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CNN Live Saturday

Congressman Gary Condit Heads Back Home to California

Aired August 04, 2001 - 16:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Former Washington intern Chandra Levy has been missing now for 96 days. Congressman Gary Condit, who police say is not a suspect in the case, is back home in California. And that's where CNN national correspondent Gary Tuchman is today. Hi, Gary.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Donna. And Gary Condit did travel home to Northern California from Washington yesterday. This is his house behind me here in Ceres, California, and he hasn't gotten here yet. His whereabouts are shrouded in mystery, and that apparently is no accident. The man who once told President Bill Clinton that, quote, "to tell the public everything about your private life," is telling the public nothing at this point.

He did talk to two of his constituents back in May, a couple of weeks after Chandra Levy disappeared. Those constituents happen to be Susan and Robert Levy. He told them with a lawyer present he did not have a relationship with their daughter. Well, he hasn't talked to them since, and since then, law enforcement authorities say he did not tell the truth when he told that to the Levys. Now, Robert and Susan Levy say right now they are having a very difficult time dealing with this entire situation.

First, though, we want to tell you a little bit more about Gary Condit. He arrived at San Francisco International Airport yesterday. It was a commercial flight from Washington. While the passengers got off the jetway and into the terminal, he was escorted off the tarmac to a waiting car and he hasn't been seen by the public since.

Now, the search for Chandra Levy continues to go very poorly. Last night, we talked to the parents, and said they are very grateful to the people who have supported them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT LEVY, CHANDRA'S FATHER: It's been really tough. We want to thank everybody for their help and support and their love. You know, we just -- we just...

SUSAN LEVY, CHANDRA'S MOTHER: It's been a stressful week, just so stressful.

R. LEVY: It's always stressful, and we just appreciate everybody's concern and we just hope, you know, they continue to try to help us and continue with the search, and you know, we just ask for justice. That's all we want. We just -- we want justice. We want to find Chandra.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TUCHMAN: What made this a very stressful week is the tip that came in Wednesday that said that Chandra Levy's body could be found in a parking lot in Virginia. Much of the world knew about it from the news. The Levys didn't at the time on Wednesday. Dr. Levy was at work, Mrs. Levy was out at lunch with her friends.

Mrs. Levy came home to her house, she saw more news media crews out there than usual, she also saw a friend and adviser to the family standing on her lawn, Kim Peterson -- she is the executive director of a missing persons group -- she knew something was up. She was very fearful. The two of them hugged. She thought her daughter was confirmed dead.

Then, the hours went by, the Levys realized and found out it was a hoax, and they could not believe that someone could have done something like this, and that's why this week has been especially tough. Donna, back to you.

KELLEY: Gary Tuchman, thanks very much for the latest for us.

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