Would an Apology Help or Hurt?

In this case, an apology was not necessary. Kanye West was speaking out against a political opponent of his, and although he did it in a rash and controversial way, he did not need to cave into people pressuring him to apologize. All that did was force an insincere apology anyway. Kanye is allowed to think that George Bush hates black people - maybe a statement such as this could have pressured George Bush into putting a little more time and effort into helping Katrina victims more swiftly and effectively, in order to avert the image of being a racist. Instead, Kanye instantly rescinded his statements, and George Bush was allowed to go on and on in interviews about how "offended he is by being called a racist." Here's a hint George Bush: don't get "offended," SHOW people how you do care and you can make a difference. That's the best way to make Kanye look like an idiot, not by drawing an insincere apology out of him like a grade school teacher draws out of a kid who pulled his classmate's hair.