Sometimes Guilty People Act Guilty Too

A Democratic operative explains how the White House mishandled the Joe Sestak bribery affair.

"How do you make something out of nothing?," asked one such operative who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the matter. "By acting guilty when you're innocent."

How can anybody still believe the White House is innocent? The explanation offered today was transparent nonsense and does not begin to match up with the story it was supposed to cover up.

"Were you ever offered a federal job to get out of this race?" Kane asked near the end of the 30-minute interview.

"Yes," Sestak answered.

"Was it Navy secretary?" Kane asked.

"No comment," Sestak replied.

In response to follow-up questions from the host, Sestak said the job was offered by the White House. He also nodded when asked if the offer was for a high-ranking post.

President Obama and other leading Democrats are supporting Specter, a five-term incumbent who switched from the Republican Party last spring. Some Democrats, including Gov. Rendell and state party Chairman T.J. Rooney, have publicly urged Sestak to spare the party an expensive primary fight.

After the taping, which was attended by an Inquirer reporter, Sestak declined to answer questions about the alleged offer from the White House.

"I'm not going to say who or how and what was offered," Sestak told The Inquirer on Thursday. "I don't feel it's appropriate."

Sestak, a retired admiral, said he was approached in July. He announced his challenge in August.

An advisory role on an obscure panel is not a "high ranking post."