Apologies: a Great Tradition

THE OFFENSE: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, that's a storybook, man."

The Democratic Senator's description of Illinois Senator Barack Obama, as quoted by the New York Observer on Jan. 31, stirred up complaints from many groups of patronizing racism as well as a put-down of other black politicians. Biden and Obama had both announced their intention to run for President just weeks earlier. Within hours of publication, Biden called Obama to apologize and offered a public statement regretting his remark. Biden also appeared on The Daily Show and told host Jon Stewart that he had been "attempting to be — but not very artfully — ... complimentary."

THE APOLOGY: " I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama."