I disagree with the latter definition also. I feel that cynicism does have a negative connotation. Cynical people, in my opinion, find a way to bring out the negative in a situation and attempt to make the culprit look worse. It is very hard to change the views of a cynical person. In this situation, I feel that what he did was wrong, but that the press could be taking the words and flipping them to make the situation look worse. I feel this is a way to bring more attention to the case. Also, I think he is taking the right approach to ensure the best outcome for what he has done. If he resigns, he stays in control. I think he should because I personally don't feel that someone in such a position should be modeling that sort of behavior.