The GOP Response to MSNBC 'Offensive' Tweet Is About As Strong As It Gets

UPDATE II: MSNBC president Phill Griffin has responded to Reince Preibus.

"The tweet last night was outrageous and unacceptable. We immediately acknowledged that it was offensive and wrong, apologized, and deleted it. We have dismissed the person responsible for the tweet," Griffin wrote in a statement.

"I personally apologize to Mr. Priebus and to everyone offended," the statement added. "At MSNBC we believe in passionate, strong debate about the issues and we invite voices from all sides to participate. That will never change."

UPDATE: The RNC explains the ban to TheBlaze Blog.

--

Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus in a letter to MSNBC's president announced Thursday that he had banned “all RNC staff” from appearing on the network until it apologizes for a controversial tweet sent earlier this week.

MSNBC tweeted on Wednesday a message reading, “Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family.”

The tweet then linked to an article that accused conservatives of pushing back against a previous Cheerios ad featuring a biracial family. The article cited angry YouTube comments as evidence of "conservative backlash."

Image source: @msnbc/via Twitter

The response to the incendiary tweet was swift and heated, forcing the network to pull it and issue an apology.

But it appears that the RNC is still not satisfied.

“Sadly, such petty and demeaning attacks have become a pattern at your network. With increasing frequency many of your hosts have personally denigrated and demeaned Americans – especially conservative and Republican Americans – without even attempting to further meaningful political dialogue,” Priebus said in a letter to MSNBC president Phil Griffin. “While I personally enjoy appearing on decent shows like ‘Morning Joe’ and ‘Daily Rundown,’ the entire network is poisoned because of this pattern of behavior.”

“Until you personally and publicly apologize for this behavior, I have banned all staff from appearing on, associating with, or booking any RNC surrogates on MSNBC,” the letter concludes. “I have asked Republican surrogates and officials to follow our lead.”

The flap over Wednesday’s tweet comes just weeks after MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry led a panel of guests in mocking Kieran Romney, former Gov. Mitt Romney’s adopted black grandson.

Read the full letter here:

(H/T: @jamiedupree)

--

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

This post has been updated. Featured image via Politico.