Having failed to defuse a media typhoon by first swearing at reporters, and then second claiming that the boss didn’t know what he was saying (see That’s a Defense?), Sen. Allen moved on to step three, the non-apology apology. (And also the non-denial denial.)
Since that didn’t work, we are now on to step four, the pathetically unpersuasive explanation:
I also made up a nickname for the cameraman, which was in no way intended to be racially derogatory. Any insinuations to the contrary are completely false.
It was just a nickname. See? Nothing vicious here. I just happened to pick a nickname for the sole dark face in a white crowd that just happens to be the same as a common racial epithet. Could happen to anyone, right?
Sounds like Step Two all over again to me.
