Most critics of Obama would consider it an understatement.

(WaPo) — I happened to be interviewing top Obama adviser David Axelrod this morning on another topic, so I got a chance to quickly ask him for a response to Mark Halperin’s claim that Obama was “kind of a dick” at yesterday’s presser — a crack that has now earned Halperin an indefinite suspension.

Axelrod condemned the remark, but he also took the high road, suggesting it was likely a “mistake” that shouldn’t be seen as representative of Halperin’s career.

“What he said was obviously stupid and tasteless, and he exercised poor judgment,” Axelrod said. “I think he’d be the first to acknowledge that. I strongy disagree with his analysis. But I’ve known him for decades. he’s a decent person and a good journalist. I’m sure that no one regrets this more than he does.”