Bernard Kerik and the Smokescreen Nanny

Posted on December 11, 2004

In a classic late night Friday news dump, the White House announced that Bernard Kerik was withdrawing from consideration as the next Homeland Security chief citing potential confirmation problems with his hiring of an illegal nanny. Kerik says in his resignation letter: "Under the present circumstances, however, I cannot permit matters personal to me to distract from the focus and progress of the Department of Homeland Security and its crucial endeavors."

The nannygate problem has scuttled quite a few nominees over the years, and it's a great excuse -- which most of the media isn't buying for a minute. Mickey Kaus of Slate writes, "Is 'I have a nanny problem' the new resignation smokescreen of choice, replacing 'I want to spend more time with my family'? The latter phrase has become such an implausble cliche it's lost all utility--it's practically a red flag signalling 'I have a big problem I'm not telling you about.'"

There are lots of other theories about what's in Kerik's past: from questionable business practices to the fact that apparently there is a warrant for his arrest outstanding in New Jersey. Bernie, Bernie...what have you been up to?