Apology 101

My co-founder in the Apology Institute of America Nell Minow sent me this.  It's a TV interview by the Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally who's apologizing "after the uproar over his interactions with provocative posts on social media, while insisting that his intentions have been misconstrued."

As the article by Nashville NBC5 reporter Phil Williams explains, the Lt. Governor -- "who has presided over a legislative session defined by bills outlawing drag shows in public places and targeting gender care for the trans community — found himself facing accusations of hypocrisy after a progressive site, the Tennessee Holler, unearthed his social media interactions with a 20-year-old gay model."

(You can read the full article here, and I'll post the TV interview below.)

Nell and I grade apologies, and she gave this a "Fail."

Fail doesn't do it justice.

Oh, dear God.  What a horrific faux-"apology," only because he's embarrassed and that he embarrassed his family. And utterly disingenuous, as well, in what he keeps denying ("I didn't read that, I just clicked Like."  And "I just like to encourage people.") 

To be very clear, Lt. Governor McNally is entitled to whatever private life he wants and has nothing to apologize for because of that -- but to have that life while presiding over legislation against drag shows and against gender care for trans community, things that have very real impact on people and cause great harm is beyond hypocritical, but far more important, pathetic and shameful.

As I said, giving this a "Fail" doesn't even come close, but alas it pretty much the lowest the scorecard has.  After all, if what he did (as he tries to claim) was just offer encouragement a young man, as he does all the time to people, what is he apologizing for then?  And why does his family have anything to be embarrassed about?  Besides, if he likes to encourage people, how about encouraging people who do drag shows and need gender care?

Fail, indeed.  F-.

The video of Phil Williams' interview with Lt. Governor O'Malley can't be embedded on outside website, but you can watch it here.