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Armstrong's lawyers reportedly demanded that "60 Minutes" make an on-air apology for last month's report, and called the story "extraordinarily shoddy to the point of being reckless and unprofessional, or a vicious hit-and-run job." The part that got their attention, and that could really damage Armstrong if it turns out to be true, is the report that he failed a drug test at the 2001 Tour de Suisse and the results were quashed with the help of the International Cycling Union and a cash donation from Armstrong. Jeff Fager, chairman of CBS News, said the show "stands by its story as truthful, accurate and fair," and pointed out inaccuracies in the lawyer letter. One of Armstrong's crisis advisers these days, by the way, is former L.A. City Hall and Democratic Party bigwig Mark Fabiani. LAT, Bloomberg
Also this today, from AP in Los Angeles: "The director of the Swiss anti-doping laboratory informed federal authorities last fall that Lance Armstrong's test results from the 2001 Tour de Suisse were 'suspicious' and 'consistent with EPO use.'" Fabiani's response: "It is time for the press to stop giving comfort to this lawless form of character assassination and name names. Who is leaking this information? Whoever is doing so is committing a crime and should be investigated for it."