The Odd Couple

Written by Brooke MustermancloseAuthor: bmusterman Name: Brooke Musterman
Email: brooke@parcbench.com
Site: http://reptilesoncaffeineblog.wordpress.com/
About: I just published my first book, Reptiles on Caffeine, which is a humorous look at the fight or flight stress response. http://www.amazon.com/Reptiles-Caffeine-Brooke-Musterman/dp/1886057176/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247685816&sr=8-1 I also write a column as the Charlotte Stress in the Workplace examiner. http://www.examiner.com/x-36115-Charlotte-Stress-in-the-Workplace-Examiner?cid=exrss-Charlotte-Stress-in-the-Workplace-ExaminerSee Authors Posts (52) on November 30, 2009

Can an uber Democrat strategist, and an equally solid Conservative Republican strategist find marital bliss?

James Carville managed Clinton’s campaign. Mary Matalin was George Bush’s and Dick Cheney’s advisor. Their political ideals differ radically. Some would say this is hardly a match made in heaven. But they would disagree.

Eyebrows on both sides were raised when the couple got married in 1993. Conservatives probably thought that Matalin was softening on her values when she married Carville. To that she says,

“He’s the opposition. I really don’t like his politics and he really doesn’t like mine. There are so few things on which we agree….He doesn’t like confrontation. He can’t stand pouting, shouting, and all the other stuff that I try not to bring to our politics but can’t help sometimes.”  http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/09/hesaid.html

She goes on to say, “The Republican party is full of sexist pigs. They thought I would give it all away. Amazing, because if I ever wanted to get information out of James I would definitely have the upper hand.”

Case in point; Carville told Larry King that McCain’s choice [for VP] was “like the strangest thing I’ve ever seen…I’m completely befuddled by this choice.”

Matalin showers [mostly] praise on Sarah Palin’s book Going Rogue. She calls Palin’s decision to resign as Governor of Alaska “brilliant.” While the only thing remotely nice James Carville has said about Sarah Palin is that he “hopes she runs in 2012, because she is always a potential train wreck.”

Not surprisingly, they disagree over the Newsweek cover of Palin. Carville said Palin should not complain about the use of the photo, just because it was taken out of context by Newsweek.

“You can agree on this,” Matalin asked her husband, “she looked good in it, right?”

“She does,” Carville said without hesitation, “Ain’t no doubt about that.” He said in his thick Cajun accent. “You and her are the two best-looking women in the Republican Party.”

Carville and Matalin are an odd couple, indeed. How can two people not only, with polar opposite political stances, but pundits for their respective sides be united to one another ‘til death they do part? It certainly must make for some interesting dinner conversations, to say the least.

It’s hard to imagine the two polar pundits having a cordial friendship, much less a happy marriage. Their careers have them tearing down each other and their ideals on a consistent basis…in very public forums. So how does one live with the “opposition?”

Carville says, “Sure, we have different ways of looking at politics. No doubt about that. But Jews and Catholics who get married probably have a different way of looking at God. It’s just not a deal-breaker. If most everything else is compatible, you’ve got the makings of a damn good relationship.” http://www.salon.com/feb97/carville970212.html

And a damn good relationship they certainly have. Their marriage has managed to last over a decade and they have two daughters.

Matalin explains one strategy they use to cope with their differences: Have separate TV rooms.