misconstrue tr. v. To mistake the meaning of; misinterpret; misunderstand. 

One who admits a mistake wins all the respect that I have been saving for one who never makes any.
     -- Paul Niquette (hey, not bad; I just made that up)

However unlikely, consider the following hypothetical case:

News reports disclose that a candidate for high public office, engaged in secluded meetings with an attractive member of the opposite sex.  The candidate initially denies the stories, but after the accounts are confirmed, calls a news conference.

Assure the public that some people are merely inclined to misconstrue.
Berate the public for doing all that misconstruing.
Condemn all individuals who are most likely to misconstrue.
Denounce the press for writing stories that can be misconstrued.
Express regret for behavior that can be misconstrued.

 ANSWER: All except E.

Which leaves only 1% of the people, who are not assured, who bemoan being berated, who are confirmed misconstuers, or who think the press should go ahead and write stories that can be misconstrued -- and therefore will not support the candidate.

Now, if the candidate were to (E) express regret for behavior that can be misconstrued, the results will be altogether less favorable.

The half who would have (A) accepted the assurances decide to do some misconstruing.  Of the remaining 50%, three out of five will resent being (B) berated for misconstruing.  Half the remaining 20% will take up misconstruing and (C) condemn all individuals who do not misconstrue.  Of the remaining 10%, nine out of ten will (D) denounce the press for not writing more stories that can be misconstrued.

Which leaves only 1% of the people to support the candidate.

Epilog: An original version of this satirical essay was inspired by a passage in E. J. Donne's 1987 article Courting Danger: The Fall of Gary Hart, "Mr. Hart admitted he had erred by "putting myself in circumstances that would be misconstrued" and lashed out at the newspaper for "spotty surveillance."  Four decades later James Fallows asks Was Gary Hart Set Up?