MSNBC’s "PoliticsNation" host Rev. Al Sharpton called on President Donald Trump to be respectful in his rhetoric toward women but inadvertently misquoted legendary singer Aretha Franklin's most famous lyric.
Sharpton was addressing Trump’s insults toward Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former White House aide and "Apprentice" contestant who wrote a new tell-all book criticizing him. Trump called Newman a "dog," a favorite insult of his that Sharpton called an "animalistic slur."
"I think you might’ve learned the lesson this week, sometimes the dog bites back with a book deal," Sharpton said.
Sharpton concluded his comments with a reference to Franklin's 1967 hit "Respect," in which the singer spelled the word out. Sharpton and Franklin, who died last week at the age of 76, were close friends.
"So in the words of my late friend Aretha Franklin, show some R-E-S-P-I-C-T, and the next time you get a black woman and a beagle confused, remember this: I got you," Sharpton said.
In the song, Franklin did not spell it that way.
Sharpton also made it clear in his comments that Trump was getting his comeuppance from the bad publicity associated with Newman’s book.
"You know what they say about payback, it’s a real, well, I’m sure you know the word I’m thinking of," Sharpton said.