Oh, the bullet points on Bernie Kerik's real-life resume just go on and on. But is this really the guy we want standing between us and the terrorists?
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Well, no.
But then again, that's not really the job of Homeland Security is it?
Sure, sure, the department mission statement, seal and stationary go on and on about keeping Americans safe and hunting down terrorists to the ninth dimension but we've had enough time to get a handle on this outfit and see that it really has two, related missions:
a.) Be a part of the "war on terrorism" theater project - facts are meaningless, appearance (in this case, the appearance of knowing what the hell you're doing when it comes to counter-terrorism) is everything.
The neon fired, night time glow of a Vegas casino is more substantive.
b.) Harass immigrants to create advertising visuals in support of the 'war on terror' show. You've got to prove you're doing something and what better way than by tormenting people who nearly everyone's suspicious of?
Now old Tom Ridge, though no Sun Tzu, seemed to try - within the limits of the office and the general gangster dumb-assedness of the administration - to try to actually be something of a counter-terror guy. Clearly, even his stumbling-down-the-steps-drunk efforts were a little too sharp for this bunch -- Kerik is a much better choice to carry out the department's real mission.
.d.