Rick Sanchez appeared on Good Morning America today to apologize for calling Jon Stewart a “bigot” and suggesting that Jews run the media. It was his first interview since CNN fired him for his comments.
Sanchez acknowledged that he had “screwed up,” characterizing his words as “careless” and “inartful.” Then he attempted to explain the mindset that had led to them. “I was exhausted…my daughter had a softball game I desperately wanted to go to, and I was a little impatient. And I said some things I shouldn’t have said.”
When George Stephanopoulos asked Sanchez if he’d intended his comments to be anti-semitic, Sanchez responded, “that is not what I meant.” He did, however, acknowledge that he had “a chip on [his] shoulder” and that he was “angry” about the lack of diversity in cable news.
“I was feeling a little bit put out. And I was feeling a little sensitive. And I was looking at the landscape and I was looking and I was seeing [a lack of diversity] and I externalized the problem and I put it on Jon Stewart’s shoulders and I was wrong to do that,” he said.
Sanchez had nothing but praise for the network that fired him. “CNN is a wonderful, wonderful organization,” he said. “They treated me well and took care of my family and I owe them loyalty because they have been good to me.” He also had kind words for Stewart, who he described as “the classiest guy in the world.”
Sanchez first made the controversial comments on Peter Dominick’s radio show on September 30. They promptly led to his dismissal. He later apologized–and received a healthy dose of mocking from both Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
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