NEW YORK -- New York Post Chairman Rupert Murdoch has publicly apologized for a cartoon that critics said compared a violent chimpanzee shot dead by police to President Barack Obama.

Murdoch published a statement Tuesday, saying he wanted to "personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted." He said the Post will work to be more sensitive.

Murdoch said the cartoon last Wednesday was intended only to "mock a badly written piece of legislation."

It depicted the body of the bullet-riddled chimp Travis — killed in Connecticut last week after mauling a woman — and two police officers. The caption said: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

The Rev. Al Sharpton is urging the Federal Communications Commission to review policies allowing Post owner News Corp. to control multiple media outlets in the same market.

The Post also apologized last Thursday in an online editorial.