While an apology and some evidence of self-awareness, perhaps even remorse, are better than not, it’s important to recognize the primacy of the actions and decisions that prompted them. If for no reason you punch me in the face and break my nose, then quickly own up to having been a jerk, well, okay, but my nose is still broken and it still hurts like hell.
This blog post is some mix of sincerity, inevitability, and savvy PR maneuver. I don’t know Dave (though I did become acquainted with him after sharing a tent for a weekend in 2001), so I’m only as informed as what I’ve read recently online. He founded a VC firm that encourages and supports women and minority entrepreneurs, which is great. But he clearly has trouble keeping business and libido separate, and that’s a problem for a firm that espouses progressive values.