For her part, Claire was concerned that their romance—which developed five months after Hurst’s marriage collapsed and Kathy returned to the U.S. with Sally, now 22, Anne, 19, and Ellen, 16—would spark controversy. Although she had proved her mettle as a reporter, she worried about dating Steve. “I thought, ‘This is a big decision,’ “ she says. “I thought I would be accused of destroying his marriage and marrying him to get ahead.”
Now a doctoral student at Illinois State University, Kathy is on good terms with the two; all three daughters visit Steve and Claire in their elegant Cleveland Park home, which is filled with Russian artifacts. Says Shipman: “They’ve all really accepted me.” And while they’d like to have children of their own, CNN’s high-profile team is holding off for the moment. Explains Shipman with a laugh: “Not to sound too planned, but we’re waiting until we get through the next election.”
...all three daughters visit Steve and Claire in their elegant Cleveland Park home, which is filled with Russian artifacts.