Rick Sanchez the Apology Machine: Extends New Olive Branch to Jon Stewart, America

Newly unemployed CNN personality opens up about the remarks that prompted his dismissal at CNN

Foot now out of mouth, a humbled Rick Sanchez is finally speaking out.

A day after his wife took to Facebook to offer up an apology on his behalf for calling Jon Stewart a bigot and suggesting Jews run the media, the disgraced ex-CNN anchorman apologized Wednesday for the "inartful comments."

Here's what he had to say...

"On Oct. 4, I had a very good conversation with Jon Stewart, and I had the opportunity to apologize for my inartful comments from last week. I sincerely extend this apology to anyone else whom I may have offended," Sanchez says in a statement.

"As Jon was kind enough to note in his show Monday night, I am very much opposed to hate and intolerance, in any form, and I have frequently spoken out against prejudice. Despite what my tired and mangled words may have implied, they were never intended to suggest any sort of narrow-mindedness and should never have been made."

The Rick's List host was referring to the fake newsman's response on Monday's Daily Show, where, aside from mockingly comparing Sanchez to Michael Scott on The Office, Stewart said he didn't think Sanchez was anti-Semitic and, to prove it, he showed a clip of the newsman upbraiding a neo-Nazi. Stewart ended the segment by saying he thought Sanchez "probably has a good heart."

Good heart or not, the real newsman instantly made himself radioactive to his employers following last Thursday's folly. The Cuban-born Sanchez says he has no hard feelings for the cable news network.

"In the aftermath of these comments, CNN and I have decided to part ways. However, I want to go on record to say that I have nothing but the highest regard for CNN and for my six wonderful years with them," he says. "I appreciate every opportunity that they have given me, and it has been a wonderful experience working for them. I have tremendous respect for everyone there, and I know that they feel the same about me. There are no hard feelings—just excitement about a new future of opportunities."

Sanchez also managed to work in a plug to his mea culpa.

"I look forward to my next step with great anticipation. In the meantime, I will continue to promote my book, Conventional Idiocy, in the hopes of broadening the discussion to get a better understanding between all Americans, regardless of race, creed or religion."

We just hope he gets a better understanding of himself and this doesn't happen again.