UPDATE: 12/14- Turns out that Kerik didn't simply face a problem in hiring an illegal nanny. There were huge problems with his background, ranging from close ties to the mafia, unreported cash gifts, a running arrest warrant and unpaid debts among other more personal family problems. Tells you that Bush really jumped the gun on this one.... Just another in a long string of undistinguished cabinet picks Bush has made for his second term. Kerik campaigned for Bush last fall and this is the payout. He made a speech in the GOP convention promoting himself and George Bush. The administration portrays Kerik as something of a rough-hewn hero who lead the NYPD effectively after 9/11 along with Rudy Giuliani. Appearances aren't everything. A high school dropout from New Jersey, Kerik joined the military and ended up serving in the Middle East as a bodyguard for the Saudi royal family. He returned home to become a narcotics cop in 1993 for the NYPD. When Giuliani became mayor, he appointed Kerik his chauffeur and bodyguard. This began his meteoric rise to prominence; in the late-1990's he became deputy police commissioner and head of the NYC Corrections department. It has been charged that Kerik skimmed profits from a taxpayer subsidized tobacco-buying program for prison inmates during this period. One year before 9/11, Giuliani chose Kerik to be police commissioner over other candidates who had better credentials for the job. He is best know as the person at Giuliani's side during the aftermath of 9/11. However his own control of the situation after the initial attack and his reaction was a notable scandal. He wrote an autobiography 2 months after the attack that written and researched by 2 police officers, represeting a conflict of interest that he was fined substantially for. 4 months later, incoming NY mayor Michael Bloomberg replaced him with a more competent official. He didn't do anything significant on the job. After the initial invasion of Iraq, Bush sends Kerik to the country to train the police force, but was sent home only after 3 months. Apparently many of his overbearing tactics were turning their police organizations against the Americans. Today the Iraqi police force continues to be mired in incompetence. He went on to become a motivational speaker, collecting hefty sums from large corporations. His favorite line is that political criticism of our leaders is our enemies best friend. During the 2004 campaign, Kerik insinuates that if Kerry is elected, there will be another 9/11. Bush rewarded his loyalty by appointing him Homeland Security Chief, a massive new bureaucracy with a budget of over 41 billion dollars. It was created out of a plethora of government agencies covering different functional areas. However, like intelligence reform will prove, greater centralization has not really made the country less vulnerable to attack. Most of our logistical networks covering areas from transportation to energy to border security remain big and open targets for terrorists. Meanwhile the funding formula used to allocate monies seems to be oddly skewed towards areas that have no important facilities that are important terrorist targets. Strange that Wyoming is the largest per capita recipient of Homeland Security funds while areas that are vulnerable are caught with the short end of the stick. Merit based contracting has also gone out the window, instead we have a pay-to-play system that is grossly inefficient. Lucrative contracts go to favored firms over those who can provide services are at lower cost--your tax dollars hard at work! Reality is that Kerik's pick for Homeland Security secretary is much more in line with other Bush cabinet picks. None are particularly objectionable but neither are they worthy of merit. The President's picks for the Justice Department, State Department, the Commerce Department and now Homeland Security are all people who will be enforcers and loyalists. What concerns me is that he isn't bringing in people who will bring new ideas to the table The groupthink that prevailed in the first term is going to continue into the 2nd one, only this time much more entrenched. Those with competing ideas are put to the side. Ironic that an administration which promotes itself as the embodiment of the free marke is adverse to an open and intellectual climate that is required in order for it to flourish. Kerik probably won't swim well in Washington at the end of the day. He simply doesn't have the experience or the depth to handle the job.

I am a Republican. But how Bush can put this sleazeball from New Jersey in a position like this is beyond me. This sleazy greaseball should be picking up my trash instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His record speaks for itself. His stint as the mayor's driver must have been inspiring and educational or maybe he just keeps his mouth shut and does what he is told

benard kerik is a proven leader.. his speech was covincing and inspiring ...a truly great man who has so much more to give to this country ...as to the ignorant mogoloid that left the newest comment...you know nothing about benard kerik..i worked with him adn watches his career from the very beginning ..i remeber his first day in law enforcement ...his transfer to nypd and followed his career closely..he is a truly amazing man his abilities have not yet been fully tapped the world and nyc is a safer place because of him..and as far as the scandal at the tomes now named after him ..he had nothing to do with that ..get a life.,....get the facts

It's pretty sad that the GOP gave this guy a speaking slot in prime time, given how inconsequential he is. The Elephants tried to pass him off as some kind of exemplar of virtue, forthrightness, honesty and integrity, conveniently forgetting that he was involved in a profit-skimming scam on cigarette sales to inmates at Riker's Island. This guy should be up on the tier himself, given the fact that he's a thief and a grafter, but instead, the GOP allowed him to flatulate at the podium because most of the knuckleheads in this mentally retarded political party were ignorant of the fact that Kerik is just another sleazeball cop on the take.