Fire Liz Trotta.

Liz Trotta, the FOX News contributor who joked, yesterday morning, that it would be good if “we” “knock off” Barack Obama, apologized for her comments, today, at the end (2:45 in) of a bit about Clinton’s RFK assassination statement clarification.

“I am so sorry about what happened yesterday and the lame attempt at humor,” said Trotta, in the patronizing tones of the E. 66th St. matron that she is. “I really just fell all over myself in making it appear that I wished Barack Obama harm, or any other candidate, for that matter. I sincerely regret it and apologize to anybody I have offended. It’s a very colorful political season, and many of us are making mistakes and saying things that we wish we hadn’t said.”

Thanks, Liz. We accept your apology, and perhaps the family of Barack Obama will, too.

Now, FOX, fire her.

In a word, this is wholly insufficient, because it doesn’t get to the core problem at play here.

The central issue is this: How does a professional journalist slip and accidentally joke that a person should be killed? What kind of thinking—what kind of spirit—must you possess for this to exit your mouth as humor?

What Trotta’s almost certainly hoping is that the apology will smooth this out, make it go away, and allow her to finish her 43-year-old journalism career with dignity.

It’s too late for that. There’s a “FOX news has to sack Liz Trotta” petition, online, with a target of 2,000 signatures.

As I write this, it has 4,170 names and often blistering, indignant comments.

Keep it up. Liz Trotta needs to get out of news. Immediately. Now. ASAP. With the quickness.