It's an old truth about politicians that voters love to forgive them, but that to win forgiveness they must first confess error.

By confessing error, the Solicitor General declares that the federal government's position, which prevailed in the lower court, was wrong.

In 2011, the Acting Solicitor General officially confessed error in that regard.

He has lost the confidence of Congress and this will not be restored by confessing error and promising to "take charge" in his last two years.

Enron executives are not the only ones who dislike confessing error.

They say we would rather take cyanide than confess error.

He confessed error, notably on breaking his "no new taxes" pledge.

Honorable prosecutors often confess error in such circumstances, at least acquiescing in a new sentencing hearing before a fully informed jury.

Problem: Malpractice lawyers profit when hospitals confess error.

The candidate returned an hour later to confess error: Job was in the Old Testament, not the New.