Winfrey: Armstrong interview will satisfy viewers

The Associated Press, Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 7:26am (PST)

NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey says she and her TV crew were "mesmerized and riveted" by some of Lance Armstrong's answers during a 2 1/2-hour interview in which the cyclist acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs.

Speaking on "CBS This Morning," Winfrey talked about how Monday's interview was arranged over a lunch with Armstrong in Hawaii and said he seemed ready to answer tough questions about drug use during a career in which he won seven Tour de France titles — victories now stripped from him.

Describing Armstrong's demeanor, Winfrey says, "I felt that he was thoughtful, I thought that he was serious, I thought that he certainly had prepared for this moment. I would say that he met the moment." She says she was "satisfied" with the answers.

Winfrey adds that no lawyers were allowed in the room during the interview and that during a break Armstrong asked if there would be a point when the questions would lighten up.