Condit Engulfed by Torrent of Criticism

The political ground began to crumble Friday under Rep. Gary Condit, as even allies panned his national television appearance and the top House Democrat suggested that he may lose a choice committee assignment.

While Condit continued his comeback campaign with a series of selected interviews, a consensus emerged that the Central Valley lawmaker only added to his problems by appearing evasive about his relationship with the missing Chandra Levy.

In perhaps the biggest blow, House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri said Condit’s statements Thursday night on ABC were “disturbing and wrong.”

“I didn’t hear candor,” Gephardt told his hometown newspaper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I didn’t hear an apology.”

Closer to home, the criticism was echoed by Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party. He said Condit was “not straightforward enough” and failed to “ask forgiveness” during Thursday night’s interview, which ended months of self-imposed silence.

“I have deep, deep concern” about Condit’s ability to hold onto his seat in Congress, Torres said of his fellow Democrat. “Especially after the interview.”

Even a key Condit advisor questioned whether the lawmaker’s career can be saved.

“I think it will be very difficult for the congressman to get beyond this issue,” said strategist Richie Ross, who helped orchestrate Condit’s rehabilitative effort.

During Thursday’s 30-minute TV appearance--seen by tens of millions nationwide--Condit acknowledged a “very close” relationship with Levy, 24, a former federal intern. But he repeatedly refused to say whether the two had sexual relations.

He also failed to clarify discrepancies between his accounts of cooperation with investigators and the statements of others, including Levy’s parents.

In a six-page spread in People magazine that hit newsstands Friday, Condit criticized Robert and Susan Levy, who have repeatedly accused the congressman of thwarting the investigation into their daughter’s disappearance. “I would never do anything to harm Chandra,” he said.

And he appeared more ambivalent than aides have let on about whether he would seek an eighth congressional term next year. The article said the 53-year-old Condit is still weighing that decision.

In a separate interview with the Merced Sun-Star newspaper, Condit insisted that he has not let his constituents down and said he has never seriously considered resigning. “To be honest with you . . . I haven’t done anything that calls for resignation,” he said.

Without admitting that he committed it, Condit said infidelity was wrong. But he also suggested that it is forgivable.

“I think people need to make that decision for their self, and saying infidelity is wrong . . . I don’t think there is anything wrong that there’s not redemption for, or there is not forgiveness for,” he said.

With Congress in its August recess, most lawmakers were away from Washington on Friday. Still, Condit was the talk of legislative staffers, campaign strategists and the rest of the professional political world.

From Republican operatives to Democratic aides to longtime friends, virtually everyone expressed bafflement over Condit’s decision to grant an interview when he appeared unwilling to answer even basic questions.

Many said the congressman’s performance was a classic case of how not to handle a scandal.

“People who survive this sort of thing acknowledge what they have done. They don’t make references to vague imperfections,” said Stuart Rothenberg, a political analyst who writes a nonpartisan newsletter. “And they say they are sorry and embarrassed and they won’t do it again. That’s how you move on. [Condit] hasn’t done that at all.”

Affairs With 2 Other Women Strongly Denied

However, Condit was forceful on one point Thursday night. He adamantly denied extramarital affairs with two other women--flight attendant Anne Marie Smith and former congressional employee Joleen Argenti--and rejected assertions that they were urged to lie about their alleged relationship with him.

The point is important from a legal standpoint because the U.S. attorney in Washington is looking into the possibility that Condit and some staffers impeded the probe into Levy’s whereabouts. Police have repeatedly said Condit is not a suspect in Levy’s disappearance, although they have questioned his assertions of complete cooperation.

From a political standpoint, however, Condit’s disavowals were lost amid a general sense that he utterly failed to reverse his sinking fortunes.

On Capitol Hill, Gephardt’s harsh remarks sent a shock through the party rank and file, particularly because the Democratic leader had defended Condit as recently as Sunday.

At that time, Gephardt cautioned against “a rush to judgment.” Asked whether Condit was “a man of honor,” Gephardt said: “He is.”

On Friday, however, the Missourian was scathing in his assessment of his California colleague. “My hope would have been that he was straightforward, candid, and apologize,” Gephardt told the Post-Dispatch. “What he said last night was disturbing and wrong. I think it fell way short.”

Asked about Condit’s political future, Gephardt said that rests with the people of the San Joaquin Valley. But he added, “I need to talk to my colleagues. . . . We’re going to have to deal with the issues.”

The options could range from a formal reprimand to removal of Condit from the House Intelligence Committee, where he is privy to some of the nation’s most closely held military and foreign policy secrets.

Gephardt’s comments were immediately seized upon by Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.), who called for Condit’s resignation last month.

“I hope Mr. Gephardt’s comments today will serve to move the House of Representatives toward taking a very serious and thorough look at whether Congressman Condit has violated the ethical and legal standards of the House,” Barr said, “and whether his continued service as a member of the Intelligence Committee puts our nation’s national security at risk.”

Condit’s greater problem, however, was the erosion of support within his own party.

Rep. Cal Dooley, a Democrat from a neighboring district, said Condit “owes his constituents and the Levys much, much more than he gave them last night.”

Torres, the California Democratic chairman, said he spoke with numerous elected officials around the state who all agreed that Condit had hurt himself with Thursday’s appearance.

“If you’re going to be a successful candidate for office, you have to be straightforward and honest with your constituents,” Torres said. “As of today, he is clearly not the strongest candidate the Democratic Party could put up in that congressional district.”

California’s top Democrat, Gov. Gray Davis, was conspicuously silent. An aide said the governor, who is both personally and politically close to Condit, missed the interview and thus had no comment.

But in a further sign of troubles, another leading Democrat said Friday that as the party redraws congressional boundaries in the next few weeks, leaders will be more concerned with keeping the seat Democratic than with helping Condit.

Amid all the tumult, the congressman was in an odd sort of place, both visible and invisible. He remained out of public view Friday, save for a variety of selected interviews.

In the People article, Condit was far more critical of Levy’s parents than he was Thursday night on ABC, when he expressed deference and sympathy toward the grieving couple.

“They don’t have any reason to be suspicious of me,” Condit said in the 90-minute magazine interview, conducted earlier this week at a private home in Beverly Hills.” . . . And I think it’s unfair when they make reference to maybe I had something to do with the disappearance. It’s not correct.”

‘Friendship Was Going to Continue’

Condit said he and Levy parted on good terms “and the friendship was going to continue.” Pressed for details of the relationship, he again declined to say whether the two were ever intimate.

He said he has not had a vasectomy, but declined to answer other less intrusive questions, such as whether he had ever given Levy a bracelet as a gift, as her aunt has said.

Asked if he prayed for Levy, he said, “Absolutely, every day.” Asked if he missed her, Condit replied, “She’s a friend. I miss her, yes. Absolutely.”

As for reelection plans, the magazine said Condit was still deciding whether to run. Last week, his chief aide announced that Condit would proceed with plans to run again.

“I will sit down and talk to people in my district,” Condit said. “I will talk to my family. . . . I will trust the people. They’ll figure out what they think of this, what parts of it are important.”

Although Condit’s performance was widely criticized by political observers, his appearance at least made for high ratings.

ABC said Thursday night’s show was the most widely watched news program in more than two years, more than doubling the program’s usual summer audience. An estimated 23.7 million viewers tuned in to “PrimeTime Thursday,” the highest number since 48.5 million people watched Barbara Walters’ 1999 interview with former White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky.

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Times staff writers Tina Daunt, Anuj Gupta and Carl Ingram contributed to this story.

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