You're not going to get to the White House through emulation of your predecessor. Pursed lips and an inflexibility in your position is precisely how the current regime got the impression they could behave badly and get away with it.
Your vote in 2002 stunk, you know it, we know it and the world knows it. Suck it up and apologize or risk everything. Remember, it's partly due to this behavior that's causing Bush to lose the faith of his base.
YMMV.
