Hi. This an enraging subject, and obviously a lot of people want a satisfaction from Joe Paterno they didn't get. His answers are indeed soft -- although I think if you read them again you see some things in there that are pretty revealing, phrases like "I backed away." The story is meant to be neither sympathetic nor unsympathetic. We have a guy who had disappeared from public view and who hadn't said a word since he was fired from his job because his former assistant coach is accused of molesting children. I thought it was important to hear what he had to say for himself, and just tried to give readers a picture of where he is now, what his health situation is, what his thoughts are in response to as many hard questions as I could ask of him in a limited amount of time. The fact that Paterno is in a wheelchair and has trouble breathing isn't a bid for sympathy, it's a fact. I think it's also important to note that so far, the indications from the grand jury and the attorney general's office are that Paterno testified truthfully and is a cooperating witness. It's also true that at least one member of the police force has said that while Paterno fufilled his legal obligation he should have done more morally-- a point that Paterno himself seems to agree with. Somebody asked me earlier today is Paterno is a victim or a perpetrator? The answer, barring any revelations, is that he's of course neither. He was once a very powerful figure at Penn State, that's a good point, and one I tried to make in the last section of the story, but I could have done a better job of that, I agree. It's also true that he's a broken one. Mainly, the story is about Paterno's attempt to give his own account of himself and his actions. You either find him plausible, or not, and readers are clearly deeply, deeply divided. It was tough, tricky interview, compromised by his health and monitored by his attorneys, and I certainly didn't walk away from the interview satisfied. You always wish you could have asked one more question, or a tougher question. But hopefully we provided something that reades found interesting and at least a little bit enlightening or informative. If nothing else, we know how Paterno explains himself to himself. Whether that's worth reading is up to the reader.
Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins hosts a live discussion with readers about her exclusive interview with former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.