no one else has brought it up...

[Happy Monkey]

Daily Howler on the docs in socks.

[Undertoad]

So, he didn't put "documents" in his socks, he put "something" in his socks.

Well that's worth a page and a half of Fox bashing.

[Undertoad]

WaPo: Archives staff was suspicious

The government source said the Archives employees were deferential toward Berger, given his prominence, but were worried when he returned to view more documents on Oct. 2. They devised a coding system and marked the documents they knew Berger was interested in canvassing, and watched him carefully. They knew he was interested in all the versions of the millennium review, some of which bore handwritten notes from Clinton-era officials who had reviewed them. At one point an Archives employee even handed Berger a coded draft and asked whether he was sure he had seen it.

At the end of the day, Archives employees determined that that draft and all four or five other versions of the millennium memo had disappeared from the files, this source said.

You sure you want to defend this guy?

Sources have told The Washington Post, and other news organizations, that Berger was witnessed stuffing papers into his clothing. Through attorneys and spokesmen, Berger has denied doing that.

WaPo in bed with Fox too?

[jaguar]

I find the fact the librarians devised a coding system and tracked what he was looking at almost more worrying.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

You sure you want to defend this guy?

Depends on what you mean by defend. He did break the law. The WaPo article isn't clear on whether the missing documents are originals, but the fact that they were marked implies that they weren't. Other articles have said that they were copies. All I'm saying is that you can't do a coverup by taking copies of documents. He broke the law, he's being investigated, he'll pay a penalty.

WaPo in bed with Fox too?

I never mentioned Fox, just the Washington Times.

[Clodfobble]

The WaPo article isn't clear on whether the missing documents are originals, but the fact that they were marked implies that they weren't. Other articles have said that they were copies. All I'm saying is that you can't do a coverup by taking copies of documents.

Unless it's those handwritten markings that he wants to get rid of.

[Happy Monkey]

Heh. I can see it now. "Those archive-worker sting operation document codes are offensive! I must destroy the document!"

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Unless it's those handwritten markings that he wants to get rid of.

Excellent point but already got rid of is more like it. Mission Accomplished. Another stooge falls on his sword for the Clintons.

[Happy Monkey]

The handwritten markings were made by the archive employees. Any handwritten notes on the originals were of course included on the copies provided to him, and still remain on the originals in the archive.

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Heh. I can see it now. "Those archive-worker sting operation document codes are offensive! I must destroy the document!"

Not those markings - the handwritten notes on the documents authored by Clinton administration officials which, by the way, makes copies "originals."

But, your mind is made up that there is nothing more to this than Berger preferring to read each and every copy of the report in the comfort of his La-Z-Boy so I guess I should stop worrying.

I just can't seem to let go of one thing, tho. If they were all identical copies as you seem to think why would he need more than one? And why would he make several trips to get the others? Why not make one trip and steal one copy? Why take the same risk over and over? Unless, of course, he showed the doc to someone who said, "that's not the right one, I need the one with the note that said blah, blah, blah so go back in there and get it."

Now put down the donkey-colored glasses and the Clinton kool aid and get upset like me

[Undertoad]

Precisely

At the end of the day, Archives employees determined that that draft and all four or five other versions of the millennium memo had disappeared from the files, this source said.

[Undertoad]

Hey that size thing is useful!

[Happy Monkey]

My mind isn't made up. I'm just telling you what the articles are saying. There's an investigation going on, and more accurate information will come out, but I can only work with what's available right now.

Here's what my reading of the articles is, with some guesses as to reasons: There were multiple drafts of the same memo, some with handwritten notes. He got copies of each draft, perhaps to recreate the thought process that went into the creation of the final memo. One draft he got two copies of - showing that he knew he was getting copies, not originals - perhaps he lost the first copy.

The big question I have is: If they saw him stuffing documents in his socks, wouldn't they have stopped him? That's their job. I'm skeptical about the anonymous eyewitness accounts. You don't need to set up a sting if you have witnesses, and can catch him redhanded.

[Happy Monkey]

At the end of the day, Archives employees determined that that draft and all four or five other versions of the millennium memo had disappeared from the files, this source said.

The question is what "disappeared from the files" means, not how many versions were taken. I suspect it's the reporter's phrase, rather than that of an archive employee. I suspect we'll have to wait for the investigation to know.

[Happy Monkey]

The Washington Post article was cowritten by Susan Schmidt

This is some of her earlier work:

"Pfc. Jessica Lynch, rescued Tuesday from an Iraqi hospital, fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers after Iraqi forces ambushed the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition, U.S. officials said yesterday.

"Lynch, a 19-year-old supply clerk, continued firing at the Iraqis even after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds and watched several other soldiers in her unit die around her in fighting March 23, one official said. The ambush took place after a 507th convoy, supporting the advancing 3rd Infantry Division, took a wrong turn near the southern city of Nasiriyah.

"'She was fighting to the death,' the official said. 'She did not want to be taken alive.'"

Take all of her details from anonymous sources with a salt lick.