From Media Matters for America -- April 25, 2012:
In Fact, Obama Has Never Gone On An "Apology Tour" Or "Apologized" For America
Fox News' Juan Williams: Obama "Apologizing For America" Is "A Phony Political Argument." On The Five, co-host Juan Williams said of the apology claim: Talk about a phony political argument. This business that somehow President Obama goes around apologizing for America -- PolitiFact, everybody has said [it's] bogus. [Fox News, The Five, 4/25/12]
Associated Press: "Obama Has Not Apologized For America." The Associated Press has written that Obama "never made" any apologies and added:
ROMNEY: "A few months into office, he traveled around the globe to apologize for America."
THE FACTS: Obama has not apologized for America. What he has done, in travels early in his presidency and since, is to make clear his belief that the U.S. is not beyond reproach. He has told foreigners that the U.S. at times acted "contrary to our traditions and ideals" in its treatment of terrorist suspects, that "America has too often been selective in its promotion of democracy," that the U.S. "certainly shares blame" for international economic turmoil and has sometimes shown arrogance toward allies. Obama, whose criticisms of America's past were typically balanced by praise, was in most cases taking issue with policies or the record of the previous administration, not an unusual approach for a new president -- or a presidential candidate. Romney's actual point seems to be that Obama has been too critical of his country.
But there has been no formal -- or informal -- apology. No saying "sorry" on behalf of America. [Associated Press, 6/3/11]
PolitiFact Has Repeatedly Labeled "Ridiculous" Apology Claim "False." PolitiFact has repeatedly labeled Romney's claim that Obama "apologized" for America "false," saying "it's a ridiculous charge." [PolitiFact, 9/22/11, 1/20/12]
Wash. Post Fact Checker: "The Apology Tour Never Happened." The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler gave the repeated charge that Obama has apologized for America its worst rating of "Four Pinocchios":
The claim that Obama repeatedly has apologized for the United States is not borne out by the facts, especially if his full quotes are viewed in context.
Obama often was trying to draw a rhetorical distinction between his policies and that of President Bush, a common practice when the presidency changes parties. The shift in policies, in fact, might have been more dramatic from Clinton to Bush than from Bush to Obama, given how Obama has largely maintained Bush's approach to fighting terrorism.
In other cases, Obama's quotes have been selectively trimmed for political purposes. Or they were not much different than sentiments expressed by Bush or his secretary of state. Republicans may certainly disagree with Obama's handling of foreign policy or particular policies he has pursued, but they should not invent a storyline that does not appear to exist.
Note to GOP speechwriters and campaign ad makers: The apology tour never happened. [The Washington Post, The Fact Checker, 2/22/11]
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