My Bad

John Kerry

2006-11-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

“As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop. 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. It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don't want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.”

Senator John Kerry issuing an official statement of apology. November 1, 2006

John Kerry

2006-11-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

“Of course I'm sorry about a botched joke. You think I love botched jokes? I mean, you know, it's pretty stupid. … I'm sorry that that's happened. But I'm not going to stand back from the reality here, which is, they're trying to change the subject. It's their campaign of smear and fear.”

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) on Imus in the Morning apologizing for screwing up a joke which was intended to target George W. Bush’s stupidity but instead wound up highlighting Kerry’s. The line was supposed to be, “Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush,” but Kerry, no stranger to the verbal gaffe, mangled it into “You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq,” thus allowing repugnant Republicans to claim that he was calling the troops stupid, which was followed by gutless Democrats distancing themselves from him instead of pointing out that Kerry’s flubbed word or two was insignificant compared to George W. Bush’s never-ending gusher of inelegant phrasings, not to mention his cavalierly lying and costing the lives of almost 3,000 Americans and tens if not hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. November 1, 2006

Alex Bias

2006-11-02T00:53:00.000-08:00

“There can be no excuse for such a remark, only an apology. … Yvonne, you have my sincerest, heartfelt apology.”

Alex Bias, mayor of Desert Hot Springs, CA, apologizing to Councilwoman Yvonne Parks for telling her, in the heat of an argument, to “go play with yourself.” October 31, 2006

Doug Belden

2006-11-02T00:52:00.001-08:00

“I have realized that my consumption of alcohol affected my judgment when making decisions in my personal life that night. I have resolved to correct this inappropriate behavior through professional assistance.”

Tampa, FL tax collector Doug Belden apologizing for reportedly approaching a woman in a bar, touching her breast, putting his head in her lap and kissing her on the cheek. October 26, 2006

Taj Aldin Alhilali

2006-11-02T00:52:00.000-08:00

“I unreservedly apologize to any woman who is offended by my comments.”

Australian Muslim Sheik Taj Aldin Alhilali apologizing for blaming provocatively dressed women for rapes. Said Alhilali, “If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meat?” He then answered his own question: “The uncovered meat is the problem.” October 26, 2006

Rush Limbaugh

2006-11-02T00:51:00.000-08:00

“Now people are telling me they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial. All right then, I stand corrected. … So I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act.”

Pharmacological expert Rush Limbaugh barely apologizing for bigly and hugely exposing his shamelessness by accusing Michael J. Fox of faking his shaking in a pro-stem-cell-research political ad. Limbaugh’s spastic mocking of Fox’s Parkinson’s disease symptoms – one of the ugliest displays of human depravity ever captured on camera – made all sentient viewers wish for God to smite him on the spot. October 25, 2006

Alan Hevesi

2006-11-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

“It was belated and I am really sorry.”

New York Democratic State Comptroller Alan Hevesi apologizing for taking more than three years to reimburse the state for $83,000 worth of chauffering his wife around. October 25, 2006

Isaiah Washington

2006-11-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

“I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on [the] set. Both are beneath my own personal standards. ... I have nothing but respect for my co-workers ... and have apologized personally to everyone involved.”

Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington apologizing for getting into a scuffle on the set with co-star Patrick Dempsey after calling another cast member, T.R. Knight, a “faggot.” October 25, 2006

Ola Salo

2006-11-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

“Sometimes when I'm onstage, it's my mouth moving and not connected to my brain.”

Ola Salo, lead singer of the Swedish band The Ark, apologizing for saying about planes flying over a party for the opening of the new Swedish embassy in Washington, “In this country, you don't know where those planes are headed. I hope they fly into the White House rather than here.” The comment elicited laughter and applause from the crowd. October 24, 2006

Yutaka Nakagawa for Sony

2006-11-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

“We would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the worries.”

Sony Executive Officer Yutaka Nakagawa apologizing for a global recall of laptop batteries because of the possibility that they might catch fire. October 24, 2006

William McDonald Love

2006-11-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

“I just want to apologize to the community of Groton and the submarine community there and tell them I never meant to demean them in any way. I'm sorry that my message was done in a fashion that was misunderstood.”

New London, CT graffiti artist William McDonald Love apologizing for covering a landmark submarine sign with yellow paint. Explained Love, “I can’t discuss the facts.” October 24, 2006

Barbara Cubin

2006-11-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

“It was person to person and it was not an attack on the disabled. In retrospect, I was wrong in what I said and I apologize.”

Representative Barbara Cubin (R-WY) apologizing for approaching Libertarian candidate and multiple sclerosis sufferer Thomas Rankin after a contentious debate and saying, “If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face.” October 24, 2006

Bobby McCray

2006-11-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

“It's a big embarrassment. It's time-consuming. It's an embarrassment to the team and myself. You just look at it and learn from it, and drive slow from here on out.”

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Bobby McCray apologizing after being arrested for reckless driving and possession of Vicodin, for which he said he had a prescription. October 23, 2006

Steve Kagen

2006-11-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

“I did not mean any harm by my words and I humbly apologize if I offended anyone. That was not my intent.”

U.S. House candidate Steve Kagen (D-WI) apologizing for saying he was late for a meeting on an Indian reservation because “we’re on Injun time.” October 23, 2006

Alberto Fernandez

2006-11-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

“Upon reading the transcript of my appearance on Al-Jazeera, I realized that I seriously misspoke by using the phrase ‘there has been arrogance and stupidity’ by [the United States] in Iraq. This represents neither my views nor those of the State Department. I apologize.”

U.S diplomat Alberto Fernandez apologizing for accidentally stating the truth. October 22, 2006

Eric Musselman

2006-11-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

“First let me say that I'm sorry. I'm embarrassed and ashamed. I'm well aware of the seriousness of the situation. It's not representative of how I live my life and I will never take it lightly. It was a huge mistake on my behalf.”

Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman apoloigizing for his arrest on a drunk driving charge. October 22, 2006

Sam Harris

2006-11-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

“I made a mistake. I acknowledge and apologize for it, but the rest of this is just an attempt to destroy me personally.”

Great Falls, MT justice-of-the-peace Sam Harris apologzing for making inappropriate comments in an Internet chat room. A previous Great Falls justice-of-the-peace, Mike Smartt, resigned and subsequently hung himself after he was turned in for having gay pornography on his office computer – by Harris. October 20, 2006

The Archdiocese of Miami

2006-11-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

“While it was long in coming, with God's merciful grace this painful revelation can be the beginning of reconciliation and an instrument of redemption and healing for Mr. Foley.”

The Archdiocese of Miami apologizing to former Florida congressman Mark Foley (R) for the sexual abuse he suffered as a 13-year-old altar boy at the hands of Reverend Anthony Mercieca. October 20, 2006

Elizabeth Edwards

2006-11-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

“Elizabeth Edwards called her and apologized. They had a good conversation. The senator thanked her for the call and wished her well on her book tour.”

Hillary Clinton’s adviser Howard Wolfson reporting on an apology by would-be Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards’s wife Elizabeth for saying, “[Hillary] and I are from the same generation. We both went to law school and married other lawyers, but after that we made other choices. I think my choices have made me happier. I think I'm more joyful than she is.” October 20, 2006

Joe Cisneros for Larry Mead

2006-11-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

“He told the court that he never did anything to anyone but himself, but that he betrayed the trust of his family, his community and his students, and he apologized to everyone. He apologized to his students for not being the role model they needed.”

Joe Cisneros, attorney for former Salinas, CA elementary school teacher Larry Mead, apologizing for his client’s possession and transmission of child pornography, some of which he downloaded onto his school computer. October 19, 2006

Jo Ann Harper

2006-11-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

“Coach [Buddy] Teevens, his staff and his players have acknowledged that the actions displayed Saturday were not in keeping with acceptable standards of behavior at Dartmouth, nor with the great traditions of Dartmouth football and Dartmouth athletics in general. They join me in apologizing to the Dartmouth community, the Holy Cross community and the public.”

Dartmouth athletic director Jo Ann Harper apologizing for a fight that broke out when, after Holy Cross defeated Dartmouth in overtime, its players celebrated atop the Dartmouth “D” painted on the field. October 19, 2006

Claire McCaskill

2006-11-01T14:23:00.000-08:00

“I think it’s patriotic to fully fund verterans’ benefits, but I shouldn’t have questioned your patriotism.”

Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill apologizing for calling incumbent Jim Talent a “false patriot” because of his 23 votes to cut veterans’ benefits. October 18, 2006

Steny Hoyer

2006-10-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

“If Mr. Steele did in fact take offense, let me assure him that none was intended. But Mr. Steele continuously tries to divert attention from the fact that he is an unwavering supporter of the Republican agenda and of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.”

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer apologizing for saying that Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, a black man, supports Republican policies “slavishly.” October 17, 2006

Tom Potter

2006-10-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

“I personally feel the need to apologize.”

Portland, OR mayor Tom Potter apologizing for the death of a mentally ill man who died from injuries sustained while he struggled to avoid arrest. October 17, 2006

Brandon Meriweather

2006-10-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

“I was not part of the initial fight that broke out. However, I did see that my teammates and, more specifically, the placeholder were being attacked by the FIU players. At that point I went over the pile so that I could control my teammates and prevent the fight from becoming worse. When I arrived at the pile, I did not use my better judgment.”

Brandon Meriweather, Miami Hurricanes defensive back, apologizing for stomping on opposing players during a brawl with the Florida International University Golden Panthers. October 17, 2006