Calling it a "stupid, silly, one-line aside," he touched on the attention it received. "I think it's an incorrect statement to say I was, in any way, trying to disparage legitimate protests," said Cooper. "I don't think it's my job to disparage, or encourage, which oddly other networks seemed to be doing. Protest is the great right of all Americans, and it's not my job in any way to make fun of people or disparage what they're doing."
Cooper said he regretted making the comment. "If people took offense to that and felt that I was disparaging their legitimate right to protest, and what they were doing, then that is something I truly regret, because I don't believe in doing that," he said. "Having this discussion just takes away from the real story."
(Maybe Anderson Cooper is trying to save face, we may never know the real truth. I believe it was "stupid and silly" and I might add juvenile! VN8)