Trending Topics

Melissa Harris-Perry Apologizes for Mitt Romney Grandchild Joke

melissa_harris_perryMSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry apologized for leading commentary on Mitt Romney’s Black grandson. The Romney family Christmas card was featured on the “Nerdland Plays Caption That!” segment on the cable news show Sunday.

According to the New York Daily News, the photo is of the former Republican presidential candidate and his wife Ann in the center of their 22 grandchildren. Nestled on Romney’s knee is one toddler grandson and on his other knee he holds baby Kieran James, the infant of Romney’s son, Ben, and his wife, Andelyne. His adoption was announced in September.

When the image came onto the screen during the show, actress Pia Glenn broke out in song, singing, “One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just isn’t the same.”

“That little baby, front and center, would be the one,” said Glenn, who was among the four panel members who joined Harris-Perry for the segment.

Harris-Perry herself said she would like to see the “gorgeous” Romney child and North West, daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, get married some day.

“Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?” she said.

Daily Beast’s Dean Obeidallah, reportedly said that the picture “really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party and the RNC, where they have the whole convention and they find the one black person.”

Harris-Perry has since apologized for her comments on Mitt Romney’s Black grandson via Twitter stating: “I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family. I work by guiding principle that those who offend do not have the right to tell those they hurt that they [are] wrong for hurting. Therefore, while I meant no offense, I want to immediately apologize to the Romney family for hurting them. As black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise. I apologize to all families built on loving transracial adoptions who feel I degraded their lives or choices.

Romney has made no public comment on the matter.

Back to top