Time's Mark Halperin Calls Obama "Kind of a Dick", Gets Suspended by MSNBC [UPDATED]

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Time magazine editor-at-large Mark Halperin said President Barack Obama was being "kind of a dick" during Thursday's live Morning Joe show on MSNBC. Naturally the comment prompted an avalanche of social media reactions and has become a trending topic on Twitter.

The video clip of the incident (embedded below) shows that Halperin, the co-author of political bestseller Game Change, actually made an unfortunate joke. He asked the show's host if there's a seven-second delay -- sometimes employed on live television, precisely to avoid situations like these -- and then makes the aforementioned comment.

The reaction from the show's host, Joe Scarborough: "What are you doing? I can't believe you. I was joking! Don't do that. Did we delay that?" he says in utter disbelief.

Reactions on Twitter are just as harsh as the comment itself. Here are a couple:

@Eleanddon tweets: "I will not watch MSNBC or NBC again (that includes my beloved Rachel) until Mark Halperin is fired as a commentator!"

@pamannb tweets: And he considers himself professional?

@maxberger tweets: BREAKING: Mark Halperin reveals himself to be kind of a dick

Halperin quickly apologized after the incident (embedded as the second video below), but it seems that the damage has already been done.

What do you think: Is Halperin's apology enough? Did he need to apologize at all? What do you think of the reactions on Twitter? Share your thoughts in the comments.