Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Congressman Gary Condit Working Away From Office

Aired July 13, 2001 - 08:11   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.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: A Georgia Republican is the first congressman calling for Gary Condit's resignation. Bob Barr is saying now that Condit, a California Democrat, should step down in the wake of allegations arising from the Levy investigation.

Our congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl is on Capitol Hill this morning. He has the latest on all of this.

Jonathan, I want to ask you, first with this development, and all the scrutiny that is going on, it kind of begs the question can Congressman Condit really do his job now?

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first on that development, Congressman Bob Barr calling for Gary Condit's resignation, It doesn't exactly come as a surprise to most people on Capitol Hill. Congressman Barr is one of the most conservative members of Congress. He was out in front calling on the president to resign back during the Monica Lewinsky situation. So he's not somebody who has been close to Condit. It's not really considered that serious a development, frankly, on Capitol Hill.

But as far as for Gary Condit going out and doing his job, this is a challenge for Gary Condit. He has become, essentially, a refugee from his own congressional office. He has not actually shown up at his office on Capitol Hill for many days now because there is a group of reporters that are always camped out there, and he doesn't want to face those questions. So Condit has been on Capitol Hill every day. He has been doing his job, essentially -- going to committee hearings, he has been spending a lot of time on the House floor -- but he has had to avoid his very own office, which, of course, is a difficult thing for a member of Congress.

One of Condit's colleagues, somebody who is close to him -- Collin Peterson, a Democrat of Minnesota -- sits next to Condit on the Agriculture Committee, and he said to us yesterday that Condit seems to be trying to do his job even while all of this is going on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. COLLIN PETERSON (D), MINNESOTA: He tells me he's doing his job, and he is. He is showing up at the committee meetings and so forth.

But it's not up to me to tell him how to handle things; that's something he has to deal with. And I feel for him and for his family.

And I especially feel for the family of Chandra Levy. And I wish we could get back to, you know, more of a focus on finding not only Chandra Levy, but the other 140 people that are missing in Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: Linda, Gary Condit really seems to be using the very floor of the House of Representatives, to some degree, as his office. I have noticed he has spent a lot time in the chamber watching what's going on on the floor. And you notice you see Gary Condit down the floor, away from the TV cameras, in the back of the chamber, frequently having one-on-one discussions with other members of Congress and staff members, essentially using that as his place of meeting, because he really can't go to his own office.

STOUFFER: Jonathan Karl, thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com