>> reporter: whether or not the president would still call martinel afriend is now anyone's guess. and that's not the point, really. what this situation shows is how sticky the whole issue of conflicts of interest, real or perceived, can be. so how do we frame what we've uncovered here? do we see it through the lens of corporate responsibility and ethical standards? or -- are there also legal issues to consider? we'll be talking next to a former prosecutor about that. us. it's what this country is made of. but right now, our bond is fraying. how do we get back to "us"? the y fills the gaps. and bridges our divides. donate to your local y today. because where there's a y, there's an us.