This item is only worthy of note because it's about an apparently genuine apology from a leftist — something rarely seen from the "I'm sorry you were offended" crowd — and because the chances are that very few have actually seen the apology.
Early last week, MSNBC's Chris Hayes claimed that Bill O'Reilly had asserted, as if it was the Fox News host's opinion, that the Confederate flag "represents the bravery of Confederates who fought in the Civil War."
Of course, that isn't what O'Reilly said, and O'Reilly called Hayes out:
In a segment Wednesday night on “gross dishonesty in the media,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly called out a competitor, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, accusing Hayes of a “complete distortion.”
O’Reilly played a clip from Hayes’ MSNBC show, All In, that described how some “predictable sources” were reacting to the Confederate flag, with Hayes saying “Bill O’Reilly said it represents the bravery of Confederates who fought in the Civil War.”
Playing the O’Reilly Factor segment in question, O’Reilly said he had clearly stated that “some believe” that’s what the flag represents. “I clearly said, the Confederate flag represents–to me–oppression.”
Hayes probably didn't have to apologize, because almost no one saw him say what he said, and O'Reilly deliberately didn't name him in his rant. But, perhaps pondering his next career move if MSNBC's housecleaning activities eventually get around to doing something about his low-rated show, he owned up to the distortion anyway:
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes Apologizes to Bill O’Reilly
... Tonight, Hayes conceded he’d made a mistake and mistakenly described what O’Reilly had said. “We should not have attributed that view to him. Fair is fair. I got it wrong, I apologize.” Hayes did not explain how the mistake happened.
Call the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" people. A card-carrying leftist actually unconditionsally said, "I was wrong. I am sorry."
On Wednesday, O'Reilly's 8 p.m. Eastern Time show outdrew Hayes show, which "competes" against O'Reilly, 2.593 million to 593,000 in total viewers.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
