National Security? What's that?
Posted on 07/21/2004 1:15:11 PM PDT by The_Victor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites)'s presidential campaign accused the Bush White House on Wednesday of disclosing the existence of a criminal investigation against former national security adviser Sandy Berger for political advantage.
The objective of such a leak, the Kerry campaign said in a political memo distributed by email, was to take attention away from a report to be issued on Thursday by the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The criminal investigation of Berger began last October but only came to light this week.
"The timing of this leak suggests that the White House is more concerned about protecting its political hide than hearing what the commission has to say about strengthening our security," the Kerry campaign said.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the White House had nothing to do with the disclosure that Berger, who was national security adviser under former President Bill Clinton (news - web sites), was under investigation for removing copies of highly classified documents from the National Archives.
"I'm not aware of how this story came about. I know of no one in the White House that is aware of how this story came about," McClellan said.
He said officials in the White House legal counsel's office were made aware of the Berger investigation some time ago because they were in charge of putting together documents for the Sept. 11 commission to see.
Complaining of the "questionable timing" of the leak, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites), Terry McAuliffe, filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the release of any correspondence between the Justice Department (news - web sites) and the White House on the Berger probe.
Berger and one of his lawyers said on Monday he had inadvertently removed copies of a classified memo, as well as his notes on the material, as he reviewed it to determine what Clinton administration-era documents could be turned over to the Sept. 11 commission.
Republicans have accused Berger of stealing the documents for use by Kerry's campaign. Berger was an informal foreign policy adviser for Kerry until he stepped down on Tuesday in the heat of the flap over the documents.
The Sept. 11 report is expected to detail as many as 10 missed opportunities to head off the Sept. 11 attacks but stop short of saying the attacks could have been prevented.
I've always thought that the Republicans could capitalize on the whole Democrat whining thing. I mean, Kerry and Edwards could be on the "Complain Trail," McAuliff could be his "Complain Manager," and so on substituting complain for campaign. Whaddaya think?
Just a reminder....Berger has ADMITTED to most of it, and is finessing the worst of it.
No, this isn't over. Not by a long shot.
Evidence FReind. You should know the standard by now, EVIDENCE.
You're being left hanging,... Again.
Perhaps it was a "leak" in the sense that most people imagine what a leak is. But I doubt it.
Much more likely, Berger and his lawyers were getting out in front of a story they knew wouldn't be kept below the radar forever. In a town like DC, it's highly likely that at least one or two Dem-friendly reporters had been sitting on the story for months, but decided they couldn't sit on it any longer. So the Berger bunch jumped out with their statement.
Lacking further details, that's how I see it.
I suspect you're right. But in regard to the Dems' feigned disgust with this "leak," as someone posted earlier on this thread, as I recall, "I thought the Dems liked whistleblowers?"
I think what this story indicates is that the Republicans are now on the attack, intent on keeping the Dems off-balance, and are going to stay on the attack from now until Nov. 2 (and hopefully beyond).
Who cares ,fact gathering takes time ,facts, berger took classified document that could put our nation our family in danger !Those are the facts timing has nothin g to do with it.
Can't wait to "see" them (further details).
Those can only come from one place (large amounts of testoterone will be required).
Hah! Snicker...
I never thought Berger was to bright but most if not all of the Clinton Adm. was chosen(IMO) for their uh, high low moral standards.
BTW, Wonder when, exactly, Kerry thinks is a good time to let the public know about the removal of classified documents from a "secured room" by a former high ranking government official and recent security advisor to his campaign.
did the 9/11 commission know about this cover-up all along?
National Security? What's that?
Where was Mikey Moore when we needed him. Oops… wrong party. Last October he was probably busy in Iraq.
Granted there's been countless threads on Berger-gate and maybe missed one, but I tried reading every thread and didn't see Hildebeast mentioned.
And also like I posted, no offense was meant.
I miss Reagan! Hopefully the WAR ROOM "readers" click the link you provided and read it; and learn from the master.
From the article:
There is only one major question on the agenda of national priorities and that is the state of our national security.
We cannot maintain the strength we need to survive, no matter how many missiles we have, no matter how many tanks we build, unless we are willing to reverse:
· The trend of deteriorating faith in and continuing abuse of our national intelligence agencies. Let’s stop the sniping and the propaganda and the historical revisionism and let the CIA and the other intelligence agencies do their job!
· Let us reverse the trend of public indifference to problems of national security. In every congressional district citizens should join together, enlist and educate neighbors and make certain that congressmen know we care. The front pages of major newspapers on the East Coast recently headlined and told in great detail of a takeover, the takeover of a magazine published in New York—not a nation losing its freedom. You would think, from the attention it received in the media, that it was a matter of blazing national interest whether the magazine lived or died. The tendency of much of the media to ignore the state of our national security is too well documented for me to go on.
Yes, very pathetic. So it's the disclosure that is the real problem, not the actual crime. Oh, this is soooo typical of Dems. We break the law, sure, just don't try to prosecute us or use it to dissuade voters from electing us. How much more socialist could they be? And why don't people know or care?
This may be traipsing into tinfoil territory, but instead of a Bush/GOP leak, why couldn't it have been a Kerry staffer, ticked off that Berger never told the campaign that he was under investigation? That had the potential to really hurt Kerry, plus Berger is a Clinton man, and the Clintons have always shunned the Kennedy/Kerry wing of the party as a public-image liability; so, could an irate staffer run his/her mouth to an AP reporter "inadvertantly?"
Yeah, LOL, its hard not to step on some of those tinfoil pads because the speculation on this thing is so far reaching! So many things don't add up! I have to think (and its only my humble opinion), that Berger was indeed working for Clinton with a wink and a nod that what he would be doing would ALSO benefit the Kerry campaign. He was considered to be a cabinet member, or at the very least his name was bandied about. Now why would this guy risk his credibility unless he thought he was covered. Ok, now, he gets busted and Clinton yuks it ups and offers up a lame defense (basically burning him) but a defense nonetheless for appearances. Now he is burned by the Clintons AND loses his chances with Kerry. So they tried and he took the fall. No matter what, his credibility is in the dumper. Used and used but good!
Yep. When you associate with thieves and liars, this is what happens! I can't say I'm choked up about it. I'm beginning to think he was trying to cover something up by removing multiple drafts of the Millenium plot after action report - something that would be embarrassing to the Clinton crew and his reputation. And Kerry also deserves whatever heartburn he's getting from this, for associating with so many Clintonistas. That crew makes the Kennedy crew look principled and restrained!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.