If you read yesterday's edition of the Polling and Political Wrap, you know that recent electoral casualty Rob Simmons was rather frank in his assessment of the chances of near-certain Republican Senate nominee Linda McMahon in Connecticut:
When asked if almost certain GOP nominee Linda McMahon can defeat Democratic nominee Richard Blumenthal, Simmons gives an unequivocal "No." What's more, he says that [he] will tell the McMahon campaign that he is "preoccupied" if they ask him to campaign on their behalf.
Well, it didn't take long for Simmons to begin to walk sprint that gut-shot of a retort back. But check out how carefully Simmons chooses his words in his "apology" for his bleak assessment of the McMahon candidacy:
“That was a little harsh, I probably shouldn’t have said what I said,” Simmons said in a phone interview with POLITICO. “I talked too much and I’m sorry.”
Give Simmons some points for creativity: at least he didn't sleepwalk through a "I am sorry if she was offended" non-apology.
But look at how this is framed. It was a "little harsh" to say your party's nominee has no chance of winning? You probably shouldn't have said it? And your biggest sin was talking too much?
Notice what is not in this apology (and, for that matter, appears nowhere in the piece by Politico). Nowhere does Simmons say that either (a) he believes in McMahon, and thinks she can win; or (b) he plans to campaign on McMahon's behalf.
So, it seems self-evident that there is a simple, one-sentence translation for Rob Simmons' "apology" to Linda McMahon:
"Every single thing I said was true, but I guess I should feel bad about saying it."