Martin Bashir has resigned from MSNBC as a result of the derogatory comments he made on the air a few weeks ago about Sarah Palin.
"After making an on-air apology, I asked for permission to take some additional time out around the Thanksgiving holiday. Upon further reflection, and after meeting with the president of MSNBC, I have tendered my resignation. It is my sincere hope that all of my colleagues at this special network will be allowed to focus on the issues that matter without the distraction of myself or my ill-judged comments," he said in a statement.
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Bashir, who apologized on the air a day later, was not suspended and he and the network have come under increasing pressure from Palin supporters because he was not punished.
Bashir, who joined the network in 2010, had slammed Sarah Palin for her remarks comparing U.S. indebtedness to China to slavery and cited the diaries of a former plantation owner who punished slaves by having someone defecate in their mouth or urinate on their face.
Justin Hayworth
Bashir apologized to Palin on the air a day later.
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He suggested the former Alaska governor deserved the same treatment.
"When Mrs. Palin invokes slavery, she doesn't just prove her rank ignorance. She confirms if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate," he said in the Nov. 15 outburst.
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In response, officials at Palin's political action committee demanded the NBC take action against Bashir for the comments.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Bashir's exit from the network comes on heels of the dismissal of Alec Baldwin, whose show, ‘Up Late,’ was yanked after the actor hurled a gay slur at a photographer.
By Nov. 20, when the network had failed to punish Bashir, Palin canceled Matt Lauer's long-planned trip to Wasilla and her appearance on the "Today" show as a protest against NBC.
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"I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers - who are the smartest, most compassionate and discerning of all television audiences. I would also wish to express deepest gratitude to my immediate colleagues, and our contributors, all of whom have given so much of themselves to our broadcast.”
Bashir's exit from the network comes on heels of the dismissal of Alec Baldwin, whose show, "Up Late," was yanked after the actor hurled a gay slur at a photographer.
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"Martin Bashir resigned today, effective immediately," MSNBC chief Phil Griffin said. "I understand his decision, and I thank him for three great years with MSNBC. Martin is a good man and respected colleague. We wish him only the best."
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