Politico’s Mike Allen and Andy Barr write about an off-color comment made by Fox News political contributor Michael Barone at the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges annual meeting. The story claims, “A roomful of academics erupted in angry boos” and caused some in the room to walk out.

Barone said, “Journalists trashed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republicans’ vice presidential nominee, because ‘she did not abort her Down syndrome baby.’”

In an email to Politico, Barone said he “was attempting to be humorous and, as many in public do, went over the line.

“Sorry for that. I was trying to focus on press hostility to Palin.”

At the beginning of the talk Barone did an informal poll about cable news preferences, and found the results to be approximately 55% for CNN, 35% for MSNBC and 10% for FNC. Barone has been a contributor with FNC since 1998.