Saturday, July 24, 2004
Do You Want Fries With Your Berger?
The investigation of Sandy Berger has become well-known and someone wanted to know why I haven't blogged on it yet. I didn't see a need to earlier since we were still getting the facts and we weren't sure what the implications were yet. Now the media has gone a thousand different directions with it. Some Dems are questioning the timing of the leak, some Republicans are scrutinizing Kerry for being associated with Berger. Neither of these are helpful or very bright.
First, let's get the facts straight:
1) The documents in question are copies of highly classified material stored in the National Archives.
2) What makes these documents special is that they have notes in the margins by Berger and possible other people who had handled them.
3) The content of the documents concerns a bomb threat against LAX during millennium celebrations from January 1, 2000. There may also be other related threats discussed.
4) Two witnesses claim seeing Berger making notes from the copies and stuffing them in his shirt and socks while the 9/11 Commission was occurring.
5) Berger has admitted that he did something wrong, though not naming it exactly, "Last year, when I was in the Archives reviewing documents, I made an honest mistake. It's one that I deeply regret."
The 9/11 Commission has said they got all the information they needed and so the documents in question aren't that important. The problem is that without reading the notes Berger made, how in the world would they know they got all that they needed? Perhaps they did, but they certainly cannot say they did with such confidence. Berger stole highly classified documents. Why? Because he didn't like the color? People generally don't steal documents unless they have something to hide. If Berger's hiding something there's a good chance that it would have been useful to the 9/11 Commission.
To the Dems, you can't claim that everything that happens before November 2004 is suspiciously timed. What is so great about the timing of this coming out right now anyway? Wouldn't it have been better a few weeks before the elections? Are we supposed to just not have any news prior to the elections? The whole timing idea is silliness.
Republicans, be better than the Democrats. Whether Kerry knew Berger was under investigation or not, let's assume the best. If this were Condoleezza Rice under investigation we would be pounded with it every day, Bush would be criticized, they would demand her resignation, it would be crazy- all before we get enough facts to justify any action. Let's be better than that and stick to the facts. Berger should be punished for stealing classified documents. The 9/11 Commission needs to be exploited as a sham for not caring about all the facts. Kerry needs to repsonsible for his own problems, which are bad enough, we don't need to hold him responsible for others'.
On a lighter note, someone was wondering about the possibility of the sock stuffing actually working. "I just fit a 17-page document in an over-the-calf dress sock and walked around the office comfortably ..nobody noticed .and I laughed at myself when I returned to my desk."
Berger's Statements
Latest Update on Investigation
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First, let's get the facts straight:
1) The documents in question are copies of highly classified material stored in the National Archives.
2) What makes these documents special is that they have notes in the margins by Berger and possible other people who had handled them.
3) The content of the documents concerns a bomb threat against LAX during millennium celebrations from January 1, 2000. There may also be other related threats discussed.
4) Two witnesses claim seeing Berger making notes from the copies and stuffing them in his shirt and socks while the 9/11 Commission was occurring.
5) Berger has admitted that he did something wrong, though not naming it exactly, "Last year, when I was in the Archives reviewing documents, I made an honest mistake. It's one that I deeply regret."
The 9/11 Commission has said they got all the information they needed and so the documents in question aren't that important. The problem is that without reading the notes Berger made, how in the world would they know they got all that they needed? Perhaps they did, but they certainly cannot say they did with such confidence. Berger stole highly classified documents. Why? Because he didn't like the color? People generally don't steal documents unless they have something to hide. If Berger's hiding something there's a good chance that it would have been useful to the 9/11 Commission.
To the Dems, you can't claim that everything that happens before November 2004 is suspiciously timed. What is so great about the timing of this coming out right now anyway? Wouldn't it have been better a few weeks before the elections? Are we supposed to just not have any news prior to the elections? The whole timing idea is silliness.
Republicans, be better than the Democrats. Whether Kerry knew Berger was under investigation or not, let's assume the best. If this were Condoleezza Rice under investigation we would be pounded with it every day, Bush would be criticized, they would demand her resignation, it would be crazy- all before we get enough facts to justify any action. Let's be better than that and stick to the facts. Berger should be punished for stealing classified documents. The 9/11 Commission needs to be exploited as a sham for not caring about all the facts. Kerry needs to repsonsible for his own problems, which are bad enough, we don't need to hold him responsible for others'.
On a lighter note, someone was wondering about the possibility of the sock stuffing actually working. "I just fit a 17-page document in an over-the-calf dress sock and walked around the office comfortably ..nobody noticed .and I laughed at myself when I returned to my desk."
Berger's Statements
Latest Update on Investigation
