Thu Oct 7, 11:17 am ET

MSNBC host apologizes to Steele for ‘master’ comment

By Michael Calderone

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell issued an on-air apology to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele after receiving a call Wednesday from Steele criticizing comments the host made on the previous night's show.

O'Donnell, a former Democratic aide, said that Steele  "is dancing as fast as he can, trying to charm independent voters and tea partiers while never losing sight of his real master and paycheck provider, the Republican National Committee." Steele, an African-American, took issue with the suggestion that he was dancing for his "master."

"I called him back immediately and apologized for using the word he found offensive," O'Donnell said Wednesday night. "Those of us who are not descendants from slaves can never know the full impact of the word 'master' in the ears of an African-American man. Michael Steele told me, 'It sort of stung.'"

And speaking of MSNBC hosts and apologies, Keith Olbermann didn't care for the one offered Wednesday by former CNN host Rick Sanchez. Olbermann said that Sanchez's remarks were not "inartful," as the ex-CNN star described them, but "anti-Semitic." You can watch Olbermann's response below.

37 Comments

  • 0 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 1 users disliked this comment
    DOT Tue Oct 12, 2010 09:33 am PDT Report Abuse
    I you do not VOE to move our nation ahead , and not go back to days of hate and slave owner mentality , our country will really be in a mess . If you want the Republicans to take away your SS , health ins , freedom for a woman & her Dr to choose what is best for her body , do away with unemployment benifits , the Chip program for our kids ,all schools turned into schools controled by the gov,,all women's rights, the VOTE for the" REPUBLICAN'S ". There is nothing else to be said . If the republicans really cared about the have nots our nation would not be in the mess it is in now . President Obama is trying to help the very people that are fighting his policies every step of the way . Wake up people , The Republicans do not care about the have nots.
  • 1 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 1 users disliked this comment
    s Tue Oct 12, 2010 08:43 am PDT Report Abuse
    Not really an issue... no one watches the clowns at MSNBC anyway. There is a reason for their ratings.
  • 1 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 3 users disliked this comment
    betsy s Sat Oct 09, 2010 07:39 am PDT Report Abuse
    HE IS DANCING....TRYING TO PLEASE "MASSUH"................HE NEVER WILL PLEASE HIM............THEY DON'T LIKE HIM EITHER,,THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HIM...KEEP TAP DANCING MICHAEL.....
  • 3 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 3 users disliked this comment
    Charles Sat Oct 09, 2010 04:55 am PDT Report Abuse
    ONE MORE NOTE, ITS TIME FOR THAT JACKASS KEITH OLBERMANN TO GO ON MSNBC. HE IS SO FAR LEFT, HE CAN'T WALK DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET. HE IS JUST ONE BIG JERK.
  • 0 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 1 users disliked this comment
    Charles Sat Oct 09, 2010 04:50 am PDT Report Abuse
    THE PEOPLE IN DC NEED TO STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY. AND JUST HOW DO DEAD PEOPLE CASH SS CHECKS ??? WHY DO PEOPLE IN PRISON GET SS CHECKS ?? I KNOW WHERE MY MONEY GOES, WHY CAN'T THE PEOPLE IN DC KEEP TRACK ?? WAIT A MINUTE, THEY WILL JUST HIRE OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THAT, REMEMBER, THEY HIRED OTHER PEOPLE TO READ ALL OF THE BILLS THEY PASS. THAT'S HOW THEY FIND OUT WHATS IN THEM. THEN THEY CAN SEE ABOUT ANY CHANGES AFTER THAT. THEY ONLY PAY BACK MONEY THEY STEAL AFTER THEY GET CAUGHT. REGULAR PEOPLE WOULD GO DIRECT TO JAIL, EVEN AFTER THEY PAID BACK MONEY THEY STOLE. DIFFERENT RULES ONCE YOU GET TO DC. OH, BY THE WAY, THOSE SEATS IN CONGRESS, LAST TIME I CHECKED, BELONG TO THE PEOPLE, NOT THE ONES WE VOTE IN TO LOOK OUT FOR US......THEY NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
  • 2 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 0 users disliked this comment
    Robert C Sat Oct 09, 2010 04:10 am PDT Report Abuse
    It is nearly impossible to say anything about black people in 'power' without them claiming it as racist. I am glad to see several black people on this blog who feel the comments were right on and in no way racist. All politicians, no matter what race, have to serve their masters. It would just be nice if those masters were the people they are representing, instead of the special interest groups and their Political party.
  • 2 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 0 users disliked this comment
    william Sat Oct 09, 2010 04:07 am PDT Report Abuse
    as long as steele is where he is the other party has a chance no mater how many time they screw up , cant think of a worse leader for the RNC ,
    this guy is a loose cannon , wonderful for the dems . you go steele , lets see what flubs you make this weekend on air ,
  • 1 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 3 users disliked this comment
    US Sovereignty Sat Oct 09, 2010 03:07 am PDT Report Abuse
    Sorry, political cover is and was used by Republicans. If you understand that then the Republicans are
    the party of complicity. Political Cover in other words is, Plausible deniability. If they were the Party of No then we would not be near 14 trillion in debt. If they were the party of No, then we would still be making cloths and shoes and steel and capacitors for electronics in this Republic. If they were the party of NO, then entitlement would be to a pay check for work or profit from investment or from direct business. If they were the Party of No, 14 million people entering this Republic illegally and living off the wealth not yet produced by a generation not yet born, if they can make it pass abortion.
  • 3 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 2 users disliked this comment
    Keith K. Sat Oct 09, 2010 01:20 am PDT Report Abuse
    Steele is full of it! How dare he get offended when he's only black on the outside. He doesnt have the heart and soul of a proud black american to take offense to that or he wouldnt be a republican. I, as a black american know that a black man has no business being a republican in today's current political climate when more than half the people in his party are so anti Obama based on one thing; his skin color. The dislike of his policies are just an excuse and I OVERHEARD some republicans say that out their own mouths! Steele ows his image in the mirror an apology.
  • 5 users liked this comment Please sign in to rate this comment up. Please sign in to rate this comment down. 10 users disliked this comment
    Roslyn Fri Oct 08, 2010 06:09 pm PDT Report Abuse
    Mr. Steel is a a Puppit of the party of NO. He is not the Master of his fate, ( as far as the the party of NO is concerned) they are. ( Puppit, Master,what ever you call it, Steel is not his own man,) Odonnel was right in what he said. No appology is needed. Truth be told.. Steel was not offended, he only complained because the Party of no wanted to make a big thing out of it. to get back at MSNBC for Fox. as a black person I have seen , right thru Mr. steels motives. As for the Party of NO, they will take us back to the pre civil rights era if we let them get back in. On Nov. 2nd Vote NO for the Party of NO, Vote yes for the Dems. keep the Dems. in controll for now.

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