Guthrie said that, in the book, Moore "seem[ed] to come very close to offering regret for saying that".
Both Mr. Obama and the defense secretary, Leon E. Panetta, called Mr. Karzai, promising a full investigation and offering deep regrets and an assurance that anyone involved in the killings would be held to account.
One week later, a delegation of Swedish officials travelled to Riyadh, carrying letters from Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and King Carl XVI Gustaf, to try to soften relations, explaining that Wallström had not intended to criticize Islam and offering official regrets for any misunderstanding.
More Politics News With the loss of his party's unilateral control of the Senate, Mr. Obama pivoted to acknowledge the deep public anger on display in Tuesday's special election in Massachusetts, offering limited regrets for losing touch and signaling that he may scale back some of the sweeping ambitions he brought into office just one year ago to the day.
It was an extraordinary joint mea culpa, the four remaining panelists of ESPN's "Sunday N.F.L. Countdown" offering their regrets yesterday for failing to comment last Sunday on Rush Limbaugh's absurd contention that the news media wanted Donovan McNabb to succeed because he is black.
In retrospect, and offering no regrets, he would describe his attempt on the president as "the greatest love offering in the history of the world".
Kelso concluded by offering "sincere regrets" to the family of Clayton Hartwig and apologies to the families of those who died, "that such a long period has passed, and despite all efforts no certain answer regarding the cause of this terrible tragedy can be found".
The difference between apologizing and simply offering a "regret" may seem semantic.
But behind the outward modesty is a craftsman who stubborn upholds the verities of 1960's songwriting, placing supple melodies atop unexpected harmonies and offering wistful regret and consolation in equal parts.
