In the face of angry protests outside its offices, the New York Post has apologized, with qualifications, for publishing a cartoon about the stimulus package showing a dead chimpanzee that many readers saw as representing President Obama. But in its half-hearted mea culpa, the Post made little direct reference to the racist stereotype that sparked the controversy in the first place.

Los Angeles Times:

After two days of protests, the New York Post apologized Thursday for a cartoon that some have interpreted as comparing President Obama to a violent chimpanzee gunned down by police.

The newspaper posted an editorial on its website Thursday evening saying the cartoon was meant to mock the federal economic stimulus bill, but “to those who were offended by the image, we apologize.”

The piece was posted hours after 200 picketers chanting “Boycott the Post! Shut it down!” marched in front of the paper’s office, saying the cartoon echoed racist stereotypes of blacks as monkeys.

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