Breaking: MSNBC has suspended Mark Halperin from being its senior political analyst after he called Pres. Obama “kind of a dick” on “Morning Joe” today. Statement from MSNBC:

Mark Halperin’s comments this morning were completely inappropriate and unacceptable.　 We apologize to the President, The White House and all of our viewers. We strive for a high level of discourse and comments like these have no place on our air.  Therefore, Mark will be suspended indefinitely from his role as an analyst.

Statement from Halperin:

I completely agree with everything in MSNBC’s statement about my remark. I believe that the step they are taking in response is totally appropriate. Again, I want to offer a heartfelt and profound apology to the President, to my MSNBC colleagues, and to the viewers. My remark was unacceptable, and I deeply regret it.

Update: Statement from TIME Magazine:

Mark Halperin’s comments on air this morning were inappropriate and in no way reflective of TIME’s views. We have issued a warning to him that such behavior is unacceptable. Mark has appropriately apologized on air, via Twitter and on The Page.

Here’s the backstory…

Here are two more YouTube clips of the lead-up of Halperin’s comment, and his apology….