Journalist apologizes for strongly worded criticism of Obama

Journalist Mark Halperin apologized Thursday for using strong language to criticize President Obama's performance at a press conference.

Halperin, a MSNBC senior political analyst and co-author of the book Game Change was asked by "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough what he thought of the president's press conference on Wednesday, in which Obama chastised Republicans on a number of issues.

"Are we in the seven-second delay today?" Halperin asked. "I wanted to characterize how I thought the president behaved."

"How do you think he behaved?" Scarborough said.

"I thought he was kind of a d--k yesterday," Halperin said.

"Oh my god, delay that," Scarborough quickly said, presumably to the show's producers. "I can't — I can't — I was joking! Don't do that!"

Shortly after making the comment Halperin apologized.

"I shouldn't have said it," Halperin said. "I apologize to the president and the viewers who heard me say that."

President Obama castigated Republicans Wednesday for refusing to agree to tax increases on the wealthy and rebutted arguments that the Aug. 2 deadline to raise the debt ceiling is not real.

Obama said Republicans' opposition to tax increases is politically motivated.

“I think that what we’ve seen in negotiations here in Washington is a lot of people say a lot of things to satisfy their base or to get on cable news, but that, hopefully, leaders at a certain point rise to the occasion and they do the right thing for the American people,” Obama said.

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