The political world would be a much better place if all public officials knew how to apologize for mistakes the way Louisiana Lt. Gov. Bill Nungesser did on Easter Day.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was interviewing Nungesser about Louisiana’s unusually high incidence of the coronavirus, part of which probably was exacerbated by Mardi Gras celebrations in February. Nungesser was saying there was only one known case in the whole state by the time of Mardi Gras, but that had federal or medical guidance come sooner, officials certainly would have considered canceling Mardi Gras.
That’s when Blitzer noted that even as late as mid-March, Nungesser had criticized New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell for canceling St. Patrick’s Day parades. One of the Louisiana lieutenant governor’s biggest jobs is serving as the state’s chief tourism marketer, and Nungesser at the time said Cantrell was sending the wrong message about the city’s safety.
This is where Nungesser, put on the spot by Blitzer, did something that seems shocking nowadays — he admitted error.
Not only did he refuse to “pass the buck,” as the saying goes, but, while he did explain his thought process, he didn’t even try to make excuses. Instead, he owned up to his error.
“I absolutely do [regret his mid-March statement],” Nungesser said (see beginning at the 2:16 mark here.) “I was wrong, and the mayor was right, and I apologize to her. … The mayor did the right thing, and in hindsight, I was wrong, and she was right. … I was looking at the tourism aspect of it and not knowing what was to come in the weeks to follow that.”
Even in ordinary circumstances in everyday life, this sort of straightforward apology is a model more often desired than displayed. In a time of deadly crisis, coming from a politician, this kind of mea culpa is almost vanishingly rare.
Yet it is probably politically wiser than the weaselly half-apology-half-blame-casting dodges that so many officials attempt. Most people can understand and appreciate confusion and error in dealing with novel challenges. Most voters are more willing to forgive those errors if the officials own up to them. The terms “straight shooter” and “stand-up guy” still carry weight.
Yet most politicians seem nearly incapable of such straight shooting. The best most of them can do is to start with phrases such as, “If someone else was upset or offended, then I wish they had understood me differently.”
Nungesser didn’t resort to such dodges. He played it straight and owned his error. That is how to put mistakes to bed and focus on the next task at hand, in the public interest. Good job.
