Bernie Kerik: Grandstanding and Getting Out

The NY Daily News tells us how a new book informs us of how much Bernard Kerik "helped" in Iraq when he was dispatched there, meaning not at all.

This does not come as a surprise to me because at the time Bernie went over there, reports coming back said he was basically just getting his picture taken a lot and meeting with some important people, but nothing that could be construed as actual training of Iraqi police. And then - and I seemed to be the only one to notice - Bernie came home waaaaaay early announcing mission accomplished when at that time, Iraq had fewer "trained" police after Bernie left than before he arrived.

No, Kerik was sent to Iraq for a high profile, highly paid promo from the Bush-Rudy Giuliani team. Not long after his strangely early return, he was patted on the back ("Heck of a job, Bernie"?) and offered the Department of Homeland (In)Security post until someone FINALLY dug up the dirt that I'd known about for some time (the mistresses, using cops to do his personal errands, taking kickbacks, non-performance).

In fact, the harder you look at what Giuliani and Kerik did after 9-11, the more you realize that lining their pockets and demanding fat cat appointments was really their only interest. Sad, but I think true.