CNBC anchor Larry Kudlow made a startling statement about the earthquake in Japan on Friday. (h/t Vanity Fair.)

Kudlow was listening to a report about the global stock markets doing well in the wake of the quake. "All in all, the market taking this in stride," his co-host said to him.

"The human toll here looks to be much worse than the economic toll and we can be grateful for that," Kudlow responded. "And the human toll is a tragedy, we know that."

Kudlow later apologized for the statement on Twitter, writing, "talking about markets.I flubbed the line. Sincere apology."