez's daughters at the time of the oil disaster in the Gulf?

Where was the right wing outrage? Right wingers are ROTTEN HYPOCRITES.

[nolabear]

106. And not being that is a recommendation.

[RBInMaine]

115. There should have been an apology here. I'm just pointing out the typical right wing hypocrisy.

[radiclib]

81. I'm sorry, but her apology made me puke

Tears? Really? For what? I saw the segment in question, and she said nothing disparaging about the child, and neither did anyone else on the panel. Someone made a tepid crack about the picture being representative of the Republican party, but that was it. In fact, MHP called the child "gorgeous".
So this is the kind of thing liberals have to be defensive about, I suppose. I also suppose there's an equivalency with this to Limbaugh calling Chelsea Clinton "the family dog". Well, not it the world I care to live in.
Once again, we look weak and timid. This apology was completely uncalled for, and utterly ridiculous.

[Jamaal510]

84. +1

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

93. It's apparently personal to her

I don't like the fact that liberals are constantly badgered into this shit while right-wingers never apologize for anything, but I also understand that she has a bi-racial family, and therefore she might legit feel bad about this particular issue.

[Ranchemp.]

95. +1000.

I think you nailed it.
I like to think we're more compassionate about issues as compared to the RW.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

96. I'm personally not....

Fuck the right-wingers and their faux outrage/free speech hypocrisy.

MHP made her choice, and she has my respect.

[Ranchemp.]

101. My respect for her went up a notch

because of her compassion and I hope (snicker) that Romney has the class to accept it and drop it.

[radiclib]

117. Compassion? For who?

For the child she didn't trash, but in fact called "gorgeous"? For the poor, put-upon Romney family? Please.
It looks to me like good old-fashioned liberal guilt. Where has that ever gotten us?
If it makes her feel better for some cosmic reason, then good for her. I just don't get it.

[radiclib]

97. What's to feel bad about?

Maybe she has personal reasons for regretting it, but I'm pretty sure they have nothing to do with the attacks on her, which are nothing but phony, ginned-up outrage. I still don't get it.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

98. They ginned up outrage is phony, but you can't say that outright....

....when many subjects on one's show revolve around pointing out the insensitive nature of people on the right....

Liberals generally get hemmed in to that bullshit about "Oh, aren't you supposed to be TOLERANT???"

Ed Schultz or Al Sharpton or Joy Behar might have "gotten away" with it.

[radiclib]

99. I'm sorry if I sound dense, but

"gotten away with" ..what, exactly?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

100. Gotten away with avoiding ginned up outrage

It's just a relative term/phrase. Hence the quotation marks.

[nolabear]

105. Exactly. That and her own thoughts about who she is.

It can be really disturbing to realize we all can do things we'd rather think we would never do. But we can, and I think she was upset about the whole thing.

[RBInMaine]

116. Yes, the multiple and overblown apologies were too much. They should have expressed regret for any

unintended comments and probably for showing the photo in the first place, but after one straight apology, that was enough.

[mstinamotorcity2]

120. [phone] n/t

[stevenleser]

85. I still have no idea why she is apologizing. She didn't say anything wrong.

This is one of the weirdest, most screwed up things I have ever seen happen to a Liberal pundit.

[Cleita]

104. I think the same.

I don't think she did anything wrong except I guess you don't reach out to someone as an equal who scorns you. Her mistake was thinking because her maternal family are white Mormons that she dared to consider to make a joke of it. They definitely think she's not an equal. Rich sociopaths is all they are. I feel sorry for that African American
grandchild being raised in that family in spite of all the wealth and privilege.

[ecstatic]

122. +1000. The headlines were very misleading...

When I finally saw the actual clip, I thought to myself, "there's no there there." COMPLETELY overblown, likely by people who never took the time to watch the clip.

[aristocles]

102. It's media

In the totality, it's all meanigless.

She's a tool.

[Cha]

110. I've done that.. through either a mistake or

not thinking something through enough.

Even though it wasn't her who said anything.. it was still her show and I know in retrospect she wishes she never would have allowed that picture on her show.

Ol lyin' mittload will be on fox scruz tomorrow to whatever about it.. so we'll see if he accepts MHP's real apology.

She obviously could teach a lot of people about what an apology should be. Melissa's emotion was contagious when talking about trans-racial adoptions.. bless her heart!

Thanks nolabear~

[marshall]

111. Her "guests" should be ashamed

I hope they have apologized profusely to her for high jacking what she meant to be a positive expression of trans racial adoption. She must have felt horrified when she realized her guest comedians were taking the opportunity to mock race in that context. But what could she do but continue on and just hope they would shut up.

[goldent]

113. I think it was pretty clear what was expected from the guests

when she asked for a "caption" for the picture. And I doubt that the jokes her guest made were spontaneous - they would have seen the photo in advance and had some time to think of some funny lines.

In hindsight, what she did was very stupid, but often people get these ideas and think it is going to be really funny, and just can't help themselves.

[marshall]

121. Perhaps naively, I take her at her word

She says her intent was to say "laudatory" things, and because she introduced the photo as a "baby picture" the discussion naturally centered on the baby. She seemed genuinely concerned when her guests turned the tables, and quickly segued to a comment about unity. Whether the sequence was planned or spontaneous, she seemed to lack control of her panel.

[civillawyer]

112. Did Alec Baldwin

really tweet this: "If I cry, will I be forgiven all of my transgressions?"

[mstinamotorcity2]

118. Well I am glad to see Melissa hasn't lost her job.

and I understand where she is coming from. But Mitt the Snit is not fooling me or anyone else. His son may have adopted a Black child but its not for love. Yes I question his loyalty and that of his sons. I watched all of them through the election and this child will be nothing more than a prop. This will be the defining moment of " You see I couldn't be a racist because I have a black Grand child." Or that same son is going to try and do what his Dad did and run for office. But be sure little Black child will be front and center. You will have those who will say he doesn't feel that way. And I say you don't know Mitt the Snit like we do. He is a Liar. He showed us that during the election. He said under the cuff remarks about the President, that had insinuations to our Presidents background. Which means people of color are not on his radar. When the lights came on at his so called victory celebration they noticed that the crowd was all white. Because the Monitor showed people of every ethnic culture at the arena where President Obama was. And Yes it was noticeable.
My mother and aunts were domestic help in Bloomfield Hills, MI during Mitt the Snit's younger days. He was known for being a spoiled Shithead. Who was teased by other students about his Dad. His Dad was considered by racist whites as the N-word lover. He never liked Black people. So I don't believe in the Snits sudden love for a Black Grand child that was not born to his own children. Did you notice who was holding the child???? I rest my photo op case.