In an interview with Anderson Cooper scheduled to air on Monday, disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling reveals that (somehow) he has come to the conclusion that while he is sorry for his racist comments, he was also baited into making those statements to former girlfriend V. Stiviano. Sterling says that:
“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.”
While an apology is obviously warranted, he still doesn’t sound quite like a guy ready to really own his mistake. This sort of conditional remorse befits Sterling’s relatively delusional nature and his troubling personal history when it comes to race relations. He asks Cooper, rhetorically:
“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.”
No matter where the Donald Sterling Apology Tour goes from here, it’s not going to get him any public support. But given the massive legal battle about to unfold, he at least needs to pretend to show contrition if he wants to paint a sympathetic picture of himself in court.
[via CNN]
