NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC political commentator Rachel Maddow broke down while trying to read an exclusive Associated Press story about babies and toddlers taken from their parents at the southern border and sent to "tender age" shelters.

The host of "The Rachel Maddow Show" was live on the air Tuesday evening when she tried to read the AP's exclusive story . After trying to get through the first couple of sentences she said, "I'm sorry. I think I'm going to have to hand this off," ending her segment.

Maddow issued an apology on Twitter with a link to the story saying, "Again, I apologize for losing it there for a moment. Not the way I intended that to go, not by a mile."

Since the White House announced its zero tolerance policy in early May, more than 2,300 children have been taken from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border.

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