I still find it astonishing that Berger would engage in such an easily detectable and high-risk maneuver. To protect Clinton? He would risk humility, financial ruin, and imprisonment for BJ? Why? And Why now?
It is difficult to imagine that anything in those documents could be damaging to him personally, and after reviewing them, he could have at least avoided perjuring himself at the 9-11 hearings. But it is very easy to imagine the archives might contain information that the Clinton's thought OK to leave behind, but which could have been very damaging given 9-11.
So, why would Berger risk so much? Loyalty? Naaah. Arrogance? Perhaps. Fear of what might be in his FBI file? Hmmmm.....
I continue to ask the same question. I have never understood why so many of Clinton's advisors and cabinet members stuck by him except to conclude that they were enslaved by their own agenda (be it the self esteem quest of Albright and Reno or the political aspirations of Gore and Hillary). Why would Berger stay with a man who showed such a lack of seriousness on national security issues? Anyway, I don't believe Berger would pull this stunt to save or protect Clinton alone, there was something in it for him. And I don't think that was a position with Kerry, his experience/network would have provided him with ample information to feed the Kerry campaign.
I can think of only two things that would compel a 50-something man to do this. Either he felt or was told that he was covered by insiders while he was swiping the documents or he risked jail and/or the loss of all that he made of himself if he didn't swipe them.
Never forget the 'INS'.....et al.
:-(