(guest blogged by Bill W.)
This is perhaps the most shameless hit piece I've seen on CNN since...well, I can't seem to remember ever seeing such a thing on CNN.
Apparently the news is that Sandy Berger, a favorite topic of Republican smear merchants, is NOT part of the HRC campaign. Did I just miss the disclaimer 'this ad paid for by 'swiftboat vets for smearjobs'? I really thought MSNBC was bad yesterday when they let a pundit call Hillary "shrill and fishwife-y," but this wasn't just some bobblehead talking, it was apparently supposed to be an actual honest-to-God news story.
How exactly?
I'm sorry, but everyone and anyone not officially connected to any campaign can offer advice and that isn't a scandal.
From what I gather, CNN apparently got the story hitpiece from the Examiner, a publication whose "right-wing slant" has been well-documented. Beyond their questionable sourcing, if, as CNN reports, that Berger has "no official role" in Hillary's campaign, then CNN knew before they even began shooting that Examiner story was tripe.
What's more, Blitzer then segues into a story that VP Cheney's daughter is now a co-chair to Fred Thompson's campaign. Well, ok, that MIGHT be newsworthy on a slow day, I suppose. At least she is 'officially connected' to the campaign. But if you're going to run with that, wouldn't it have been MUCH more newsworthy to at least mention that another Thompson co-chair is former Sen George Felix 'Macaca' Allen? I'm just askin'.