I would rule out that Kerry's records have been purged. The USN would not allow it and I doubt that it could be done without anyone noticing or reporting it. Moreover, "missing records" would raise more questions.
I seriously doubt that the three MSM reporters who were allowed access would agree to be grilled by anyone. They were selected because of their affinity for Kerry. I agree that Jeff Beatty could and should make this an issue in the 2008 campaign.
Kerry will cry that he is being "swiftboated" again, but Beatty represents the kind of challenger Kerry fears most. Historically, Kerry has always pulled the "war hero" card against his Rep opponents who never even served. Hence their fear of raising anything questioning Kerry's war record or his subsequent anti-war activities including meeting with the Vietnamese communists twice in Paris while still a member of the USNR.
Jeff Beatty is a decorated veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He is the first person to have served with 3 of our most elite Anti-terrorism Units. He was a Delta Force Officer in the first Blackhawk shot down. He was a Special Agent of the FBI, advising the FBI National Hostage Rescue Team and he was a CIA Counter-terrorism Officer with half a dozen years of service, mostly in Europe and the Middle East running successful operations against terrorists and nations hostile to the United States.
Kerry fears any opponent with this kind of resume. That said, for a Rep to win in MA is going to take a small miracle. If the information on Kerry's first PH could be found, it might prove to be the "magic bullet" to take him down once and for all.
I'd suggest that, in itself, would be noteworthy and eminently exploitable.
I can already picture an ad...Beatty's citation along with the documentation and Kerry's citation with...?????.