(1) They could not risk embarrassing Kerry at or after the Convention. By releasing this before the 9/11 Commission's report, they guaranteed it would be a one-day story. (Curious also that the AP suddenly released the "new" airport tape)
(2) They leaked this 2 days before Congress goes out of session for 6 WEEKS. So the announced hearings on Berger are now perhaps 2 months away! The news will be stale then.
(3) Kerry is spared Berger's resigning his campaign during the DNC
(4) The Democrats immediately cried "THE TIMING" and every Clinton talking head from Gergen to DeeDee had the full talking points prepared and starched for this release. In fact Berger had retained Joe Lockhart as his temp spokesperson 6 MONTHS AGO. They prepared for this leak long ago.
(5) By leaking this, the Dems had their best shot of getting Berger off...by trying to convince the public that Bush was just playing politics with the leak ahead of the DNC and Commission, and a politicized prosecution of a "laughable" matter.
If you look at how many Clintonians surround this affair...
My take is that the Clintonistas were ready to sacrifice one of their own (who was already in deep doo doo)and accept collateral damage to the Clinton legacy at this particular time for one reason:
Hurt Kerry and Damage him during his convention week.
All part of the ongoing Hillary-Kerry feud and her chance to run in 2008.
Good analysis.
(5) Sandy Berger and his lawyer were the named sources quoted in the AP Solomon "leak" article.