Nightline E-mail: August 23
W A S H I N G T O N, August 23 -- The interview. The response from the Levy family attorney. Live. What more to say?
Congressman Gary Condit is breaking nearly four months of silence today, sitting down with ABC NEWS' Connie Chung for an interview on this evening's Primetime Thursday. Unless you have been in a cave or deserted island since early May, you're well aware of the tragic saga of missing intern Chandra Levy and her alleged affair with Rep. Condit.
Because the embattled Congressman has refused all media requests since the controversy broke, tonight's interview is not only the first opportunity the American public will have to see him answer questions about the scandal. It is also the first time his constituents will see him respond to the issues that have dogged him and threatened his political future.
Yesterday, Condit sent a letter to his 200,000 constituents, apologizing "that the pain the Levy family and Chandra's friends?has grown worse with each passing day." In the letter, he says he has "answered every single question asked by the police and FBI." He concedes "I am not perfect and have made my share of mistakes." But he emphatically denies he had anything to do with the disappearance of Chandra Levy.
Tonight a special live edition of Nightline will feature Billy Martin, attorney for the Levy family responding to Condit's answers from Primetime Thursday. In addition, Ted Koppel will speak with Condit attorney Abbe Lowell. It is the first time both lawyers will appear on the same broadcast to discuss this matter.
The Condit interview on ABC NEWS this evening (10 pm EDT) is part of a carefully orchestrated campaign by the Congressmen to get his name back and position himself for a run for re-election in 2002. It will be followed tomorrow by a cover story interview in PEOPLE magazine and other interviews, print and broadcast, to counter the saturation press coverage of the missing intern for more than 100 days.
No one expects the questions will end after tonight's interview. First and foremost, the Congressman is trying to win over the hearts and minds of his constituents. But keep in mind that another group will be giving tonight's interview as much scrutiny: law enforcement. The Congressman may still face legal issues, though police are careful to say he's not a suspect in the disappearance of Chandra Levy.
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