Maybe you can explain this to me.

Sandy Berger was a top White House aide in the Clinton White House. He was our national security adviser. Which means, of course, he knew our most secret secrets.

Sandy Berger stole classified documents. From our National Archives. You no doubt have read about this.

Sandy Berger was barely punished for this theft. Can you explain that to me?

Berger was getting ready to testify before the 9/11 Commission in 2003. The commission members had questions for him. About how the Clinton administration handled terrorism.

Now, this is a pretty important subject. For obvious reasons. Not so much to point fingers. But to learn what we did wrong, perhaps. Or what we might have done better. Or what we overlooked.

Berger went to the Archives to review Clinton administration documents. He stuffed a bunch down his trousers. Once outside he hid them under a trailer at a construction site. He retrieved some and scissored them.

It was all just an “honest mistake” said Sandy. (Talk show guys call him Sandy Burglar these days.) An honest mistake? He mistakenly stole classified documents? He mistakenly stashed them? He mistakenly cut them to shreds?

His former boss, Bill Clinton, laughed about it. Literally. Said so. Said Sandy was simply a messy guy.

Sandy did get fined for this. Fined $50,000. And he did have to fulfil 100 hours of community service.