James Carville — who recently parted ways with CNN under Jeff Zucker’s new reign — could have used some of his own advice in the network’s shake-up. When asked, for the upcoming issue of Men’s Journal, how to deal with a powerful ego, he said, “Stroke it. Never does a man stand so tall as when he stoops to kiss an ass.” And as far as telling a powerful person they’re wrong? “When dealing with somebody who can fire you or has some control over you, make them believe it’s their idea . . . That’s the best way.” But Carville also gives some clues in the article, out Feb. 8, as to how he must be feeling after his CNN gig ended. Asked how a man should handle defeat, he replies, “Very badly. You’re sick. It’s just awful. Darkness. Depression. Doubt. It’s hard . . . It’s utterly brutal.” Carville said this week on “CBS This Morning” that the reason for his and wife Mary Matalin’s departure from the network was that they regularly appear remotely from their New Orleans home and “CNN wanted contributors to be there on set.”