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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

KOVR Interviews Gary Condit

Aired August 24, 2001 - 20:00   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.
ANNOUNCER: Tonight: The other Condit interview. His answers to Connie Chung have been widely criticized, Chandra Levy's parents and the D.C. police take issue with his comments and, ominously, the House Democratic leader calls Gary Condit's performance "disappointing" and "disturbing." But now you'll see Condit's only other TV interview, with a Sacramento, California station, this one directed at his home district.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. GARY CONDIT (D), CALIFORNIA: I haven't betrayed anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Has he betrayed his friends and neighbors? Does he wish to apologize to them, and to the Levys? And does he have a political future?

KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, I'm Kate Snow reporting tonight from Washington. Wolf Blitzer is off.

After months of public silence, Congressman Gary Condit is speaking out, but is he striking out? Is the public buying his message? He's sent a mass mailing to constituents, granted interviews to local newspapers and national magazines, and last night much of the nation's attention was riveted to a TV interview with ABC's Connie Chung.

But that wasn't the only television interview Condit did. He sat down for just one more, with Sacramento station and CNN affiliate KOVR, and reporter Jodi Hernandez.

And now, the other Condit interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JODI HERNANDEZ, KOVR REPORTER: I'm hearing from the constituents here that they feel betrayed; a lot of folks feel betrayed. Do you feel that you've let your constituents down?

CONDIT: Well, I haven't betrayed anyone. I've done everything that I can do to be helpful in this case in terms of being cooperative with law enforcement. I have met with law enforcement people on four separate occasions. Washington, D.C. has a little unusual device there where they have dual jurisdiction, so when you meet with Metropolitan Police Department you end up meeting with the Justice Department and the FBI and the federal prosecutor.

So I met with all those people, and I had four separate interviews, and consistent on every one of those interviews. And let them search my house, did a polygraph test...

HERNANDEZ: However, Congressman, you say you've cooperated. What everyone wants to know is why, then, did it take you three interviews to tell police that you had an affair with Chandra Levy.

CONDIT: Well, first of all, you're using unnamed sources by saying that it took three interviews. Each interview I answered every question that was asked of me. I told every detail that I could tell about my relationship with Chandra.

So you're talking about unnamed sources identifying the third interview. We talked in every interview...

HERNANDEZ: I understand that you've answered all the questions -- you answered all the questions, but were you forthright? Did you tell everything that was to be told about your relationship with Chandra Levy from interview one?

CONDIT: Interview one was the same as interview two, interview three and interview four. The different is the personnel changed. There were different people in different interviews because of the way the district works and the dual jurisdiction. But there was no difference in each interview. I mean, there were a few new questions, but basically they were the same questions.

HERNANDEZ: So are you telling me you did tell investigators from the very beginning -- from that first interview that you were having an affair, that you had an...

CONDIT: What I'm telling you, Jodi, is I answered all their questions. I didn't withhold any information. I didn't slow down the process. As a matter of fact, I probably provided more information, been more cooperative than anyone else in Washington, D.C.

HERNANDEZ: But did you tell them that you were having the affair?

CONDIT: Well, I'm not going tell you what was said in every interview and in the investigation. I'm just telling you that you're working with some false information by unnamed sources. The first interview, told them everything they asked, all the details, the same in the second.

HERNANDEZ: You have to understand, congressman, that is one of the big points that's so disturbing to your constituents here.

CONDIT: Well, it shouldn't be disturbing to them. But it also should be disturbing to you, because it's misinformation that's been spread through the press through unnamed sources.

HERNANDEZ: So you're saying it's not true?

CONDIT: I'm telling you that I did four interviews...

HERNANDEZ: I'm just trying to clarify.

CONDIT: I'm telling you I did four interviews, answered every question every time, gave every by bit of detail that I could give them about Chandra.

HERNANDEZ: OK. Another big question out there, and I know this has been a difficult day and these are difficult questions. Chandra Levy's mother, Susan Levy says that -- told us that early on she had a conversation with you and asked you point blank if you were having -- if you had an affair with her daughter, Chandra. She says that you said no. Is that, in fact, true, and...

CONDIT: Well, I had several conversations with Dr. and Mrs. Levy during that week when he contacted me about the disappearance and he was concerned about the metropolitan police department not acting quickly enough.

There are a lot of things said, but I never lied to Mrs. Levy about anything. I mean, anything that she asked me I tried to answer forthright. So I'm sorry if she was misled or there was a misunderstanding, but I never lied to Mrs. Levy about any of the questions.

I mean, you've got to understand, I mean, they were pretty distraught. They had a lot of anxiety. They'd made a lot of comments. And my job was to try to console them, to do what I could do to be helpful with law enforcement, and I did that.

HERNANDEZ: OK, so you're saying you did not lie to them. I mean, they...

CONDIT: No, I did not lie to Mrs. Levy. I tried to be forthright and tried to be consoling and do all the things that one would do when you have this kind of tragedy.

HERNANDEZ: Did they ask you, do you recall them asking you if you...

CONDIT: I don't recall them asking me if I had, but they mentioned several names, and I'm not going to go into those names. But I listened; i did more listening and reassuring to them than anything else.

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, what would you like to say to the Levys? They're quite upset; their daughter is still missing.

CONDIT: Sure. Well, my heart, you know, goes out to the Levys. I don't think I could describe what they're feeling or what they're going through -- I mean, the pain and anguish that they're going through. I don't think anyone would know that unless you had a missing child. So it's real difficult for me to know exactly what they're feeling. But I have kids, and if one of them was missing I would say and do everything I could do to try to get them back. But where it gets a little bit unfair, I think, is when Dr. and Mrs. Levy make allegations that I might have had something to do with the disappearance, or when they say I'm withholding information that might be helpful. I think that's unfair. It's not correct.

And when they say they're suspicious, I don't know why they would be suspicious of me. I liked Chandra; she was my friend. I was very fond of her. Next to them and the family members, I'm the next guy in line that would like to see her back.

So I just, you know, think that part is unfair. I do understand their pain. I understand they're heartbroken, and I sympathize with them, I pray for them every day. But the parts where, you know, that were said that maybe I had something to do with this or withhold information or they ought to be suspicious is just unfair, and it's untrue.

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, did you have anything to do with the disappearance?

CONDIT: No, I had not one thing -- I would have never harmed Chandra. I was fond of Chandra.

HERNANDEZ: Can you tell me what the nature of your relationship was with Chandra? You say you don't recall the Levys asking if you had an affair with their daughter. I'm asking you: Did you have an affair with Chandra Levy.

CONDIT: Listen, Jodi, I've been married for 34 years. And I've not been a perfect man, and I've made mistakes in my life. But out of respect for my family, and out of a request from the Levy family, it's best that I not go into the details of my relationship.

HERNANDEZ: OK. You said you were very fond of Chandra. What can you tell me about your relationship? When was the last time you saw Chandra? How much time did you spend with Chandra? How close were you?

CONDIT: We were friends, and we were very close. I saw her last the week of April the 23rd, maybe the 24th or the 25th, and it was only for maybe an hour or so. And we talked about the fact that she had lost her internship at the Bureau of Prisons and that she was on her way to her graduation ceremony at USC, and she was very excited, very enthusiastic about that. Disappointed a little bit about not getting her internship. She was in a program where she thought the next job that opened up she would get, and so she was a little disappointed by that, but not much.

HERNANDEZ: When you saw her on the 24th, the 25th, what did you do?

CONDIT: We talked. That's what we talked about. We talked about her job. We talked about her travel back home.

HERNANDEZ: Did she come over to your place? I mean...

CONDIT: She dropped by my place on the 24th or the 25th.

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, if Chandra Levy is still out there, what would you like to say to Chandra?

CONDIT: Well, if she could hear this, I would like for her to hear we miss her, and please come home.

HERNANDEZ: How do you feel about Chandra? You've said you're very fond of her.

CONDIT: Right. Well, I'm very distraught, very upset and concerned that she's missing and it's been four months. I mean, I don't know how the parents feel, but I'm very concerned about that. Heart broken that she hasn't shown up in four months after all the effort that myself and many other people have made. She still disappeared after four months. It's very disheartening.

HERNANDEZ: OK. I'm sure you've heard Chandra's aunt Linda Zamsky says she heard from Chandra right before she disappeared as well, probably a few days after it sounds like you did. Chandra called her and said she had some big news. Do you know what that big news was?

CONDIT: No, I have no idea what that big news was.

HERNANDEZ: Do you know if Chandra was pregnant?

CONDIT: I have no -- no indication that she would have been pregnant, no reason to think that.

HERNANDEZ: I know this has been very tough on you and on your family. Your wife, your children in particular. How has this impacted them?

CONDIT: Well, it's tough. I mean it's tough. You've got the tabloids following you around, you've got -- you know people trying to bribe people to get your medical records, you've got people saying your wife doesn't have any thumbs. It's a tabloid mentality out there. You have people following your children around. And it's been tough.

But the reality of this is it's not about the Condits, it's about the Levys. What we are going through is minor in comparison as to what Doctor and Mrs. Levy are going through. They have a tremendous amount of pain, and we ought to be empathetic to them. We ought to pray for them and be as helpful as we possibly can to get them through this. For me, this is small stuff compared to the burden they're carrying today.

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, did your wife know about the nature of your relationship with Chandra before she disappeared?

CONDIT: My wife didn't know Chandra Levy.

HERNANDEZ: So your wife -- did your wife ever have any conversations or did she ever speak with Chandra Levy?

CONDIT: Never. No, she did not.

HERNANDEZ: OK. When did she learn -- learn of this?

CONDIT: Well, she heard the name Chandra Levy when Dr. Levy called my house on approximately May the sixth to let me know that she -- he hadn't heard from her in several case and he was concerned. I happened to be gone at that time, but in a few hours or shortly thereafter I had come in and Carolyn had told me the conversation, and I was horrified to hear that Chandra might be missing. But on the other hand -- you know how parents are, you are hopeful that it's just a mistake.

And so I called Dr. Levy and talked to him. He was concerned about -- that he hadn't heard from her. He called the Metropolitan Police Department. They hadn't responded the way he thought they should respond. And I committed to him that I would call them.

HERNANDEZ: Did you come forward or come clean to your wife at that point or when?

CONDIT: I -- once again, you know, this is about a missing person. What I did next was contact the police department, just like I said I would do. I contacted the FBI and asked them to get involved. I helped set up a reward. And within two days I had a couple of detectives over at my house visiting me at my invitation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Just ahead, more of the interview. Gary Condit is asked about his relationship with Chandra Levy and about other women.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back. Gary Condit discusses Chandra levy and the media, as we continue his talk with CNN affiliate KOVR, "The Other Condit Interview."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, was anything about your relationship with Chandra Levy professionally inappropriate? Your constituents are quite concerned. They think that this is important. We've been bombarded with e-mails from your constituents. They want to know from you, from your mouth.

CONDIT: Jodi, I think people out there understand this answer that I've given to you once and I will give it to you once again. I have been married 34 years. I have not been a perfect man. I have made mistakes, but out of respect for my family and out of a specific request from the Levy family, I am not going to share the details of my relationship with Chandra. And you know what? People understand that. They understand that we are entitled to a little bit of privacy here, and the Levys are entitled to a little bit of privacy here as well. So my constituents understand that. HERNANDEZ: So the Levys asked you not to talk about...

CONDIT: The Levys had a statement two days ago made that they would like us not to go into details of the relationship.

HERNANDEZ: OK. There have also been reports -- a number of other women have come forward. What can you tell us about that? I mean, several women have come forward. That's also very troubling to your constituents.

CONDIT: Well, when you think about that, I mean, when you take tabloid journalism and turn it into mainstream journalism, it is troubling. I mean, why people who have no contact, don't know Chandra Levy, would take advantage of a tragedy to promote themselves financially or publicize themselves -- it's very troubling. This is part of the tabloid journalism that we are confronted with, and it's sort of fallen into the mainstream journalism.

I mean, if you look at the Otis Thomas story of the gentleman -- the minister who I supposedly had an affair with his daughter and implied that I had a child. The local newspaper, the Modesto Bee, was told directly that I didn't know those people. I had nothing to do with that. But they printed it anyway. So this is innuendoes, rumors, you know, unnamed sources. It's kind of anything goes.

HERNANDEZ: A couple of women have come forward. One in particular, Ann Marie Smith, has gone public, done numerous interviews. She stated in one of the interviews that you called her and told her that you were in trouble and that you may have to disappear for a while.

CONDIT: That never occurred. And you have to question Ann Marie Smith's motives. Her motive is to sell a story to a tabloid. That's what she did. And for you to embrace that as just regular news story is a little questionable to me.

HERNANDEZ: I'm trying to set the record straight, here. You're saying that that in fact did not...

CONDIT: Did not occur.

HERNANDEZ: You did not say that.

Condit: I did not have that conversation with her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: When "The Other Gary Condit Interview" continues, the congressman talks about the impact on his constituents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back. Should he say he's sorry? Congressman Gary Condit talks about his constituents, friends and neighbors, as the other Condit interview continues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, a lot of folks out there -- I've been out there talking to them -- they say that they'd like to hear you apologize. I don't know if you feel that you want to do that or say anything to your constituents regarding that on this local broadcast -- this is a local broadcast.

CONDIT: Well, I spoke to my constituents through a letter that they're receiving today, and I tried to explain as best I can the circumstances, but I will say this to you: You know, if I have done anything to hurt anyone, cause anyone pain, I would be more than happy to apologize. I don't have any problems with doing that.

But you know, so, that's not a hard thing to do. I mean, I would do that on any given occasion if I created a situation where there was pain or sorrow to someone, I would apologize for that.

HERNANDEZ: Do you apologize to them? I mean, they're feeling betrayed, they're feeling hurt, they're feeling...

CONDIT: I don't know that you speak for all of my constituents. I received a lot of e-mails and a lot of letters myself. I think that I've given you the answer that if I've hurt or offended anyone, I certainly would apologize for that, but I think you have to take some responsibility in the media for all the misinformation that you guys have put out there, all the unnamed sources that you've put out there, all the people with innuendoes.

I mean, you guys have some responsibility for having the constituents feel that way, because, you know, you didn't set a standard for yourself as well. Not -- just you, but I think the media in general, when you jumped to innuendoes and unnamed sources, you have to take some responsibility, and actually I would like to see you guys apologize to the people for doing that.

HERNANDEZ: Congressman, I'm wondering how you plan to regain the trust of your constituents here? Some -- some say you are speaking out today, this is something folks have been waiting for here, hear it over and over, that they just want to hear from you. A lot of people have said that they're going wait to form any sort of judgment until after they hear this interview, but others say this is too little too late. How do you plan to regain your trust? Do you think you can? Do you think you can run a successful...

CONDIT: This is not about politics. Look, the voters will decide what the voters are going to do. They'll listen to what I have to say, they'll read the mail, they'll look at my performances over the years. They'll make their decision.

I mean, I'm not speaking today from a political standpoint, and I have not been silent all this time. I mean, I have done the things that Americans are supposed to do. Whenever there's a problem, you work with the people who have the responsibility to solve the problem. When Chandra Levy went missing, I worked with law enforcement to do everything that I could do to be helpful to them. Did I have news conferences? No. Did I keep you posted every week of those meetings we had, or the fact that I did a polygraph, or the fact that I did a DNA, or I let them search my house? I wasn't silent. I was doing what most Americans are supposed to do, and that is be helpful to law enforcement to try to solve the problem that they have in front of them, and that's what I did.

And my constituents will make that decision. They'll make the decision for themselves, whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Still ahead, will he run again? Should he? Gary Condit talks about the plans for the future.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SNOW: Welcome back. In the final segment of the interview, Gary Condit is asked if he'll seek reelection to Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CONDIT: I'm proceeding just like I normally do. I'm making plans to do the things we normally do.

HERNANDEZ: That includes running for reelection?

CONDIT: I have no intentions of changing my plans at this moment. We will make a formal announcement in a couple of months, and then I will spend some time with my family, and we will talk to supporters, constituents and other people, and then we'll make a formal announcement. That's what we always do. But at this moment, we are not changing any of our plans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: Swift reaction today to Gary Condit's words: The highest- ranking Democrat in the House, minority leader Dick Gephardt, signaled an important change of tone. Gephardt told reporters he thought last night's ABC interview was "disappointing," and he said Condit's lack of candor was "disturbing" and "wrong." As for the congressman's future, Gephardt said he planned to speak with his colleagues about Condit's status on key committees.

That's all the time we have tonight. Stay with CNN for more follow-up on Gary Condit's interviews. Condit's attorney, Abbe Lowell, is on "LARRY KING" at the top of the hour.

I'm Kate Snow in Washington. Thanks very much for watching.

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