Rick Sanchez Calls Obama "The Cotton-Picking President" (VIDEO)

On Monday's 'Rick's List' (weekdays 3PM ET on CNN), gaffe-prone host Rick Sanchez stepped into it a bit when he referred to Barack Obama as the "The cotton-picking president of the United States."

He was actually defending Obama against those who claim he is Muslim, when he used the colloquialism, which could come across to some as racially insensitive.

Spurred on by tweets from his viewers, at the beginning of his next segment Sanchez apologized for using the phrase.


"You know I didn't even realize it," he explained. "I just said cotton picking because it was a term that I've used because I grew up in the South. It's a point that is often used to illustrate frustration. Not in any way used to show any kind of disrespect. However, I apologize nonetheless for using it, in case it was taken by anyone as an act of disrespect. "

He certainly seemed genuine in his apology. As for Miami -- where Sanchez grew up -- being referenced as a part of the "South" where they use such homespun phraseology ... Well, Sanchez might have some more explaining to do.