Well the media has spoken - Kerry has apologized. Game over.
Amazingly the media refused to give Pope Benedict the same benefit of the doubt back in September. Remember when the Pope used some ancient text regarding Islam during a speech and Muslims went off on another version of the Cartoon Jihad? The Vatican released a statement on behalf of Pope Benedict in response to the Muslim reaction. Here is a snip from the statement...
"The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions."
The media's coverage left no doubt that the Pope's statement was not an apology...
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CBS News - Regret But No Apology From Pope -"Pope Benedict XVI "sincerely regrets" that Muslims have been offended by his words about Islam and violence in a speech, the Vatican said Saturday in a statement which stopped short of the apology demanded by many Muslim leaders in the Middle East and Asia."
Breitbart - Pope Stops Short of Apology to Muslims - "But the statement stopped short of the apology demanded by Islamic leaders around the globe, and anger among Muslims remained intense."
SunTimes - Pope doesn't apologize over Islam remarks - "Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday he did not mean to malign Islam when he quoted a medieval emperor, but did not issue the direct apology still demanded by some Muslim leaders who were offended by his remarks."
CNN - Pope upset that Muslims offended - "Pope Benedict XVI has said he is "very upset" that his speech on Islam offended Muslims and expressed his respect for their faith, according to the Vatican"
USA Today - Pope's clarification fails to appease some Muslims - "Pope Benedict XVI's expression of regret Sunday for the reaction sparked by his remarks about Islam's founder failed to satisfy many Muslims, who said he should have made a full apology."
ContraCosta Times - Insincere apology will not alter Muslims' view of pope - "Worse still, the pope's initial attempts at an apology were so lame that they ignited the fire more since they reflected a grudge on the part of the pope to actually utter the much called for apology. It is impossible to accept forced apologies that have no ring of sincerity to them."
Compare the Pope's statement to John Kerry's non-apology today...
"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended."
Similar words - "misinterpreted" being the key. So how did the media cover Kerry's statement... Just because he threw in the word "apologize", it makes it all okay...
CBS News - Kerry Apologizes For Troop Remarks- Says He Didn't Mean To 'Imply Anything Negative About Those In Uniform' - "Six days before nationwide elections, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee said he sincerely regretted that his words were "misinterpreted to imply anything negative about those in uniform."
Reuters - Kerry apologizes for "botched joke" - "Democratic Sen. John Kerry apologized directly to U.S. troops on Wednesday for comments about Iraq that prompted a firestorm of Republican criticism in the final days of a bitter congressional election campaign."
NY Times - Kerry Apologizes for Iraq Remark
CNN - Kerry apologizes for 'misinterpreted' words - "Sen. John Kerry apologized Wednesday for a "poorly stated joke," which the Massachusetts senator says was aimed at the president but was widely perceived as a slam on U.S. troops."
AP - Kerry sorry for 'stuck in Iraq' remarks
Chicago Tribune - Kerry: I'm sorry
So our media is quick to give John Kerry a pass despite his history of troop bashing. Nothing to see here - move along. Misinterpretation only counts if you are speaking against the troops. Remember Dick Durbin got the same "get out of stupid statement jail free"card?
Note to the Pope - if you offend Islamofascists who turn around and threaten to behead you, you must use the word "apologize" in order for the media to consider it an apology. If the Pope wants fair and balanced coverage, he should register to vote as a Democrat.
