Ingraham Accepts Schultz's Apology, Asks Him to Return to Conservatism: 'Come Back Lost Sheep'

As NewsBusters has been reporting, MSNBC's Ed Schultz apologized Wednesday for his disgraceful comments concerning talk radio host Laura Ingraham.

On Thursday, Ingraham accepted Schultz's apology on her radio show, and after noting how her antagonist was once a conservative said, "Please come back lost sheep...We’ll welcome you back with open arms" (audio follows with partial transcript and commentary):

LAURA INGRAHAM: I told my staff I didn’t want to really discuss this today because we have really important stuff out there happening to our country and people suffering in this country – really suffering. And all you have to do is look at the news coverage of the Midwest ravaged by tornadoes. Read stories about people who are trying to find jobs in this economy, and that’s suffering. That’s, those are problems. What someone said about me on a show, vile not vile, I mean. To me, stuff is always said about me, right? […]

The more vile the thing that is said about me, the less it affects me. It doesn’t bother me at all. I heard about it yesterday during the show. I thought so little about it, I didn’t even mention it yesterday. I heard it before the show started, someone had emailed the website about it. And Ed Schultz said something about me on a show that was not all that nice, to say the least, it was pretty crude. And he apologized and I accept his apology. It seemed heartfelt. It seemed like he really wished he hadn’t said it, and I accept that apology. […]

So Ed, apology accepted. I wish him the best, I wish his family the best, and he used to be a conservative.

RAYMOND ARROYO: Really?

INGRAHAM: Yeah, Ed Schultz was a big conservative, and at one point last night, he really, you looked at him and you thought, “This guy’s a conservative.” Talking about his family, his grandfather…

ARROYO: Father of six.

INGRAHAM: Father of six, grandparents, kind of a strong guy, and somehow he went down this road of sad and really, really lost liberalism. We hope you’ll come back, Ed. Please come back lost sheep. We’re waiting for the prodigal son. We’ll welcome you back with open arms.

Yes, we'll welcome him back, but prior to that point, one has to wonder what happens to Schultz after he serves his one week suspension.

After all, those that have been following NewsBusters' coverage of this MSNBC commentator know that we've been warning our readers about this loose cannon, and wondering if anyone at his network is at all aware of the vile, reprehensible stuff he says about conservatives on almost a nightly basis.

Here are some recent examples:

• Ed Schultz: 'Gingrich Wants to Cut Food Stamps to Give Tax Breaks to Old White Millionaires'
• Ed Schultz Asks Al Sharpton: 'If Obama Was White Would We Be Seeking His Birth Certificate?'
• Ed Schultz Calls John Boehner and Paul Ryan Liars Moments Before Lying About Medicare
• Ed Schultz: 'The Republican Party Stands For Racism
• MSNBC's Ed Show: There's a Vast Right Wing Network Spreading Reagan's Ideas to Destroy Middle Class

And who can forget our favorite: "MSNBC's Ed Schultz Erupts: ‘Republicans Want to See You Dead!’

Yep, this man has been completely unhinged for years, and with Keith Olbermann gone, represents the most consistently vile and unashamedly hateful commentator on MSNBC.

Maybe folks at NBC, Comcast, and General Electric - who clearly have been ignoring Schultz's behavior for years - should spend his suspension week looking at footage of his work and decide if this is what they really want representing them.

If they need any examples of when he's clearly gone over the line prior to this episode, we'd be happy to oblige.