After Part 1 of cyclist Lance Armstrong's confession about doping aired Thursday night on the Oprah Winfrey Network, the Livestrong cancer charity he helped found released a statement that says, in part:
"We at the LIVESTRONG Foundation are disappointed by the news that Lance Armstrong misled people during and after his cycling career, including us. Earlier this week, Lance apologized to our staff and we accepted his apology in order to move on and chart a strong, independent course. We look forward to devoting our full energy to our mission of helping people not only fight and survive cancer, but also thrive in life after cancer.
"Even in the wake of our disappointment, we also express our gratitude to Lance as a survivor for the drive, devotion and spirit he brought to serving cancer patients and the entire cancer community. Lance is no longer on the Foundation's board, but he is our founder and we will always be grateful to him for creating and helping to build a Foundation that has served millions struggling with cancer."
Krishnadev live blogged for us during the Oprah broadcast Thursday night. Part 2 airs tonight (and will be webcast) at 9 p.m. ET. We're planning to live blog during that as well.
As for some of the after-interview reports about what Armstrong had to say, here's a sampling:
-- "We knew what was coming on Monday. That's when Armstrong and Winfrey taped the 2 1/2 hour interview, and when leaks about a confession killed some of the buzz leading up to last night. But still, after all the angry noes, it was startling, finally, to hear Lance Armstrong say yes, so many times." (NPR's Tom Goldman, on Morning Edition)
-- "Right from the start and more than two dozen times ... the disgraced former cycling champion acknowledged what he had lied about repeatedly for years, and what had been one of the worst-kept secrets for the better part of a week: He was the ringleader of an elaborate doping scheme on a U.S. Postal Service team that swept him to the top of the podium at the Tour de France time after time." (ESPN.com)
-- "Appearing somber but clear-eyed during the 90-minute broadcast, Armstrong, 41, admitted to taking illegal performance enhancers EPO and testosterone, and to transfusing his own blood -- all of which he referred to as his 'cocktail' -- during the course of winning an unprecedented seven Tours, from 1999 to 2005. 'I view this situation as one big lie that I repeated lots of times,' he said." (Bicycling magazine)
-- "Armstrong described himself as an arrogant bully, someone who needed to be in control. He said his behavior was ridiculous as he lied and covered up the evidence that he used a 'cocktail' of drugs to become one of the most recognized athletes on the planet. 'I see the anger in people and the betrayal,' Armstrong told interviewer Oprah Winfrey. ... 'It's all there with the people who supported me, believed in me. They have every right to feel betrayed. It's my fault. I'll spend rest of my life trying to earn back trust and apologize to people for the rest of my life.' " (Austin's American-Statesman)
Note: That's just a question, not a scientific survey of public opinion.
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