Sandy Berger: The Story Keeps Getting Weirder
... and weirder. It now appears the (free registration required for link)staff at the archives were so suspicious of Berger that they coded the documents they gave him.
All humor aside and speaking as someone who liked Berger (he was one of the few hawks in the Clinton administration), there are several aspects of the story that are worth considering.
First, Berger hasn’t said why he was examining the documents. Why did he need to access them?
Second, the New York Times seems to be trying to bury the story while other media outlets are running with it. You’d think that basic non-partisan curiousity – especially during a lull in the news cycle – would merit front page, above the fold coverage.
Third, Berger’s behavior is just plain odd. Anyone who has ever worked in a store recognizes this type of behavior as that of newbie shoplifters – people who want to steal, know it’s wrong, but are afraid they will get caught.
Fourth, John Kerry wasn’t aware that Berger was under investigation? Kerry isn’t some New Hampshire governor out of the beltway loop. He’s been in the Senate for 20 years. I have had numerous background checks for jobs, he didn’t run any on Berger? This doesn’t bode well for a Kerry presidency – which may explain the second point.
