Features

Simon says he’s sorry for photo

Erica Werner The Associated Press
Tuesday October 15, 2002

LOS ANGELES — Bill Simon is sorry. 

He finally said so Monday morning, badgered into the admission by a talk radio host. 

The Republican candidate for governor spent the past week parsing his words carefully, saying he “regretted” wrongly accusing Gov. Gray Davis of illegal fund-raising, but never saying he was sorry. 

Simon’s aides insisted Davis owed Simon an apology for distorting his record in attack ads, not the other way around. They said Simon would never apologize to Davis. Maybe he still hasn’t. 

He didn’t say Davis’ name, but Simon broke down and did say the “s” word under nagging from KGO-AM host Ronn Owens, who insisted that a wife stood up by her husband on her anniversary wouldn’t accept “regret.” 

“To me regret and sorry are the same thing, Ronn,” Simon said. 

“Well if they’re the same thing then say I’m sorry,” Owens said. 

“I’m sorry,” Simon said, sounding more frustrated than contrite. 

“There you go. You apologize to the governor,” Owens said. 

“There you go,” Simon said. 

Simon last week accused Davis of illegally accepting a campaign check in the state Capitol. A day later he was forced to acknowledge the 1998 photographs he was using as evidence were taken in a Santa Monica home.