Carville, Matalin Warm Up for SupplySide East

Carville, Matalin Warm Up for SupplySide East

WASHINGTONOn May 6, politicalpundits James Carville and Mary Matalin will deliver the SupplySide East keynoteaddress. INSIDER took time to talk with the bipartisan couple as theyspoke about their recent books, their supplement usage and business in America.

Carville, co-author of Buck Up, Suck Up ... and Come BackWhen You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room (Simon &Schuster, 2003), said in business, it is critical to know when to be tough andwhen to keep quiet. And those people who dont believe in sucking up? Theyregoing to be on the bottom their entire lives, he said. The only people whodont need to suck up are those who have all the money they need and dontneed anymore. For those people who dont and want more, get used tosucking up. It might compromise your values, but it gets the job done. Tell thebosss wife she looks good even if she doesnt.

Although Carville has been the author of numerous politicalbooks, his latest literary foray has been in childrens books. Lu and theSwamp Ghosts (Atheneum, 2004) is set to come out in the fall. The publisheroriginally contacted him to do one on his childhood, but Carville preferred tohave it done on his mothers. I had no idea the time and expense that goesinto childrens publishing, he said, adding that although he did theoutline of the story, a professional childrens book author wrote it. I hada lot of help, but I had a blast. Its a really good book. I cant definewhat a good childrens book is, but children are going to love this bookbecause it has a lot of swamps and thunderstorms.

His wife, Matalin, completed her own childrens book, Lettersto My Daughters (Simon & Schuster, 2004), which will be out in time forMothers Day. A mother-daughter link has some unique wisdom that I hopeto pass onto our kids, she said. We had our kids late and, God forbid if Imnever not around, I want them to have not just the benefit of my wisdom but thewisdom that stems from my mom.

Although Carville admittedly is not a regular supplement user,its not due to Matalin not being a proponent of natural health products. Itis okay to take them when youre sick, but you tend not to get sick if youtake them regularly, she said. I would rather see a bevy of preventivehealth products out there than after-the-fact treatments.

With new books, an election year and raising a five- and an eight-year-old, life is busy on all fronts for Carville and Matalin. Theirplanned keynote address will include stories about business, politics and lifein general from the liberal and conservative points of view. Has Carville mindedthe attention his bipartisan marriage draws? For the most part, no. A lot ofpeople feel compelled to tell you they disagree with you, and it gives them apolite way to say, You know, I really like your wife, and I say, I dotoo!