Martin Bashir RESIGNS from MSNBC after suggesting someone should defecate in Sarah Palin's mouth

Bashir made lewd on-air comments on November 15 calling for someone to defecate in Palin's mouth after she compared the federal debt to slavery

MSNBC did not formally reprimand Bashir



Came around the same time as fellow MSNBC host Alec Baldwin got suspended- and later fired- for using homophobic slurs outside his home

Many- including Palin and Baldwin- called the move hypocritical for firing Baldwin but not Bashir

Bashir announced his resignation Wednesday afternoon and MSNBC confirmed the slip



Martin Bashir has resigned from MSNBC following the backlash from his inappropriate on-air comments about Sarah Palin.

He released a statement on Wednesday afternoon explaining his decision to resign over the 'ill-judged' comments about the former Alaskan governor's comparison of the federal debt to slavery.

He previously apologized to Palin both on and off camera, but came under further fire when fellow MSNBC host Alec Baldwin was fired for making homophobic comments to journalists outside of his apartment while he was not formally reprimanded in any way until now.

Martin Bashir offered a lengthy apology to Sarah Palin on Monday following a rant where he suggested she deserved to be defecated upon

'After making an on-air apology, I asked for permission to take some additional time out around the Thanksgiving holiday,' he said in the statement to Mediaite.

Offended: Sarah Palin accepted Bashir's apology but slammed MSNBC for not firing him

'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.

'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.'

MSNBC later ran his comments on their website along with a brief statement from network president Phil Griffin.



'Martin Bashir resigned today, effective immediately. 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,' Griffin said in the statement.

The network has disputed earlier reports that Bashir, 50, was temporarily suspended over the issue when he went 'on vacation before Thanksgiving.

Palin even spoke out on the matter, saying that while she did accept his apology, the uneven treatment of Baldwin and Bashir was an example of the favoritism in main stream media.

Off the air: Baldwin's show was first suspended for two weeks and then cut from the lineup entirely

'That's the executive hypocrisy that is so prevalent in that media elite bubble, where it depends on the target of the vile rants. It doesn't depend on what their rant itself actually is and conservative women are a target of them,' she said.

Baldwin also spoke out against the fact that MSNBC chose to stick by Bashir and not him.

'Martin Bashir's on the air, and he made his comment on the air! I dispute half the comment I made...' Baldwin told Gothamist.



'There's nothing you can do when you get thrown in this washing machine, nothing. You know? Nothing. All you end up doing is just defending yourself all day long.'

