Martin Bashir is an MSNBC talk-show host and liberal commentator who on Friday said some horribly offensive things about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Today he apologized for his remarks.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/11/18/msnbcs_bashir_apologizes_for_saying_someone_should_defecate_on_sarah_palin.html

I didn’t hear the remarks as he said them on TV. I caught up with the remarks over the weekend from online publications. I heard them and was appalled. The link attached here carries additional links to what he said at the time. Take a look and have a listen. I think you’ll agree with his apology.

Two points need to be made about Bashir’s apology.

First is that he didn’t qualify it with one of those “If anyone was offended … ” non-apologies. He said he is sorry, period. He knew he crossed a line of decency and civility and was man enough to offer the unqualified expression of regret to Palin, her family, friends and political supporters.

Second is that Bashir and others have been correctly critical over many years of some of the discourse that has emanated from those on the other side of the political divide. They have taken others to task for untruthful statements and outright lies about public policies.

The deeply divided nation can debate policy differences without resorting to the kind of ugliness that presents itself from time to time. From the left and the right it has revealed its ugly side.

To that end, Bashir promised to be more thoughtful and circumspect “in the days ahead.”

I hope the folks on the other side, those on the right and the far right, follow Bashir’s lead.