Whatever the tabloids find under their trees Christmas morning, it can't possibly be as fun to unwrap as Bernard Kerik was, writes Tom Scocco in the New York Observer. One minute, the story of the ex-police boss and ever-so-brief Homeland Security nominee was about alleged ho-hum procedural scandals–Social Security withholding problems, apparent conflicts of interest. The next, the allegations were about dueling mistresses, a secret Battery Park City love nest and purported mob ties.
Who could resist? The New York Post, that’s who. In the Post's world, the big story of the week was not Kerik's meltdown, but the possible involvement of Clinton-pardoned fugitive Marc Rich in the United Nations oil-for-food imbroglio. Meanwhile, the Daily News was running with “BERNIE AND THE BEAUTY,” complete with tales of “passionate liaisons.” “I know which story I would prefer to have, big time,” said Daily News editorial director Martin Dunn. Even the buttoned-up New York Times featured a prominent story on Wednesday about Kerik’s affairs and love-nest apartment.