Time editor Mark Halperin apologizes after slurring Obama

Time Editor-at-Large Mark Halperin quickly apologized Thursday for calling President Obama "a dick" on MSNBC's political gabfest, "Morning Joe."

"I thought he was kind of a dick yesterday," Halperin said after asking on-air if the producers had a seven-second delay commonly used in broadcasting.

"Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough quickly tried to prevent the comment from airing to viewers.

"Oh my God. Delay that," Scarborough said after Halperin made the offending comment

Scarborough gave Halperin the go ahead to make a possibly offensive comment and promised the delay function would be used if needed.

"Take a chance, have faith," Scarborough said.

Later in the program, Halperin apologized for his remarks, which were not, in fact, delayed.

"Joking aside, this is not a pro-forma apology. It's an absolute apology. Heartfelt to the president and to the viewers. I became part of the joke but that is no excuse, I made a mistake and I am sorry and I shouldn't have said it. As I said I apologize to the president and to the viewers," Halperin said.

Perhaps understanding that the kerfuffle was not likely to go away, Halperin soon took to his Twitter account, where he again apologized.

"My remark was not funny. I deeply regret it," Halperin wrote.

A spokesman for Time magazine did not have an immediate comment.

MSNBC subsequently suspended Halperin indefinitely for his remark.