Ed Schultz Apologizes: Laura Ingraham Comments 'Vile And Inappropriate' (VIDEO)

Ed Schultz apologized for his comments about Laura Ingraham on Wednesday, before beginning a week-long suspension from MSNBC.

Appearing at the top of his Wednesday show, Schultz said that calling Ingraham a "right-wing slut" on his Tuesday radio show was "vile and inappropriate," and apologized unreservedly to her, as well as to his wife, his family and MSNBC.

"I am deeply sorry, and I apologize," he said. "It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said."

After learning of the comments, MSNBC met with Schultz and the two sides agreed that he would be suspended for a week without pay from his program. It marks the third such punishment that the network has meted out to a host in the last year. In November, both Keith Olbermann and Joe Scarborough were suspended for violating MSNBC's policy about political donations. (Olbermann, of course, is no longer with the network.)

However, Schultz's punishement is more severe; neither Scarborough nor Olbermann were suspended for something they said, let alone something they said on a non-MSNBC program, and both spent fewer days off the air than Schultz will.

Schultz called the situation "the lowest of low for me," and said, "I have never been in this position before to the point where it has affected so many people." He revealed that had tried to contact Ingraham but could not reach her.

Ingraham did respond on Facebook and Twitter, where she wrote, "MSNBC suspends Schultz. Oh great, now his ratings will go up."

After finishing his apology, Schultz handed the program off to Thomas Roberts--the same person who filled in for Olbermann when he was suspended.

The full text of Schultz's apology is below.

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Good evening, Americans and welcome to The Ed Show from New York tonight. Thomas Roberts will be here tonight anchoring the program, but first I want to take some time to offer an apology. On my radio show yesterday I used vile and inappropriate language when talking about talk show host Laura Ingraham. I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said. I apologize to you, Laura, and ask for your forgiveness.

It doesn't matter what the circumstances were. It doesn't matter that it was on radio and I was ad-libbing. None of that matters. None of that matters. What matters is what I said was terribly vile and not of the standards that I or any other person should adhere to. I want all of you to know tonight that I did call Laura Ingraham today and did not make contact with her and I will apologize to her as I did in the message that I left her today.

I also met with management here at MSNBC, and understanding the severity of the situation and what I said on the radio and how it reflected terribly on this company, I have offered to take myself off the air for an indefinite period of time with no pay. I want to apologize to Laura Ingraham. I want to apologize to my family, my wife. I have embarrassed my family. I have embarrassed this company.

And I have been in this business since 1978, and I have made a lot of mistakes. This is the lowest of low for me. I stand before you tonight in front of this camera in this studio in an environment that I absolutely love. I love working here. I love communicating with all of you on the radio and the communication that I have with you when I go out and do town hall meetings and meet the people that actually watch. I stand before you tonight to take full responsibility for what I said and how I said it, and I am deeply sorry.

My wife is a wonderful woman. We have a wonderful family. And with six kids and eight grandkids, I try to set an example. In this moment, I have failed. And I want you to know that I talked to my sons especially about character and about dignity and about the truth. And I tell you the truth tonight that I am deeply sorry and I tell them every day that they have to live up to standards if they want to be a successful human being in life. And I have let them down. I have never been in this position before to the point where it has affected so many people. And I know that I have let a lot of people down.

To the staff here at MSNBC, I apologize for embarrassing the company and the only way that I can really make restitution for you is to give you a guarantee, and the only way that I can prove my sincerity in all of this is if I never use those words again. Tonight, you have my word that I won't. Laura Ingraham, I am sorry. Very sorry. I'll be back with you in the coming days.

Comments

[moebalot]

11:47 PM on 05/30/2011

It seems that the only time the public pays attention to MSNBC is when it suspends one of its mouth pieces for a few days. Now if MSNBC would suspend all its broadcasts for a few years, it would be performing a real public service.

[joecan1]

10:59 AM on 05/31/2011

Typical Fox "News" talking point. Scared to death to have someone with a different point of view or point out when they lie. So the best way is to get rid of them.

[Lemmy]

02:23 PM on 05/31/2011

They fired Imus but only suspended Ed. Interesting. Not to worry; he'll be back spewing h@te and vitriol soon.

[emncaity]

02:14 AM on 06/07/2011

Yeah. Other than the comment for which he has apologized--and rightly so--go ahead and post whatever you can in the way of "hate" comments from Schultz.

[moebalot]

11:17 PM on 05/30/2011

who turned off that little yellow star next to my name, I believe clicking that icon is how people become fans of my opinions,is that correct most worthy huffpost censors?

[emncaity]

02:15 AM on 06/07/2011

If you haven't figured it out yet, nobody "turned it off"; it just doesn't appear for the user himself. In other words, you can't "fan" yourself.

[NonCon]

05:02 PM on 05/30/2011

He screwed up, got flamed, got suspended, then manned up and apologized.
He probably deserved the heat and the suspension.
I look forward to watching his show again when he returns.

[emncaity]

02:16 AM on 06/07/2011

Totally agree. It was abysmally stupid and impulsive, he gave a real apology, he definitely had a beating coming to him, and he took it. Onward.

[Rmchairphilo]

01:06 PM on 05/30/2011

I guess that if you are at the mercy of corporations this is what you must do - grovel. I heard him say it, and I don't see what he said that was so vile. I've heard the bloated drug-addled windbag say far, far worse. Whatever.

[against-ignorance]

09:18 AM on 05/30/2011

I recommend bookmarking this article. Perhaps printing up a copy as well. Show it each time some GOP apologist tries to claim that MSNBC and company are no different from Fox News/Limbaugh/etc. Then ask them how many times Limbaugh, Beck, or Michelle Malkin have apologized for their vulgar, disrespectful, and ignorant remarks.

[moebalot]

12:01 PM on 05/30/2011

If your moniker is accurate, you should slap yourself silly.

[emncaity]

02:17 AM on 06/07/2011

Just because you say so, right?

Typical. Just make some general comment, but don't answer on the specifics of the substance. It's all about ideology and loyalty, isn't it?

[MariaTall]

08:56 PM on 05/29/2011

The man certainly puts the special in Special Ed.

[sloreader]

08:45 PM on 05/29/2011

Leave Eddie alone!

[klinzboy]

04:29 PM on 05/29/2011

Just what we need, Ed: another Rush Limbaugh!

[yeswecanjane]

05:19 PM on 05/29/2011

No Ed made a huge mistake and made a humble apology:) Big Ed is one of a kind:)

[klinzboy]

07:41 PM on 05/29/2011

I'm an Ed Schultz fan. I appreciate his passion but if he wants to be a remarkable character in this field, which I still maintain is entertainment, then he has to walk the walk as well as talk the talk

[moebalot]

11:19 AM on 05/30/2011

Thank goodness Ed is one of a kind. However, Lawrence of Dementia (Odonnell) is a close second\

[from Idaho]

11:30 AM on 05/30/2011

What we really need is Rush Limbaugh to follow Ed's example and apologize--over, and over, and over....

I hate to cede so much power to Limbaugh, but He, more than anyone, can take credit for the nastiness in the political discourse in this country. His m.o. is to personally attack with innuendo, allegation and association, and to inoculate against criticism by demonizing anyone who may disagree with him. While the small-minded people who listen to him feel he is giving them an excuse for their own inadequacies (it's all the fault of the evil liberals), Limbaugh is laughing at them all the way to the bank.

[BOin08]

02:57 PM on 05/29/2011

Someone is always making an apology for unprofessional behavior or classless remarks over there - Shuster, Wolfe, Olbermann, O’Donnell, and now Schultz. MSNBC is the WWF of political punditry. Don't be surprised when they hit you with a folding chair.

[klinzboy]

04:34 PM on 05/29/2011

It's all the same entertainment market! Why don't people understand this?

[moebalot]

11:44 AM on 05/30/2011

I don’t get it, who should apologize for Shultz, Olbermann, and Odonnell entertaining us as MSNBC center ring clowns weekday nights. I for one am glad they perform their nightly circus acts, they are hysterically funny.

[BOin08]

01:34 PM on 05/30/2011

yea, come to think of it, I wish they'd bring Keith back. I miss the nightly douchebagery.

[robert glancy]

02:46 PM on 05/29/2011

Ed Shultz epitomizes everything that is wrong with leftwinger white dudes, they think they own women and minorities and when one strays off the plantation they are in store for a special brand of hate and vitriol.

[gilbskg]

12:24 AM on 05/30/2011

Wow, have you got that upside down and inside out.

[moebalot]

11:34 AM on 05/30/2011

Excellent post, however it is surprising that your non-support of their agenda comment made it by the Huffpost every diligent censor.

[emncaity]

02:19 AM on 06/07/2011

It helps to be somewhat literate if you're going to lay out yet another whining right-wing paranoia comment.

[califlefty]

11:19 AM on 05/29/2011

What Ed Schultz did to Hillary Clinton on his radio show (at the behest of Tom Daschl) was far worse! We won't forget Ed.

[Rmp13]

07:07 AM on 05/29/2011

Ed Schultz is passionate in his feelings and beliefs. I can understand how he said what he said. I do think an apology was appropriate. His apology was heartfelt and honest (none of that 'if what I said hurt anyone'). I'm looking forward to his return. A week is too long for me.

[Slash14]

05:01 PM on 05/29/2011

I'm looking forward to his next apology

[hughesphoto]

12:15 AM on 05/29/2011

We stand by you. Enough is enough of the uber right wing b.s. Let him speak for the majority of the people who seem not to have a voice any longer because the shrill voice of the right has taken over. You go, Ed!

[joecan1]

12:01 AM on 05/29/2011

Ed Schultz captulates to Ingram and Fox "News" and apologizes. They in turn show their class in her response. When will the left learn to stick to their principles and stand by what they say. I listened to Ed that morning and he knew what he was saying but apparently the big shots at MSNBC forced him to apologize or he just decided he wanted a longer Memorial Day weekend.

[SheamusK]

11:41 PM on 05/28/2011

I have never listened to or watched Ed Schultz. I have, however, listened to Laura Ingram's radio show occasionally.

My belief is that Ed really has nothing to apologize for. He just said what any sane person would think about Laura Ingram. Her shows are filled with often silly examples taken out of context or made to seem the normal course of events to allow her to mis-characterize anyone or anything she, or more likely the person she serves, does not like.

Ed was absolutely correct in his observation regarding Ingram's activity. if Ingram does not like it then she should change her behavior.

[greata]

01:49 PM on 05/29/2011

SheamusK--
Sane people don't throw around sexist slurs in place of making intelligent policy arguments. Every woman should be insulted by Schultz's remarks. Down with Ed the dummy.

[Bozwellian]

05:50 PM on 05/30/2011

...oh, like 'for sure'......uh, NOT, NO WAY and thensome...Hard to fanthom of righteous the righties try to make themselvs time after hypocritical time and thensome !! Sane people of any gender just shake their heads in disbelief that so mamy of us put up with the crappola that rolls off the rights riteous lips !! Really is time to say ENUFF and thensome...!!!

[Anita Brady]

03:10 PM on 05/29/2011

As a white woman, I have also listened to the Ingram radio "rant" a few times by accident and in the privacy of my own car, I have verbalized much worse.

Ed should enjoy his time off and then come back pointing out the idiocracy and stupidity of Laura and her FOX friends.

[BOin08]

08:45 AM on 05/30/2011

Hey white lady- who cares what race you are? Just release your guilt and the hate will free itself.