At the end of an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton a short while ago, USA TODAY's Susan Page inquired about reports that former Clinton administration national security adviser Sandy Berger is advising her.
Susan asked whether Clinton has any qualms about having Berger as an unofficial adviser to her campaign, given his mishandling of sensitive, classified intelligence documents in 2003?
"He has no official role in my campaign. He's been a friend for more than 30 years. But he doesn't have any official role," Clinton said.
But he's an unofficial adviser, Susan asked?
"I have thousands of unofficial advisers," said Clinton, "and, you know, I appreciate all of that. But he has no official role in my campaign."
As you might recall and as the D.C. Examiner wrote today, Berger was fined $50,000, placed on probation and stripped of his security clearance for three years after admitting he took classified documents from the National Archives in 2003 as he prepared to meet with the 9/11 Commission. The news of what he had done led to his departure from the presidential campaign of Democratic Sen. John Kerry in 2004.
Meanwhile, conservative bloggers are taking shots at Clinton over the Berger reports. Ed Morrissey at Captain's Quarters points out that not only (as we reported earlier) have there been several reports in recent days about Berger advising Clinton -- but Newsweek magazine noted the connection a month ago.
Morrissey, no fan of Clinton, thinks the Berger story may be old but is "one that should come up again and again until Hillary either cuts Berger loose -- as John Kerry did, to his credit -- or loses an election for her association with him."
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