I dunno if I really buy that explanation for
all of this. It seems like he was uniquely positioned to sell his Brand - even 15 years after the greatest day of his life, Nine Eleven - for riches in a way that didn't require him to try to become Bond Villain.
Bernie Kerik didn't even dent his reputation. If you see how reporters treat Kerik, Bernie Kerik didn't even dent Bernie Kerik's reputation.
