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Armstrong on Oprah, Night 2

Our editors and special guests discuss the legal, PR and sporting ramifications of Lance Armstrong's OWN appearance, as well as the historical context of the Texan's career. Editor-in-chief Neal Rogers and VeloNews.com editor Brian Holcombe anchor the conversation and will be joined by reporter Matthew Beaudin, contributors Dan Wuori, Mark Johnson and Ryan Newill, and others.

Good evening and welcome to VeloNews.com's live analysis coverage of the second night of Lance Armstrong's confessional with Oprah Winfrey. To say we were surprised with the way night 1 opened would be an understatement. At the same time, many questions remain, Armstrong remained defiant on a number of key issues, and a 90-minute program lies ahead.

You can catch up on our coverage of last night's broadcast here: live.velonews.com

Editor-in-chief Neal Rogers will anchor our coverage tonight. He has covered Armstrong for a decade and wrote last night about his impressions of the interview. Read them here: velonews.competitor.com

Here's a shot of Neal's "Lance on Oprah" workstation, with a sneak preview of the March issue of Velo magazine with coverboy Peter Sagan. pbs.twimg.com/media/BA7zGuXCcAAsyPT.jpg

by Neal Rogers via twitter edited by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:09:43 AM
Lance and Oprah should be good tonight. The season finale always has a cliffhanger.

by dwuori via twitter 1/19/2013 1:16:27 AM
That's a good looking cover.

by Chris Case 1/19/2013 1:17:03 AM
I am ready for part 2 it has been a heavy 24 hours but lets go and get this done with!

by Kevin Eklund 1/19/2013 1:17:12 AM
For those who asked: BingoStrong pbs.twimg.com/media/BA2hPs5CYAAsJwq.jpg

by Neal Rogers via twitter 1/19/2013 1:20:14 AM
For those who asked: Armstrong/Oprah drinking game pbs.twimg.com/media/BA2hhglCUAArRkw.jpg

by Neal Rogers via twitter 1/19/2013 1:21:00 AM
Last night's admission to Oprah reminded me, very much, of this August 2010 story from The Onion: "Lance Armstrong Wants To Tell Nation Something But Nation Has To Promise Not To Get Mad"

www.theonion.com

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:23:55 AM
Well, he has a little more to say tonight.
Oprah and Lance Armstrong: The Worldwide Exclusive, Part 2 — First Look

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:25:36 AM
Will CNN have post-interview coverage again tonight?

by 이재슨 1/19/2013 1:31:13 AM
@이재슨 Good question. I'm looking into it now...

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:31:43 AM
Here's a clip of Betsy Andreu's reaction last night, on "Anderson Cooper 360" to Armstrong's refusal to discuss the 1996 Indiana University hospital room incident.

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:34:52 AM
I've spent the last hour watching a replay of last night's broadcast. The more I watch it, the more obvious it is how guarded, calculated and insincere Armstrong was. 24 hours ago, I was interested, curious and anxious. After Armstrong's "performance" last night, I'm just cynical, disappointed and anxious.

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:38:47 AM
Betsy Andreu on Anderson Cooper again following Oprah

by Bdstva 1/19/2013 1:39:09 AM
Simeoni said that yesterday's performance was "an admission of guilt. It was not a confession."

by KLNilssen 1/19/2013 1:39:33 AM
Attorney Mark Stichel is joining us now. Mark, we had some questions last night surrounding Floyd Landis' False Claims suit that we didn't get a chance to address. How does that suit work and how does it allow for Landis to be awarded a portion of damages?

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:39:33 AM
If the Government proceeds with the False Claims Act/Qui Tam action that Floyd Landis has initiated for recovery of the $32 Million that USPS paid in sponsorship fees, Landis will get between 15 and 25 percent of any recovery. If the Government declines to proceed and Landis litigates, he will get between 25 and 30 percent of any recovery. The recovery percentages are in the False Claims Act and were increased by Congress in 1986 to encourage whistleblowers to expose fraud. Whether Landis would recover at the lower end or the higher end of the range would depend upon a number of factors. For example: The facts that Landis participated in the fraud against the Government and delayed in reporting it would support a lower award; if he contributed substantial information and provided substantial assistance with respect to the case, it would support a higher award.

by hmstichel 1/19/2013 1:39:52 AM
Interesting. So Landis' delay in reporting the fraud could potential reduce his award, if the suit is successful, but not negate his ability to participate as a plaintiff.

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:41:26 AM
Here's how things started off last night. I was exhausted 20 minutes in. Tonight's promo focuses more on the human element.
Lance Armstrong's Confession

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:47:17 AM
Brian That is correct, Right now the case is under seal while the Government decides whether it wants to take over the case. According to media reports frm the past few days, the decision will be made by Attorney General Eric Holder

by hmstichel 1/19/2013 1:47:59 AM
The big take away I have from last night is that Lance really doesn't have any remorse for what he did, other than attempting the comeback. As he said, if he hadn't attempted a comeback he wouldn't be on the couch opposite Oprah. He's only admitting it now as an attempt to rehabilitate his image and have the (American) public embrace him as a "flawed human being", and in so doing make his "mythology" once more a redemptive narrative. It strikes me as terribly calculating and cynical.

by KLNilssen 1/19/2013 1:49:31 AM
It is nothing less than phenomenal the levels of anxiety so many of us experienced, especially at the beginning of part I, despite the fact we pretty much knew what was coming.

by John Pongrac 1/19/2013 1:49:37 AM
To my knowledge, Landis has not joined the public discourse by people who he attacked and the general cycling community. Any thoughts as to why he has remained silent? Perhaps because of the pending federal whistleblower inquiry.

by Indiedoc 1/19/2013 1:49:49 AM
On that note, Denver-based communications consultant from SE2 Communications, Eric Anderson, is joining us. Eric, what were your impressions of night 1, from a crisis management perspective?

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:49:53 AM
Day 1 was a start for Armstrong but I think today's reaction by public and press highlighted what a steep hill he has to climb. He seemed strong on the admission but weaker on the remorse. In In crisis communications, we talk about the four-point apology. LA effectively completed step one (admit the mistake), but failed at steps two (express remorse), three (acknowledge harm) and four (offer a plan to repair the damage). Perhaps those will come this evening.

by Eric Anderson 1/19/2013 1:50:03 AM
That is certainly the feeling we've gotten today, Eric. The shortcomings were even more apparent to those switching the channel to see Betsy Andreu on the CNN panel following the broadcast.

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:51:33 AM
For Armstrong this just the first stage in very, very long race. We won't know for some time how he will ultimately do. And every word he says will be parsed by those he's harmed and the media, which obviously feels burned.

by Eric Anderson 1/19/2013 1:53:03 AM
Landis is not talking because the False Claims Act requires that an action be sealed until the Government decides whether it wants to participate and Landis cannot talk about while it is sealed.

by hmstichel 1/19/2013 1:55:27 AM
The best thing that happened to LA this week was Manti Te'o.

by Eric Anderson 1/19/2013 1:56:17 AM
If LA get sued by everyone involved and the whistle blower case is brought to fruition, will he be broke? He is apparently worth $100 million. The federal case in the worst scenario would take the majority of his net worth.

by DavidW 1/19/2013 1:56:23 AM
In the preview for tonight's episode, Armstrong tells Oprah that he lost $75M in revenue on the day his sponsors abandoned him.

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:57:13 AM
The countdown...

by Brian Holcombe edited by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 1:57:37 AM
Here's that day the sponsors left, October 17, at VeloNews.com: velonews.competitor.com

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 1:58:36 AM
@hmstichel Thank you for the explanation.

by Indiedoc 1/19/2013 1:59:11 AM
Lance is so lawyered-up that he will probably avoid jail-time, but is his wealth able to withstand the potential lawsuits that come out of this? The only way to hurt this man with no conscience is to take away his money.

by mohai 1/19/2013 1:59:16 AM
Neal, with Lance's admission, do you think those who have enabled his story will be more apt to come forward. I am thinking specifically about his now ex-girlfriend and the Oakley employee who were with Lance, Frankie and Betsy at IU Medical center.

by Rouleur 1/19/2013 1:59:37 AM
@Rouleur My guess is no. No one will step up unless they are compelled to. It's too messy.

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 2:00:13 AM
Is it over yet?

by Dan Wuori 1/19/2013 2:00:29 AM
Branding experts told us that that single day was the most precipitous decline in an athletic icon's value in U.S. history: velonews.competitor.com

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 2:00:34 AM
It's starting....

by Dutch Observer 1/19/2013 2:00:36 AM
Hello everyone.

by Matt Beaudin 1/19/2013 2:00:51 AM
My phone just lit up from an unknown number from Texas. True story.

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 2:01:59 AM
Answer it.

by Matt Beaudin 1/19/2013 2:02:11 AM
LA:
“But I also feel humbled. I feel ashamed. Yea, this is ugly stuff.”

by Matt Beaudin 1/19/2013 2:02:18 AM
LA: "I feel disgraced. Humbled. Ashamed."

by Neal Rogers 1/19/2013 2:02:34 AM
"This is ugly stuff."

by Brian Holcombe 1/19/2013 2:02:34 AM