In a speech last night in Charlotte, Trump said this (reading off the teleprompter):

Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that. And believe it or not, I regret it. And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain. Too much is at stake for us to be consumed with these issues.

But one thing I can promise you is this: I will always tell you the truth.

Trump did not say which of his numerous controversial statements he regretted.  Was it his feuding with the parents of a slain Muslim-American soldier to suggesting “Second Amendment people” could act to stop Hillary Clinton from appointing a liberal Supreme Court?  Was it where he referred to Mexicans as rapists?  Was it making fun of a handicapped reporter?  Or comments about Megyn Kelly’s blood coming from “wherever”?  Criticism of John McCain as a loser because he was captured? Saying “How stupid are the people of Iowa?”  Encouraging his crowds to beat up protesters? His tweet of him eating from a taco bowl to show he loves the Latinos?  Was it his comments on Ted Cruz’s wife, or insinuations that Cruz’s father was involved in the JFK assassination? And so on and so on?

Well, we don’t know what it is that Trump “regrets”.  And probably will never know.

I suppose if you are pre-disposed to disliking Trump, the so-called “apology” is wholly inadequate.  You don’t apologize off a teleprompter, and you are specific about who you “caused personal pain.”  Also, most if not all of his horrible offensive statements were said more than once and/or in tweets (where you can pause and reflect about what you’re going to type).

On the other hand, if you were a Republican a little wary about what he says, maybe this is enough to get you on board.

If he is serious, he’s got to keep this up though.  Every day.  He’s got to stop the thinly-veiled racist comments.  He’s got to try to act like a President to ALL Americans, not just his rowdy crowds.  His comments in Charlotte, plus his outreach to African-Americans in the same speech was a good start, IF you were able to swallow it.

He’s also following up correctly, by visiting Louisiana which is being ravaged by floods.

Unfortunately, the Trump campaign is stepping on its own message, as Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigned moments ago (as I type this) in the wake of campaign shakeup and revelations about Ukraine work. Manafort had lobbied for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians and oligarchs in the past, undercutting American public sympathy for the imprisoned rival of Ukraine’s then-president. Under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, people who lobby on behalf of foreign political leaders or political parties must provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 — Manafort and Gates (another Trump campaign person) failed to do that.

Also, Trump’s “regrets” come one day after hiring Breitbart New’s Steve Bannon to run the campaign, a move seen by most as Trump doubling down on being Trump. And comments last weekend by Trump himself that he won’t pivot.

So the “regret” speech is getting drowned out a little bit.

Also, I find the first sentence in the Trump quote above — “Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing” — very intriguing.  Is sounds like he is saying, “I lashed out angrily only due to the pressure on me” — which isn’t a great case to make when asking for the nuclear codes.

So Trump hires Bannon, starts talking like a normal candidate for one night, ditches Manafort. Where does this all go?

I will say this: the Donald “I regret” Trump approach is, at this point, Trump’s only hope. He simply cannot win solely by pleasing his base.  He needs independents.  Heck, he needs REPUBLICANS.  And the only way he can get those remaining undecideds in his party and outside his party, is to pivot.  Be humble.  THAT is the Trump that the Democrats worry about.  He needs to more of what he did last night in Charlotte, but he needs to do it on a national stage. He clearly should have done that long before now (the Politico headline reads: “Regretful Trump pivots 107 days late”.  Yup).

His first ad… probably prepared before the campaign personnel changes… is the dark doom and gloom ad everyone expected.