And this is how NOT to apologize
Earlier this morning I blogged about a suitably abject apology. Now I have the perfect example of a classic non-apology:
President Obama said Friday that he “could have calibrated” his words more carefully in the controversy over the arrest of a black Harvard professor by a white police officer, but added that there had been an “overreaction” by both sides in a case that touched off an intense discussion about race in America. [In other words, I meant precisely what I said, I just didn’t say it tactfully.]
“To the extent that my choice of words didn’t illuminate, but rather contributed to more media frenzy, I think, that was unfortunate,” Mr. Obama said, making an unusual unannounced visit to the White House briefing room in an effort to ease the controversy. [I’m really pissed off that, because I meant what a said, but didn’t say it cleverly enough to get away with it, everyone is on my back.]
The president, who on Wednesday said that the police in Cambridge, Mass., “acted stupidly” in the arrest of Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr., a prominent Harvard scholar of African-American history, sought to clear up the matter. He said he hoped the case could become “a teachable moment” to be used to improve relations between minorities and police officers. [I’m sure he doesn’t mean a “teachable moment,” as in “I hope this teaches other presidents not to open their mouths and insert their feet.” Beyond knowing what Obama doesn’t mean, it’s impossible to know what he does mean.]
The president said that he conveyed his sentiment to Sgt. James Crowley in a telephone call on Friday afternoon. The call, which lasted about five minutes, came after police officials in Massachusetts and beyond accused Mr. Obama of maligning the character of Sergeant Crowley and the entire Cambridge police force. [And what sentiment would that be? That Obama meant what he said, but is upset that he didn’t get away with saying it?]
“I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up, I wanted to make clear that in my choice of words, I think, I unfortunately, I think, gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sergeant Crowley specifically,” Mr. Obama told reporters. “I could have calibrated those words differently, and I told this to Sergeant Crowley.” [But he was maligning them. He said they acted stupidly. That’s maligning. So it wasn’t an impression he gave, it was what he actually said. Once again, he’s merely expressing regret at not being clever enough to get away with it.]
Mr. Obama did not specifically use the word “apology,” but aides said that was the sentiment conveyed during his call with the officer. [Even the New York Times figures out what’s going on, but it’s willing to trust those aids who stand around and interpret Obama’s utterances for the benefit of us poor mortals who might not get all the nuances of his brilliant mind.] Mr. Obama, the nation’s first black president, has walked a careful line in his writings and in his political career when addressing race. Since taking office six months ago, he has delivered only a handful of speeches devoted specifically to race.
