Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Reaction to Condit Speaking Out

Aired August 23, 2001 - 07:17   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.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Just a few minutes ago, our Jason Carroll got reaction in New York to Congressman Gary Condit's scheduled interview on network television tonight.

But let's get more from Condit's California congressional district.

We are joined by Inalee Bhend -- she is a Condit supporter -- and Nick Bavaro is a republican activist. Thank you both for being here this morning.

NICK BAVARO, REPUBLICAN ACTIVIST: Thank you.

MCEDWARDS: I understand neither of you have seen the letter that CNN has obtained this morning, but I'd like to just give you a few excerpts from it and talk about it a little bit.

If I could start with you, Inalee. The letter doesn't give an outright apology for his actions -- for his behavior. But it does ask his constituents to understand and saying: "I am not perfect. I have made my mistakes."

In your mind, does this go far enough?

INALEE BHEND, CONDIT SUPPORTER: In my mind, that's an apology. This has been a very public thing, and for a proud and decent man to come in front of people and apologize -- to say that he's not perfect, that's a pretty big step for

(CROSSTALK)

MCEDWARDS: Nick, what do you think?

BAVARO: Well, I haven't seen the letter yet. I would hope that in this letter that he has written, he starts out by saying that he apologizes to the Levy family for not being forthright, he apologizes to his constituents for not being truthful in the beginning of this matter, and to explain his side of the story and ask his constituents for forgiveness.

Again, I haven't seen the letter.

MCEDWARDS: Yes. Well, he says -- let me just give you a little more of quoting from it, because I realize you don't have it there. Right off the top, as you suggest, he says: "I am sorry that the pain the Levy family and Chandra's friends are feeling has grown worse with each passing day. When Chandra's dad called me to tell me to tell me she was missing, he asked for my help. I contacted the police to see if a reward fund would help find her. They said it would, so I helped start one."

Nick?

BAVARO: I find it interesting that -- I find it interesting that the first day he offered a reward fund, I think maybe you might want to look at why he did that. Did he know where she was, or what happened? Did he say anything like that in his letter?

MCEDWARDS: And do you -- I mean, do you still think, Nick, in your mind, do you still think it's possible he knows more about this case than he has told the public, and that he needs to go farther with that today, especially in his interview coming up tonight? What do you think?

BAVARO: Well, that's a very good question, and I think we'll find out this evening how far -- how much he does know and how far he is willing to go. And then the public opinion in his congressional district will be formulated, and they'll make a decision if he has been forthright or if he's holding back. So we'll just have to wait and see exactly what he says...

MCEDWARDS: Inalee, what...

BAVARO: ... and what he has to...

MCEDWARDS: ... Inalee, what do you think?

BHEND: Well, I...

MCEDWARDS: What do you think he has to do tonight? I mean, does he have to acknowledge the affair? Does he have to get into his family issues as well? Do you think that's important for people in Modesto? Or is that more a Washington issue at this point?

BHEND: I think that's really more Washington. What he needs to do tonight is to reach out and begin the dialog with the people here who have known him and trusted him for 30 years. Their trust has been broken through a lot of confusing information -- that some of it is accurate and some of it isn't -- that's been parlayed through different parts of the press.

And he certainly needs to not begin and end tonight, and I don't think he will. He never has.

MCEDWARDS: Inalee Bhend, Nick Bavaro -- we've got to leave it there. Thank you both for your thoughts this morning -- really appreciate it.

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