Mitt Romney says MSNBC's apology was 'clearly heartfelt'
The relatives of presidents and presidential candidates can be wonderful sources of information. I once sat on Neil 鈥淢oon鈥� Reagan鈥檚 couch in Southern California, listening for two hours as Mr. Reagan told revealing family stories about the younger brother then campaigning for the White House.
Relatives close to seats of political power also can be, and historically have been, targets for joking as well as serious criticism. Who can forget Jimmy Carter鈥檚 younger brother peddling 鈥淏illy Beer.鈥�
But in the modern era, at least, one class of relative has become off-limits: children and grandchildren. Sen. John McCain found that out when he had to apologize for what he acknowledged was a 鈥渟tupid and cruel and insensitive鈥� comment he had made about Chelsea Clinton during a Republican fundraiser in 1998.
The issue came up again this week when MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry issued an emotional apology for mild jokes she and her guests had made about one of Mitt Romney鈥檚 grandchildren 鈥� an adopted baby boy of mixed race who stood out on the Romney鈥檚 Christmas card photo of an otherwise all-white large extended family that includes 22 grandchildren.
It was suggested by one of Ms. Harris-Perry鈥檚 guests that young adopted grandson Kieran perched on Mr. Romney鈥檚 knee "really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party鈥︹��
Harris-Perry 鈥� herself of mixed race 鈥� quickly posted a series of tweets, one of which said, 鈥淎s black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise.鈥�
Then on Saturday, choking up at times, she read a fuller apology.
鈥淲ithout reservation or qualification, allow me to apologize to the Romney family,鈥� she said. 鈥淎dults who enter into public life implicitly consent to having less privacy, but their families, 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. For that, I am sorry.鈥�
鈥淎llow me to apologize to other families formed through transracial adoption, because I am deeply sorry that we suggested that interracial families are in any way funny, or deserving of ridicule,鈥� Harris-Perry continued. 鈥淥n this program, we are dedicated to advocating for a wide diversity of families, it is one of our core principles. And I am reminded that when we do so, it must be with the utmost respect. We鈥檙e genuinely appreciative of everyone who offered serious criticisms of last Sunday鈥檚 program, and I am reminded that our fiercest critics can sometimes be our best teachers.鈥�
On 鈥淔ox News Sunday,鈥� Romney accepted the apology as 鈥渃learly heartfelt.鈥�
鈥淚 recognize that people make mistakes," he said. 鈥淎nd the folks at MSNBC made a big mistake. They鈥檝e apologized for it. And that鈥檚 all you can ask for.鈥�
鈥淧eople like me are fair targets," Romney said. "If you get in the political game, you can expect incoming. But children, that鈥檚 beyond the line. And I think they understand that. I think it鈥檚 a heartfelt apology. And for that reason, we hold no ill will whatsoever.鈥�
