Religious Right leader and former Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson offered a "clarification" to his fatwa against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez this evening — which included an apology so full of excuses as to have little value.
In the "clarification," Robertson says he ad-libbed the comment, which he said was made "In my frustration that the U.S. and the world community are ignoring this threat.
"Is it right to call for assassination?" Robertson said in a posting on his website. "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."
Robertson later took credit for giving the government something to think about. "(T)he incredible publicity surrounding my remarks has focused our government’s attention on a growing problem which has been largely ignored."
Robertson also compared himself with "(t)he brilliant Protestant theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer," who unsuccessfully stood up against the Nazis.
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The "apology" came only hours after Robertson, on today's edition of The 700 Club, denied saying Chavez should be assassinated.
ROBERTSON: Wait a minute, I didn't say 'assassination.' I said our special forces should, quote, "take him out," and "take him out" can be a number of things including kidnapping. There are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP, but that happens all the time.
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Perhaps some leaders on the right, who failed to condemn Robertson's original fatwa, quietly reached out to the televangelist. Or maybe Robertson just came to his senses, and the right can continue to ignore the fatwa, and hope this embarrassing episode fades quickly from center stage.
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This article first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.
Article comments
1 - Rich
Either way he will still be invited to Bush's Whitehouse prayer breakfasts.
Anyone have a picture with Bush and Robinson shaking hands, or praying together?
I'd like to put it right next to the picture with Bush and the Saudi King Abdullah shaking hands.
Right next to the ones with Bush and the Bin Ladin family.
I guess Bush will lay low on the religious sound bites for a week or two.
2 - Rich
oops sorry, Robertson
3 - karne
This man is a vile piece of rubbish who should be banned from television for advocating murder. Period>
4 - Birdman
Chavez is a drug dealing dictator that holds his country in a grip of fear....sure he is reelected with an overwhelming majority, because the goverment knows who you vote for (no secret ballots) and if you don't vote for der fuhrer then you end up missing.
This piece of human filth Chavez should of been killed long ago, but at least now the goverment will have Pat to blame it on when Hugo's head explodes into pink mist during a propaganda speach.