The New York Post said "I’m sorry" — sort of — to those who were offended by its champanzee editorial cartoon this week, but it made no apologies to those it says took advantage of the situation. Al Sharpton, we think that means you.

In its apology, the Post says:

To those who were offended by the image, we apologize. However, there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past — and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback. To them, no apology is due. Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon — even as the opportunists seek to make it something else.

The cartoon depicting police officers shooting dead a chimpanizee was supposed to be a jab at the economic stimulus package and the Connecticut chimp attack, but many described it as racist. Others meanwhile said to take the cartoon for what it was and stop playing the race card.

Shouting "shut down the Post," Sharpton led a protest at the paper’s New York headquarters and will lead another one today.

"They thought we were chimpanzees. They will find out we are lions," Sharpton said.

Post officials says many are simply using this scandal to fan the flames of anti-Post sentiment, especially if they’ve been victims of the paper’s ire in the past.  But, according to the Daily News, Sharpton claims past feuds have nothing to do with it. 

"They’ve done a number of cartoons on me over the years, and I’ve never marched on them. They just don’t get it."