Sock It to Me! (UPDATED)

After first appearing on Fox… and being received with skepticism by some because, after all, it was Fox… now the Berger/Socks allegations are being repeated on CNN, a network generally assumed to be on the “liberal” side of the political ledger:

In a statement issued late Monday, Berger said the removal of those papers was unintentional. But law enforcement sources told CNN that some of the papers he is said to have taken from the National Archives were stuffed into his socks as well as other parts of his clothing.

It’s those pesky law enforcement sources again.

UPDATE: If this is true… and it’s beginning to seem likely… then Berger has a muy serious problem. To go so far as to stick something in his socks he must have been muy scared (how about petrified?)people would find out about something (what?)… or else I have about twelve therapists I can recommend to him.

MORE: On reflection this seems almost so bizarre as to strain credibility, which may be what it is intended to do (the socks report). Who knows? The knives are out in Washington and we the people ignored as always… except for our votes. The whole 9/11 Commission seems to have been exercise in obfuscation rather than illumination. Otherwise, why do it during an election year, a near guarantee of posturing over truth?

Meanwhile, Newsmax is reporting the Kerry campaign already backing away from Berger:

Oops: Kerry’s campaign is already distancing itself from Berger. Handlers are emphasizing that the former national security bigwig was just “an informal adviser,” not a paid official with the campaign.

As for Berger’s obvious angling for an invite to be CIA director in case of a Democrat victory in November, you can forget all about that now.

Newsmax is a partisan source but this seems all but inevitable under the circumstances, whatever they turn out to be.

UPDATE: According to the AP, Berger’s gone. Things certainly move fast in the nation’s capital these days. From the land of spin meets blablabla, we have the following:

“Mr. Berger does not want any issue surrounding the 9/11 commission to be used for partisan purposes. With that in mind he has decided to step aside as an informal adviser to the Kerry campaign until this matter is resolved,” said Lanny Breuer, Berger’s attorney.

I would like to repeat — the 9/11 Commission was a farce. Holding such a review during an election year could only produce such CYA actions as this. I don’t know if Sandy Berger is necessarily a bad guy (although I have heard he is rude to his staff — but so are most of the producers in Hollywood). And I don’t think this proves anything about the Clinton administration we didn’t know… They weren’t ready for 9/11 and neither was Bush–Department of Duh!…. But Sandy-baby sure was scared out of his (excuse me) trousers, or maybe shorts, whatever happened.

So this has been, so far, the Summer of Disgrace – first Wilson, now Berger and to me much of the mainstream media. Fear of the truth and propaganda rule, lest Bush get elected! Where is (the rare) Ben Jonson when we really need him? Or Aristophanes? There is no satire too scurrilous for these folks… They are definitely for The Birds!