"I apologize for using innuendo. I don't think it's a good thing to do, I don't think it's the right thing to do," Dean, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee, told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle. ADVERTISEMENT "This entire campaign has been debased by innuendo. Where was the mainstream media calling out innuendo 15 months ago when Donald Trump started running for president of the United States?" Dean continued. "That's what I want to know. Do your job."

Dean dove into a critique of media coverage of Trump's candidacy during the interview, also saying that the Republican presidential nominee has done far worse in his campaign.

"I would be very willing to apologize, not to Donald Trump, but I don't think using innuendo is a good thing," Dean said. "I would like the media of this country to apologize." "We have used a double standard on Donald Trump and created Donald Trump," he said. "Why? Because his ratings are great."

Dean claimed that he sent his tweet linking Trump's sniffles in Monday night's debate to cocaine use "on purpose" so that he could critique media coverage of Trump's own use of innuendo.

The one-time presidential candidate had doubled down on his tweet in an interview with MSNBC's Kate Snow on Tuesday. David Axelrod, the former adviser to President Obama, called the tweet "nuts."

Dean joked at the start of his interview Friday about his status as an MSNBC contributor being put in jeopardy because of his cocaine talk involving Trump.

"I'm smiling because you said 'right now he's a contributor for MSNBC.' Does that mean tomorrow I may not be?" Dean asked.

"Of course not," Ruhle responded.