Barack Obama apologized Wednesday to a Michigan TV reporter after he called her "sweetie" and dodged her question about autoworkers.
WXYZ-TV's Peggy Agar shouted a question to the Democratic presidential candidate during his appearance at a Chrysler LLC plant in this auto-making suburb of Detroit.
Agar asked Obama what is he "going to do to help American autoworkers."
"Hold on one second, sweetie," Obama replied. "We'll do a press (availability), thanks." He did not reply to Agar's question.
On the air later Wednesday, the station played a voice mail message Obama left for Agar. In it, Obama apologized for not getting back to her. He also told her he has a bad habit of calling people "sweetie."
Obama then said: "I mean no disrespect, so I am duly chastened on that front."
The New York Times reported Thursday that the senator had used the word "sweetie" once before when addressing a female factory worker in Allentown, Pa.