Rupert Murdoch's Apology: Too little, too late?

Tonight, on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Olbermann and Reverend Al Sharpton discussed Newscorp CEO Rupert Murdoch's apology for the New York Post political cartoon that shocked the nation. For those of you who need a refresher, the Post published a cartoon that revealed police officers shooting a monkey, and the caption read, "They'll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill." This caused a stir because of the apparent racial undertones associated with the image of the monkey, which was obviously meant to be President Barack Obama who had just presented his idea for the Stimulus Bill for the economy. Murdoch issued an apology in the New York Post, but did it truly erase the negative press the cartoon received? Olbermann and Sharpton both agreed the racist cartoon will be remembered for a while, and it was perhaps, too little of an apology for such a shocking image.

However, there is freedom of the press and of speech in our country.

Should newspapers be able to publish whatever they want, even if it is bound to offend readers? Or should the Post have been more respectful of President Obama and the newly passed Stimulus Bill? What do you guys think?