Roger Ailes Apologizes to ADL for Calling NPR Officials Nazis: ‘In My Considered Opinion, ‘Nasty, Inflexible Bigot’ Would Have Worked Better’

By Alex Weprin 

Fox News chairman & CEO Roger Ailes has sent a letter to the Anti Defamation League, apologizing for comments he made to The Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz. As we reported earlier, Ailes compared NPR executives to Nazis in the interview.

TVNewser has obtained excerpts from the letter Ailes sent to ADL National Director Abe Foxman earlier today.

While Ailes apologizes to  Foxman for the inappropriate reference, he makes it clear that he does not believe an apology is in order for NPR:

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“This morning you might be receiving calls because I used the word ‘Nazi attitudes’ to describe the NPR officials who fired Juan Williams. I was of course ad-libbing and should not have chosen that word, but I was angry at the time because of NPR’s willingness to censor Juan Williams for not being liberal enough.”

“I’m writing this just to let you know some background but also to apologize for using ‘Nazi’ when in my now considered opinion, ‘nasty, inflexible bigot’ would have worked better. Juan Williams is a good man and like you, a friend. And my friends never have to worry about me sticking up for them—even if I’m occasionally politically incorrect I never leave any doubts about my loyalty.”

Warm regards,

Roger

The ADL’s response, after the jump.

ADL Accepts Apology From Fox News CEO Roger Ailes For Inappropriate “Nazi” Remark

New York, NY, November 18, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has accepted an apology from Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of Fox News Channel, for his use of the expression “Nazi attitudes” in an interview to describe officials at National Public Radio.

In a letter to Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, Mr. Ailes wrote that he was sorry for using the term “Nazi” in an interview with The Daily Beast.  “I was of course ad-libbing and should not have chosen that word,” he wrote, “but I was angry at the time because of NPR’s willingness to censor Juan Williams for not being liberal enough.”

“I welcome Roger Ailes apology, which is as sincere as it is heartfelt,” said Mr. Foxman, a Holocaust survivor.  “Nazi comparisons of this nature are clearly inappropriate and offensive. While I wish Roger had never invoked that terminology, I appreciate his efforts to immediately reach out and to retract his words before they did any further harm.”

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