After CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield caught Twitter’s attention Saturday by characterizing the man who opened fire on Dallas police headquarters as “very courageous and brave, if not crazy as well,” Twitchy kept an eye on her Twitter account as well as CNN’s so we could update the story with her apology as soon as it was issued.
It took a bit longer than we expected, but Whitfield did eventually say something. As NewsBusters reports, on Sunday, Whitfield admitted that she misspoke: “Yesterday, during a segment on the Dallas Police Department attack, I used the words courageous and brave when discussing the gunman. I misspoke and in no way believe the gunman was courageous nor brave.”
That non-apology wasn’t enough to satisfy the Dallas Police Association, or anyone else for that matter.
CNN anchor says she 'misspoke' -doesn't apologize 4 calling gun attack on Dallas police hq 'courageous & brave if not crazy' @foxandfriends
— heather nauert (@HeatherNauert) June 15, 2015
@heatherfoxnews @deneenborelli @foxandfriends Two days & that's the coverup? No wonder they're last in ratings. Hi, Deneen…
— ERIK VADA (@ErikVada) June 16, 2015
@heatherfoxnews @foxandfriends Phoney & forced. Not an aplogy.
— Richard J Werhle Jr ?? (@rwerhle) June 15, 2015
@heatherfoxnews Also she seems to be thoughtfully choosing her words as she is calling him courageous and brave.
— Chris Elmlund (@ChrisElmlund) June 15, 2015
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@heatherfoxnews Then why didn't she clarify right away that she misspoke?
— Chris Elmlund (@ChrisElmlund) June 15, 2015
@heatherfoxnews @Scattermae777M @foxandfriends A lot of TV personalities do not seem to understand what words mean & thus that words matter
— Tom Dooley (@JahMekAWail) June 15, 2015
https://twitter.com/sunnydays878/status/610425185540403200
@heatherfoxnews @foxandfriends if she's not apologizing then she obviously meant what she said!
— Mrs. Me (@chanelgurlO8) June 15, 2015
Texas Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick to @CNN chief Jeff Zucker: Fire host Fredricka Whitfield over #DallasPDShooting comments. https://t.co/mlRHUPGDGf
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) June 15, 2015
Pressure to apologize increased Monday morning when Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick wrote a letter to CNN Worldwide president Jeffrey Zucker calling for CNN to “remove Fredricka Whitfield as news host immediately and permanently” and requesting a written apology to the Dallas Police Department.
“Our police are the ones who are brave and courageous, not the man who tried to kill them,” wrote Patrick. “Law enforcement officials in Texas and across the nation are outraged by the fact that a CNN news host would insult the men and women who demonstrate real courage and real bravery by praising those who attempt to kill them.”
That seems to have done the trick, as NewsBusters notes that Monday’s edition of CNN Newsroom featured Whitfield speaking the actual word “apologize”:
Saturday during a segment on the Dallas police department attack I used the words courageous and brave when discussing the gunman. I misspoke, terribly. I misused those words terribly and I sincerely apologize for making this statement and I understand now how offensive it was and I want to reiterate that in no way do I believe the gunman was courageous or brave. I sincerely apologize.
It took a few tries, but it wasn’t that difficult, was it?
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