There's a difference between regret and apology

Creepy Joe™ Lieberman slunk back into Hartford ready to dissemble the truth.

According to a report in the Hartford Courant, he held a press conference, and strangely, had his wife Hadadsah at his side (hiding behind her skirts?), to talk about the economy.

Of course, talk turned to Lieberman's trouble with the Democrats, his potential censure by Connecticut Democrats, and his relationship with the new president.

When asked if he was going to apologize, the Courant reports:

As he did during an interview Sunday with Tom Brokaw on NBC's "Meet the Press," Lieberman expressed regret about some of his criticism of Obama, yet avoided an apology.

"I think they are pretty much the same thing," Lieberman said.

Obama publicly urged the Senate Democrats not to expel Lieberman, but he has yet to return Lieberman's congratulatory phone call. Lieberman said he will reach out once again after Thanksgiving and that he will convey his regrets to Obama.

"In the heat of the campaign, I said some things about President-elect Obama that I could have said more clearly," Lieberman said. "And I said a couple of things that I wish I hadn't said at all."

Hmmm? "Regret" and "apology" pretty much the same thing? Not quite Joe, but your narcissism probably doesn't allow you to see that regret focuses on the inner "me," while apology extends to someone outside of yourself. Your regret is fine, but if it's never coupled with a sincere apology, it's meaningless to anyone else. Now if you had said "remorse" is nearly the same thing, you would be more on target.

BTW, Lieberman seems to be taking a certain amount of glee in the economic downturn in the way it allows him to deflect criticism, and talk about cutting stimulus checks for constituents.

We ain't buying it Joe.