Bette Midler musters up mea culpa for her xenophobic remark about Melania Trump

As we've come to understand, left-wing entertainer Bette Midler can dish out the disses with the best of them — particularly when her target is President Donald Trump.

But it would appear that even a Hollywood icon like Midler isn't always strong enough to withstand public outrage.

What happened?

See, when first lady Melania Trump headlined the second night of the Republican National Convention this week, Midler thought it would be a wise idea to live tweet her reactions.

And the insults flowed from Ms. Wind Beneath My Wings, who called the first lady an "illegal alien" and followed that barb by saying, "Oh, God. She still can't speak English."

Midler also compared her to a mail-order bride. "I'm surprised Trump wants to destroy the #PostOffice. He got all his wives from it," she said.

What was the response?

Midler's comments, particularly about Mrs. Trump's English-speaking abilities, were met with massive backlash accusing her of racism and xenophobia:

• "There is no one as racist and xenophobic as the tolerant left. To think that when I was growing up in Africa I fiercely admired you and many others who now are showing how low and hateful they can be. I'm ashamed for you," one person said.
• "As a Mexican immigrant I am very offended at your prejudice! My hard working parents with accents love and value this country! We put everything into what we do and do not expect to be treated unfairly because we may not sound like you ! Practice what you preach!" another person said.
• "Oh hey look everyone... a washed up, dumpy old lady racist," another person responded.
• "She speaks 6 languages, English is one of them. How about you?" another person said.
• "You are the epitome of everything you hate," another person pointed out.
• "Attacking an immigrant because of her accent. The loving and tolerant left," another person responded.
• "I'd rather listen to Melania speak than listen to you sing," another person mocked.
• "No, she's just speaking with an accent. You, however, are a fool in any language," Ben Shapiro said.
• "An immigrant woman, who doesn't have English as her first language, just got up on on a stage and was so gracious that she refused to attack classless people like you and instead focused on hope and positivity. I'll take her accent over your ghoulishness any day," another person said.

Doubling down — then crying 'uncle!'

After the deluge of criticism, Midler appeared to double down and defend herself: "Just giving them a taste of their own immigrant bashing medicine."

But just hours later it apparently became clear that she was going to lose this battle in the court of public opinion — and Midler apologized:

"Well, all hell has broken loose because I said Melania 'still can't speak English' last night," she tweeted Wednesday. "I was wrong to make fun of her accent. America is made up people who speak with all kinds of accents, and they are all welcomed always."

Oh, Bette, did you ever know that you're my hero — and everything I would like to be?