Democrats: Addicted to apology

The immediate reaction of a Democrat when finding anything offensive is to demand an apology. Within hours after Ann Coulter's ill-considered 'faggot' slur aimed at John Edwards, Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean was out there demanding apologies and that Republican presidential candidates denounce the asinine remark. Never mind the facts that no Republican candidates made the remark and that Ann Coulter represents nobody's campaign. There's political hay to be made, and the Democrats just love those apologies.

Similarly, when David Geffen made derogatory comments of the Clintons after making a sizable donation to Barack Obama's campaign, Hillary Clinton's campaign demanded that Obama apologize for Geffen's remarks. Oh, and he should give back Geffen's money, too.

Conversely, when talk show host Bill Maher echoes fringe left sentiments that the world would be better off if the Taliban had been successful in their recent attempt on Dick Cheney's life, the Republicans shrug it off.

So what is it with the Democrats and apology-mania? Let's assume for a moment that each and every Republican candidate did issue an abject apology for Coulter's remarks. Would they then be absolved of all guilt in the eyes of the Democrats? Not bloody likely. The video is already up on YouTube, and you can count on it being dragged out and dusted off by the Democrats when the campaigns get into full swing.

The insistence on an apology with no intention to forgive in return is nothing more than an intimidation tactic, much like that used by radical Islamists when demanding an apology for a perceived insult to Islam. It's designed to keep their opponents on the defensive while casting themselves in the role of perpetual victim.