archy

I was wrong
I didn't think we'd get a real apology out Part Robertson. This morning he lied and said he had never said we should assassinate Hugo Chavez. I assumed that would be his final word on the subject. But, with every news outlet in the hemisphere printing transcripts and broadcasting tapes of his comments, he finally caved in.

I want to take this opportunity to clarify remarks made on the Monday, August 22nd edition of The 700 Club where I adlibbed a comment following a very brilliant analysis by Dale Hurd of the danger that the United States faces from the out-of-control dictator of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. In this story, Col. Chavez repeatedly claimed that Americans were “trying to assassinate him.”

In my frustration that the U.S. and the world community are ignoring this threat, I said the following:

[Repeats Tuesday's comments]

Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him.

He still has that weird implication that thinking bad thoughts about America should be a capital offense, but other than that it looks like a real apology. And it would be a real apology if he had just shut up at this point. Instead he goes on for another 376 self-serving words during which he explains why we should all hate Chavez to the point of wanting him murdered and winds up comparing himself to Dietrich Bonhoeffer opposing Hitler. He finishes that comparison with these words:

Bonhoeffer decided to lend his support to those in Germany who had joined together in an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and killed by the Nazis, but his example deserves our respect and consideration today.

In what way is he saying we should consider Bonhoeffer's example? By lending support to those who will attempt to assassinate Hugo Chavez. There is no other way to read that paragraph. So, Robertson's apology amounts to "I'm sorry I said we should kill him, but we should kill him."

That's very big of him to say that.