When Johnson, a close observer of Kerry, had asked the Senator whether he was ill in 2003, he received an emphatic denial, only to learn the next week that Kerry had been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Johnson said honesty between members of the press and politicians was essential, but that he understood Kerry’s desire to talk to his family before releasing information to the press. He said he and Kerry “declared a truce” over the issue.
Among those in the audience were CNN anchorwoman Judy Woodruff and Time senior writer Joe Klein.
After the event, Woodruff said Mehlman and Cahill had been “forthright.”
“I thought we got some moments of candor, especially on the Swiftboat issue,” Woodruff said.
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