Betrayer

James Carville is a betrayer . . .and a liar.

On Meet the Press today, Tim Russert asked Carville what he thought of Zell Miller's speech at the Republican Convention. Carville said that it was a shame what the Republicans did to that good man.

Now, there's more to this than just a vague, manipulative, unprovable accusation. There's more to this than a just a Democrat defending against the enemy of his candidate. There's more to this than just the condescending dismissal of Zell as an unfortunate victim of manipulation rather than the important man he is.

What there is here that is crucial is that Carville and Zell go way back . . .as friends. Carville worked for Zell when he ran for the governorship of Georgia. Zell officiated at Carville's wedding to Mary Matlin. Zell Miller and James Carville are (or at least were) friends. Does a friend portray you as a doddering old tool of the enemy?

Maybe all's fair (and forgiven) at the end of the political day. Maybe people in this field have an understanding that the ugliness aired on TV doesn't touch personal relationships. After all, Carville's wife is also his political enemy.

Now in my personal experience, extreme differences in political opinion can create some dramatic tensions in personal relationships. How do Carville and Matlin share a home? How can Zell not have hard feelings when his "friend" Carville, paints him as a poor, sweet, old fool?

Maybe Carville thought he'd soften the blow by claiming Carl Rove wrote the speech. Matlin says Zell wrote his own speech. Would Carville go so far as to call his wife a liar? Zell says he wrote his own speech. Would he say that Zell is a liar?

I submit that Carville is a liar. He lied about Rove writing Zell's speech. He had no idea who wrote that speech, but he said it anyway. It is my opinion that if Carville believed half of what he says, he wouldn't be able to keep the company he keeps. Mary Matalin and Zell Miller are people of passion and conviction. Carville is a salesman.