Monday, December 31, 2007

Crowdsource Research Challenge?

Yesterday, Mike Huckabee told Politico that he wants Mitt Romney to apologize to him, for telling lies about Huckabee's record. Imagine -- Romney apologize! Good one, Huckster!

It got me to thinking: has Mitt Romney ever actually been seen personally apologizing for anything? I know he has, on rare occasions, apologized through spokespeople (for use of the term "tar baby," for instance). I know that reports have sometimes referred to him as apologizing for something, when in fact his wording never contained an actual apology or acceptance of responsibility.

I'm just curious. A quick web search didn't bring me any immediately obvious examples of Romney apologizing. So I'll throw it out to you folks: can anyone come up with an instance where the Mittster personally apologized for something?

12/31/2007 11:11:54 AM by David S. Bernstein | Comments [1] |

Monday, December 31, 2007 1:45:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

>> I'm just curious. A quick web search didn't bring me any immediately obvious examples of Romney apologizing. So I'll throw it out to you folks: can anyone come up with an instance where the Mittster personally apologized for something? <<

You can search Google 'till your fingers are numb; you will find few - if any - examples of a successful American politicians apologizing; even remotely, for anything. Seriously, try Googling the exact terms: politician "offered a public apology" (with the quotes) and you come up with something like a meager 1,590 results.

When I was in college I volunteered to work for several state and local campaigns; and the one thing that is "for certain" especially these days in politics: Politicians who are elected to office and especially those who are still campaign invariably avoid apologizing like the plague!

The reasoning behind this is because; not only does the apology make the politico appear to be weak as well as vulnerable, but any public "I'm sorry for..." or "I deeply regret..." apologetic statement made directly and publicly by any candidate or current office holder will be replayed over and over again by political opponents in the future.

The rare exceptions to this unwritten "Never apologize; Never explain" policy is usually when their current office, candidacy or entire career is on the line, and when the lack of any apology whatsoever and/or remorse will undoubtedly cost them their job, the election or their political party's state or nationwide elections.

Even then; most politicians are masters of the "unapology," meaning showing some meager amount of "remorse" for the supposed error or misdeed; but by any means necessary, avoiding the utterance the two dreaded words. An expression of "regret" is the well-worn standard way to avoid apologizing while continuing to defend one's actions

"Never contradict. Never explain. Never apologize. (Those are the secrets of a happy life!)." --John Arbuthnot Fisher (1841-1920), letter to The Times of London, September 5, 1919.

Chop Chop

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