POLITICS: Paladino Semi-Apologizes for Anti-Gay Remarks

Carl Paladino has issued a belated and somewhat strange apology for the anti-gay remarks that caused an uproar. "I was handed a script," his statement says. "I redacted some contents that were unacceptable. I did also say some things for which I should have chosen better words. I said other things that the press misinterpreted and misstated," Paladino wrote, apologizing for any comment that may have offended the gay community, although not addressing the substance of his remarks.

In the apology, Paladino admits making mistakes, and stresses that his position on gay marriage is the same as "Barrack" Obama's. "If elected as your governor I will stand and fight for all gay New Yorkers rights," he promises. Gay advocates complained that the apology didn't go far enough, notes the New York Times. "This is not a question of choosing poor words or a misinterpretation of his remarks. His beliefs are wrong and filled with hate," said City Council speaker Christine Quinn, New York City's highest-ranking openly gay official.