In the recent kerfuffle over whether Mitt Romney should have waited two hours longer to comment on the rat’s breakfast called the Middle East, or simply shut-up and slunk away like a “good” Republican there is much to be learned.

To quickly review, The U.S. Embassy, Cairo before “protesters” gathered to assault our sovereign territory published a statement in which it apologized to Muslims whose “religious feelings” were hurt by an Internet video in an unfavorable way. The statement is indisputably an “apology:”

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

Nowhere in the statement is there a defense of, or explanation of, our First Amendment right to free speech, the right so vigorously defended by “Progressives” when Jose Serano, with taxpayer dollars, dunked a Crucifix in a urine filled mason jar, called it art, and offended nearly all Christians in particular and most sentient beings of other faiths.

Mr. Romney responded to this nuzzling of Islamists, not to the actual attack on our sovereignty or the near simultaneous assault in Benghazi that took four lives including Ambassador Stevens who was not heroically defended as Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton suggested, but who was, according to reliable reporting in Europe, raped and smothered.

The Administration predictably linked Mr. Romney’s statement to the later attacks to suggest that he was dancing on the remains of the dead. But, more interesting is that the mainstream media quickly embraced that notion, famously asking seven nearly identical questions of Mr. Romney – “Is it true your were a jerk to comment?” – who responded even as Mr. Obama didn’t. The goal was clearly to deflect attention from Mr. Obama, his policies, and his responses to assaults on U.S. interests.

And, therein lies a question: We know that the main-streamers for the most part embrace Mr. Obama’s “Progressive” agenda. But then shouldn’t they tee up the issues, ask him questions he can prattle about and characteristically spin his obscure answers into Churchillian prose?

Then it occurred to us! They don’t ask because of the bigotry of low expectations. And yes, we mean it that way! It’s not so much that they expect Mr. Obama to answer oddly as he did without a teleprompter when he declared that Egypt is neither a friend nor a foe; it’s that “Progressives” are often quiet bigots who assume that successful African-Americans are “affirmative action” products who fulfill “Progressives” need to apologize for America’s Original sin – slavery.  The main-streamers don’t ask because they fear that Mr. Obama is not up to the challenge and they must protect and defend their institutions, lest they be discovered as bigots.