Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Condit to Run for Reelection

Aired December 08, 2001 - 07:18   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: Remember Congressman Gary Condit? Before the September 11 terror attacks, his romantic relationship with a missing Washington intern dominated the news.

Well, Condit is in the news again after making a last-minute decision to run for reelection.

CNN's Rusty Dornin has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Would he or wouldn't he? Only his closest advisers knew for sure.

REP. GARY CONDIT (D), CALIFORNIA: I'm going to leave you a blank check...

DORNIN: Then 40 minutes before the filing deadline, Congressman Gary Condit himself appeared to file reelection papers in Modesto, California. The man who spent most of the summer running from the press decided he will run again for office.

CONDIT: You know, it was a tough decision. I mean, I've been through a pretty tough three or four months, and it's a tough decision, I have to admit that to you. But I've been -- I spent a long time in public service, and it was very important to me to represent the Valley. They've allowed me to do that in this fashion, and I'm going to continue to do it.

DORNIN: Romantically linked to still-missing intern Chandra Levy, Condit's popularity plummeted last summer, despite repeated statements from Washington police that he was not a suspect in Levy's disappearance. He was all but abandoned by his own party.

Then came the terrorist attacks. Condit headlines disappeared, and so did the hoards that followed him.

Then his district was redrawn. Many of the loyal voters were taken. Added were many only familiar with the congressman's recent infamy. Democratic contenders have lined up to challenge him in the primary, including one of his former aides, Dennis Cardoza.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is he angry with you?

ASSEMBLYMAN DENNIS CARDOZA (D), CALIFORNIA: I don't think he's very pleased.

DORNIN: At stake, one key seat in a Congress with a razor-thin margin.

SANDY LUCAS, STANISLAUS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE: The polls show that not only would he lose to the Republican candidate, but he would also affect our winning the senate, state senate and assembly races in this area.

DORNIN: This was Condit's first spontaneous press conference in nearly eight months. He said he made his final decision over the last few days. Flanked by his family, Condit says he's on a mission.

CONDIT: I'm going to just focus on my record.

DORNIN: But with a media horde like this, it's not likely that's where the focus will stay.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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