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CNN Live At Daybreak

Condit Set to Break His Silence

Aired August 21, 2001 - 08:09   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We've all heard it now. California Congressman Gary Condit is breaking his silence in the Chandra Levy investigation. He is giving an interview that will air in prime time Thursday night, and for the first time we will hear for ourselves about his relationship with Chandra Levy.

Is it too little too late, though? Mike Doyle is a Washington correspondent for the "Modesto Bee," Condit's hometown paper, which called for his resignation a little more than a week ago.

Good morning, Mike.

MIKE DOYLE, "MODESTO BEE": Good morning.

LIN: So what do you account for the timing of this?

DOYLE: Well, it has been pretty clear that the congressman and his team have wanted to speak publicly, but prior to the Labor Day period and before Congress returns. By doing it now rather than next week, it relieves some of the pressure that's been building up. And we should note this will not be the last media interview that he does. They are now considering other interviews, both with print and electronic media.

LIN: Well, let's read the tea leaves into how this interview is being structured. It's a taped interview, not a live interview. And it's with Connie Chung of the ABC network, not Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters or Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings.

Do you read anything into the profile of the person doing the interview and the format...

DOYLE: Well, it...

LIN: ... as to how he made his choice?

DOYLE: Well, it's a little bit like an outsider trying to determine what goes on inside a marriage. It's a little bit mysterious, but we do know that Connie Chung has had a prior relationship with people in the Condit camp. But we know that she has been pursuing this interview diligently, and we know from the Condit camp's point of view that they wanted someone who they feel comfortable with. They did insist, I understand, that it be tape-to-live to avoid any sort of editing or nefarious editorializing comment from the news division. So each side, both the news people and ABC and the Condit camp, had certain requirements. And apparently they were able to mesh.

LIN: Do you think that he distinguishes in his own mind what he hopes to accomplish in this interview professionally as well as personally?

DOYLE: Well, at this point, the private and the public are intertwined. It was his private relationship, whatever it was, with Chandra Levy that has now cast him in a public light. He is having to explain himself, not just to the national audience, but also to his constituents, which he will do in a letter.

And so, what we're seeing is the intertwining of public and private here. And the benefits for both him, as a man - as a private man, and as a public figure who is running for reelection, probably can't be separated too greatly at this point.

LIN: Now, you know this man. You have covered this man. You have worked for the hometown newspaper. What do you expect to see? Which man do you expect to see - the personal side - the side that we keep hearing about, who personally calls up people to wish them a happy birthday or to, you know, visit people in a nursing home, or the politician, who simply is just trying to save his job?

DOYLE: Well, I think they are probably indivisible parts of a whole. Mr. Condit can be very personable, as you point out. He's got a certain relaxed style about him that particularly comes through when he is in his district. This is going to be a high-profile forum for him. There is obviously a tremendous potential for creating more problems rather than fewer. He can prepare as well as anybody in advance. I think we're going to see a man on a tightrope.

LIN: We shall see Thursday night. Thank you very much, Michael Doyle,...

DOYLE: Thank you.

LIN: ... "Modesto Bee."

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