Big Fat Lying Politician Wanna Be

Malcolm Stevenson ("Steve") Forbes, Jr. issued a statement saying the article published in Forbes magazine online suggesting that men will be happier with stay at home wives “clearly hit a very sensitive nerve.”
“The piece was intended to be part academic and part humorous. Instead, it profoundly offended hardworking career women everywhere. We deeply regret having done so.”
For the last two days I've examined this issue; first in song, and second, in subterfuge. Today, this subject shall end as so many do, with an apology. Harry Shearer - actor, writer, political satirist - posits that non-professionals are well advised to avoid attempts at humor. He also has a feature on his radio program called "Le Show" titled "Apologies of the Week." Apparently material from the former category fuels the latter.
This is, however, not such an example.
Clearly, the article was intended to cause publicity. That said, this apology is more of a cheer (we HIT the sensitive nerve!) mixed with a lame excuse (we MEANT to be academic AND funny). Further, it acknowledged only that these predictably touchy bitches got pissed off.
But he won this battle. He got publicity for his online venture, and got working chicks to do it for him. Touche!
Steve's always reminded me of Barron Hilton (son of Conrad, who built the hotel chain). Conrad was a fierce capitalist, building a valuable brand over his lifetime by shrewdly buying property and erecting hotels one at a time in the right place at the right time. Barron was his kid, whose greatest achievement may have been winning the nine year lawsuit against his father's estate for the interitance not dumped on his lap. Otherwise, he was a bit....slow.
Steve's dad Malcolm was also a larger than life self-made man who loved the finer things in life. Often pictured on his yacht gulping champagne with Elizabeth Taylor or riding motorcyles with his buddies, he was an unabashed alpha male. Steve is his little Barron, needing influential daddy to secure his place in Princeton, and had 51% of the media empire dropped on his lap without the need for a messy lawsuit. When he ran for president I, the avowed capitalist, thought two things: one, his flat tax proposal had absolutely zero chance of getting anywhere; and two, he looks like a goof.
Sorry, Lieberman sounds like Elmer Fudd and Steve looks like a goof. Fatal presidential flaws. Sorry.
Clearly, Steve isn't sorry. My concern is that we're so heavily insulated under a mantel of political correctness and inevitable apologies, that we can't see bullshit for what it is. Left to his own devices, stripped of his PR reps, Steve would show his true colors. He's a slightly above average goof who was running the business his daddy gave him into the ground. Kickin' it into a hole. Selling his inherited Faberge eggs, his jet, and more.
Conde Nast, publisher of such dodgy fare as "New Yorker" and "Vogue" magazine, passed up investing in Steve's enterprise before Bono and friends came along, balking at the high price. They have, however, no idea how to see the future in online Forbes - a much wider audience, and a business model that is, well, being worked on by people with lots of money (and a need for media - the bubble grandson of tech and real property).
If this planted story results in enough eyeballs on Forbes online to result in a profitable business model, I've badly misjudged Steve. But I kept my clients away from Enron because the cash flow didn't jive, and I taught my Security Analysis students that if people with lots of money tell you what's chic, run.
Time will tell.