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American Morning

Reports Gary Condit May Retreat to Private Sector

Aired September 07, 2001 - 10:04   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: After spending some three months under the withering glare of the media spotlight, there are reports that the lawmaker from California may retreat to the private sector.

CNN's Bob Franken is following the story and joins us with a closer look now.

Bob, what have you heard?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jeanne, "The Washington Post" is reporting that he is telling some colleagues and friends that she inclined to decide not to the run for reelection. And the danger of that kind of reporting is that he has really been vacillating for the last 10 days. CNN has been reporting, based on conversations with close friends and associates who have talked with him, and they get different message. The composite message seem to be that the most likely is that he will resign, rather announce his retirement, not resign, but announce that he will not run for re-election in the next election, which is well over a year away.

Lots of conversations have been going on, conversations with his family. They've been made quite public. As a matter of fact, his daughter, Cadee Condit, appearing on LARRY KING LIVE earlier this week said, she believed, if he would go whether or not is really 50/50.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CADEE CONDIT, GARY CONDIT'S DAUGHTER: And I think that if he didn't run, that that be a loss for the valley. But at a daughter, no. He and my mom deserve so much better than this, especially after 30 years of strong, public service.

LARRY KING, "LARRY KING": So it's 50/50?

CONDIT: Fifty-fifty. I will stand by him whatever he decides to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: There have been reports last week that he was considering making his announcement before he came back to Washington. Condit in fact did come back to Washington, very, very secretly, as a matter of fact. Now, reports trying to find out the reaction that he gets, Jeanne, here from members. We are finding more about that. It seems more cordial than many had thought to be. He has plenty of time to make the decision, and it's a decision that he clearly not made yet -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Bob, some Democratic Party leaders have made some public comments not too flattering about Congressman Condit. Do we know if, privately, they are applying pressure to him?

FRANKEN: We, as a matter of fact, get repeated denials when we ask them about that. Are they in fact talking to him. And they say, absolutely not, no, they're not. But of course that doesn't include aides talking to Condit aides, that type of thing. They've made it very clear that they are not pleased of what Condit is doing. Their happiest feeling would be if Condit was to announce if he was not running for re-election, but definitely not to quit now, because that could endanger a seat in a very close majority House.

MESERVE: OK, Bob Franken in Washington, thank you.

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