Notorious bigot and soulless slumlord Donald Sterling sat down with Anderson Cooper for an exclusive interview that will air Monday night at 8:00 PM. Sterling was sure to get “I’m sorry” and “I’m not a racist” on record, but not without wandering off the PC/PR trail. Sterling threw shade at Magic Johnson, claimed he was baited into making the comments heard on the infamous tape, and of course prefaced his apology with the unmoving qualifier: “If I said anything wrong.”
Below is a sample of baffling quotes from the Sterling-Cooper (worst Mad Men storyline ever) interview, courtesy of CNN. Emphasis added.
The apology:
“If I said anything wrong, I’m sorry.”
On Magic Johnson:
“He’s a good person. I mean, what am I going to say? Has he done everything he can do to help minorities? I don’t think so. But I’ll say it, he’s great. But I don’t think he’s a good example for the children of Los Angeles.“
What it’s like to listen to the tape:
“When I listen to that tape, I don’t even know how I can say words like that. … I don’t know why the girl had me say those things.“
On whether he was “set up”:
“Well yes, I was baited. I mean, that’s not the way I talk. I don’t talk about people for one thing, ever. I talk about ideas and other things. I don’t talk about people.“
On whether he’s a racist:
“I’m not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I’m here with you today to apologize and to ask for forgiveness for all the people that I’ve hurt.”
On whether he deserves another chance:
“I’m a good member who made a mistake and I’m apologizing and I’m asking for forgiveness. Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again … If the owners feel I have another chance, then they’ll give it to me.”
The full interview airs tonight at 8:00 PM on CNN. Charles Barkley won’t be tuning in:
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