NEW YORK – After two days of protests, the New York Post apologized Thursday for a cartoon that some have interpreted as comparing President Barack Obama to a violent chimpanzee gunned down by police. But the newspaper also said its longtime antagonists exploited the image for revenge.

The qualified apology didn't mollify at least some of the cartoon's critics, who said they might continue protesting Friday.

The newspaper posted an editorial on its Web site Thursday evening saying the cartoon was meant to mock the federal economic stimulus bill, but "to those who were offended by the image, we apologize."

The piece was posted hours after 200 picketers chanting "Boycott the Post! Shut it down!" marched in front of the paper's office, saying the cartoon echoed racist stereotypes of blacks as monkeys.

The editorial said that "most certainly was not its intent," adding that some media and public figures who have long-standing differences with the paper saw the cartoon "as an opportunity for payback."

Calling them "opportunists," the editorial said: "To them, no apology is due."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who helped lead the outcry over the cartoon, criticized what he called the paper's "conditional statement" of regret.

"Though we think it is the right thing for them to apologize to those they offended, they seem to want to blame the offense on those (who) raised the issue, rather than take responsibility for what they did," he said in a statement.

The tabloid, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., is known for its feisty attitude, provocative headlines and conservative outlook — a mix that has garnered hundreds of thousands of readers, but also criticism over the years.

The newspaper had stood by the cartoon, which its editor called "a clear parody" about the death of Travis, the chimp that Connecticut police killed Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner. Editor-in-chief Col Allan had said the intent was to ridicule Washington's efforts to revive the economy.

The drawing by longtime Post cartoonist Sean Delonas, published Wednesday, shows a dead chimp and two police officers, one with a smoking gun. The caption reads, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

The Post was picketed and deluged with angry calls, with some of Thursday's marchers carrying signs that said "Jail Billionaire N.Y. Post Owner Rupert Murdoch."

"We make them and we break them with our money, and we should shut it down," said protester Angela Brown, who carried a glossy photo of Obama.

Some protesters said the cartoon not only underscored racist tropes but even suggested that Obama should be shot.

"Since when can you call for the killing of the president of the United States?" demanded City Councilman Charles Barron.

NewYork Post Contact Info:

1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036-8790
(212) 930-8000

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LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The California home of an unemployed woman who triggered an outcry after giving birth to octuplets is under threat of foreclosure, legal documents showed Thursday.

The three-bedroom property in suburban Los Angeles, owned by the mother of 'octo-mom' Nadya Suleman, could be auctioned in June after a default notice was filed on February 9 indicating loan arrears of more than 23,000 dollars.

The gossip and entertainment news website TMZ.com reported that Suleman's mother, Angela, had made no payments on the property since May.

The Suleman family was not immediately available for comment but are to hold a press conference in Los Angeles later Thursday.

The foreclosure is the latest twist in the saga of Suleman and her octuplets, who were born on January 26.

Her case has provoked outrage from health experts and the public after it emerged the babies were conceived through in vitro fertilization and that Suleman, 33, already had six children under the age of seven.

Suleman's mother last week criticized her daughter's decision to have octuplets as "unconscionable," while fertility experts slammed the Beverly Hills clinic that carried out her treatment.

Under guidelines issued by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a woman Suleman's age should have no more than two embryos implanted.

Experts say multiple-birth babies are often born prematurely -- Suleman's octuplets were born nine-and-a-half weeks early -- which puts them at significantly greater risk of long-term health problems.

The Medical Board of California is investigating the case.

Last week, Suleman's former spokesman said the mother of 14 had received death threats and was staying at an undisclosed location as a security precaution.

   Did anyone happen to see Steve at Stonecrest yesterday? I got in line around 6-ish. The line started movin at about 7:40 or so. It was fast moving from there. You got to have your book personalized with your name and all that. I couldn't help but to feel a bit rushed though. I guess you have to do it like that with 200 people in line. Anyways it was kool. I got to meet my first celebrity!  He looks exactly the same in person as he does on T.V. Thats a first! But did anybody catch the big Hunk of a Man wearing the suit?!  

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