RNC Bans Staff MSNBC Appearances over Cheerios Tweet

Network not-so-subtly suggested right-wingers opposed interracial relationships

The Republican National Committee announced Thursday it is banning MSNBC until the cable network issues an apology for a tweet the political party considers "offensive and unacceptable."

"Maybe the rightwing will hate it but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family," read the tweet, which included a link to the cereal commercial. MSNBC has since deleted the post from Twitter and apologized in subsequent tweets.

The MSNBC tweet referred to a preview of the cereal's new commercial, set to air this Sunday during Super Bowl XLVIII. The ad features a biracial family that the company had used in a commercial last May. The original ad sparked backlash, leading General Mills to disable comments of that video on YouTube. Here is the new Cheerios ad: