Levi: Wish I Didn't Say Sorry to Sarah Palin

(CBS/ AP)  Levi Johnston has been tight-lipped since his second engagement to Bristol Palin ended roughly a month ago -- about a week after they announced they were getting married.

Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandson, says he wishes he hadn't apologized for telling lies about the former Alaska governor because he's "never lied about anything."

In an exclusive interview with CBS News Correspondent Betty Nguyen on "The Early Show" Friday, Johnston, who has appeared nude on the cover of Playgirl, said, "I don't really regret anything. But the only thing I wish I wouldn't have done is put out that apology, 'cause it kind of makes me sound like a liar. And I've never lied about anything. So that's probably the only thing. The rest of the stuff I can live with."

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The interview was taped Thursday in Los Angeles.



Johnston is the two-time ex-fiance of Bristol, Palin's eldest daughter, and the father of Bristol's son, Tripp. Bristol Palin's teen pregnancy thrusted the couple into the national spotlight during Sarah Palin's run as the GOP's vice presidential candidate in 2008.

Johnston has expressed an interest in politics, filing papers last week to run for office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, next year.

While he hasn't officially declared which political office he aspires to, his manager, Tank Jones, has said Johnston is interested in a run for mayor or city council. Earlier this month, Jones confirmed the 20-year-old Johnston planned to run for office as part of a reality TV show.

Wasilla is where Palin got her political start, first as a council member and then as mayor.

Johnston said he hopes he could be a better mayor of Wasilla than Palin. "I can't guarantee or promise you anything but I'm gonna try. ..That's the goal," he said on the show.

He predicted he'd win, which would, he said, mean he's "going to have to give Hollywood up for three years."

"You've never run for a political office before," Nguyen pointed out. "You don't have a high school diploma. What are your qualifications to become mayor of Wasilla?"

"I really don't think it's (becoming mayor) about qualifications," Johnston responded. ... It's really about, you know, the people liking you and believing in you."

"But you make it sound like it's a popularity contest," Nguyen said. "Running for mayor, that office is a serious job."

"Oh, it's definitely serious, you know?" Johnston replied. ... Obviously, you want people's votes, and at the end of the day, it is kind of popularity."

Did the fact that Sarah Plain onoce held that office factor into his decision to run?

"I don't care what she did or where she was at. I'm doing it because I want to," Johnston insisted.

Asked why he and Bristol broke up a second time, Johnston answered, "It was just miserable for the both of us. … We were constantly fighting, just trying to make it work for Tripp. And it just wasn't the right thing to do."

Bristol is reportedly set to do "Dancing with the Stars."

"I recently heard that, yeah. Great. Go for it!" Johnston chuckled.

In an interview with People magazine, Bristol accused Johnston of ruining their relationship with his hunger for fame, saying he's obsessed with the limelight and, as Nguyen put it, "that she was played."

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[cdenisew61]

It really amazes me how this young man and his baby mama continues to make headline news and how everything is viewed through a political philosophy, Republican, Democrat, Tea Party and on and on and on. When did common sense,decency,and just plain old responible values become ascribed to one particular political party and stop being a virtue for all humanity. Now it is hard to phathom how a serious news network with professional reporters who are some of the best talent this country has to offer (and CBS is not the only ones guilty of this nonsense NBC and ABC as well)can think that the daily shanigans of the young man are headline news worthy. Only in America can you become famous or a celebrity without having made a real contribution to the world of anything; literature, music, science, education, wait-does he have one? What about this young man and his baby's mother do you find intriguing? Let's see: he had unprotected sex, with the girl who happens to be the daughter of Alaska's governor, she got pregnant, he, she and her family tried to hide it from the America people while her mother ran for the second highest office in the land on a family value platform. UMMM. Nobody even knows if this young man is even telling the truth. It's the same story over and over, he said it, then he said he's sorry, now he takes it back. What???? The very behavior that these two young people are being celebrated for is the very behavior that responsible parents are trying to deter their children from but certainly not with the help of mainstream media. Please somebody give me a break.

[itmaiden-2009]

This guy is a psychopath. It isn't about "money". He is mentally and spiritually disturbed. Too easy to be fooled by his looks.
Van Sloot is good looking too, but had the same aberrant behavior.

Young ladies, run from guys like this ! They only bring you misery.

Leave him in the dust Bristol !

[gthog]

So has the morning show really had this scumbag on SIX times? Do you wonder why no one takes you seriously?

I love the lefty hate of Sarah Palin - you jackasses really show your true colors.

Tell us again what a "genius" Joe Biden is, so we can laugh at you.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Quantrill13]

Levi is the lowest scum dirt-bag outside of O.J. I've heard seen! He does not deserve an interview!

[Quantrill13]

The day this weasel scum-bag tells the truth about anything will be the day Chicken-Little's sky will fall!

[toridorio]

I wish all these people would get a life. Don't understand why the media
(well I understand Fox News) gives them the time of day. Johnston and the Palins are all a bunch of losers. Just shows what the country is coming to. Very sad.

[sieben13]

Do like they would have or will do. Write a TELL ALL BOOK and make MONEY. That's what they are all about & secondly don't be so naive,you are dealing with SHARKS

[amulette]

Levi,the best thing for you is to put as much distance as you can between yourself and this f**ked-up family.

[JV1970]

You mean the other way around don't you? Bristol needs to put as much distance between herself and this jerk as she can!

[Michael0713]

Levi Johnson, you are a low-life loser by any standard.

[joe1429]

YES, HAHA

[choiceshaveconsequences]

Twice he promised he would. Twice he didn't.
If that isn't lying, do you know what isn't?