Union of political consultants flourishes despite clash of views.
MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – There is at least one place in American life where political partisanship hasn’t threatened unity and all things good and noble. That would be the home of Mary Matalin and James Carville.
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Matalin formerly was a political consultant to Ronald Reagan and campaign director for President George H.W. Bush, among other posts. As political strategist, Carville guided Bill Clinton to the White House in 1992.
The two spoke at Berry College in March, showing the good humor and balanced life that have allowed them to enjoy marital bliss despite starkly different political views.
Their unlikely romance began in 1991 when Matalin met Carville and discovered their similar interests. But Matalin was advising George H. W. Bush’s presidential campaign; Carville was campaign manager for Bill Clinton. When Matalin made this discovery at a dinner party, she went to the bathroom and threw up, according People.com.
The two put their relationship on hold, but kept in daily contact, and a week after Clinton’s victory, they two vacationed in Paris and Venice.
Couple comes to Berry
During a press conference prior to the 2014 Gloria Shatto Lecture Series at Berry, Carville said they have found ways to make their relationship work.
“There are so many things we do in life other than politics,” Carville said. “We learned to deal with it, talk around it and go on with the rest of our lives.
Matalin began the lecture addressing the nature of their relationship. She said that early on they fought and ignored each other, but that things are different now.
“It’s easier because he can’t hear, and I don’t listen,” she said.
Matalin said their relationship is not based on politics or political interests, that they have many other things in common, such as history, philosophy and the study of antiquities.
“I love my husband and always did,” Matalin said. “He’s a great father [who] loves his mother. . . . He’s generous and truly funny and interesting.”
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Michael Bailey, associate
professor of government
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Dr. Michael Bailey, associate professor of government, who attended the public lecture, said he liked seeing such politically opposite views represented in one couple. Bailey said their union and their positive message might serve to alter the view of politicians as always being the bad guys.
“It’s okay to be critical, but if we are relentlessly negative, why would people want to pursue this?” Bailey said, of a career in politics.
Matalin and Carville share more about their personal lives in their book, Love & War: Twenty years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home. This was their second book written together. Their first co-authored book was All’s Fair in Love, War, and Running for President.