New York Times Columnist Says He 'Screwed Up' In Backlash Of Tone Deaf Airport Food-Inflation Post

New York Times columnist David Brooks has semi-apologized after being called out for an exaggerated tweet claiming that his Newark Airport meal cost $78. The initial tweet was accompanied by a photo of Brooks' meal that included a hamburger and fries.

Brooks thought he was being clever when he complained about the price of his meal while writing "This is why Americans think the economy is terrible."

The only problem?

Brooks had a giant glass of bourbon in the photo as well. And anyone who has ever flown knows that airport booze is crazy expensive. Sure enough Brooks immediately went viral - his original tweet now even has a Fact Correction on it showing that the food was only $17, meaning the rest was due to him getting liquored up.

THE MAJORITY OF THE BILL WAS FROM HIS ALCOHOL

Let's be honest, there's plenty of things to rip Newark Airport about that you don't need to embellish. The same goes with the economy these days, David. Maybe you should get out of that elitist New York Times office and actually be one with the people - it's a wild world out there beyond Newark.

In an interview with PBS on Friday, Brooks finally came around to admit he messed up. He claims he was initially in "sticker shock" when he received the $78 bill, but that his tweet was 'insensitive,' to those who actually are financially struggling these days.

“But the problem with the tweet, which I wrote so stupidly, was that it made it seem like I was oblivious to something that is blindingly obvious: that an upper-middle-class journalist having a bourbon at an airport is a lot different than a family living paycheck to paycheck," Brooks said.

BROOKS ORIGINAL TWEET HAS OVER 35 MILLION VIEWS

“I was insensitive. I screwed up. I should not have written that tweet. I probably should not write any tweets. I made a mistake. It was stupid," the 62-year-old continued.

Honestly, Brooks should have just ran with it and said that he was hammered off whiskeys. That would have been his best play. Instead, he just comes across as an out-of-touch lying journalist, which seems to be the norm these days, just ask Dave Portnoy.