The Sandy Berger-Hunter S.Thompson link?

[underpants]

I was just talking to my brother and the discussion turned to the Clarke testimony and I mentioned the FACT that Sandy Berger brought up about 67 Americans dying at the hands of foreign terrorists in Clinton's 8 years.

My brother was surprised by that stat and then he asked me,"Hey who is Sandy Berger?What did he do?"

I informed him that Berger was National Security Adviser to Clinton, the position Condi Rice now holds.

He mentioned (he LOVES Hunter) that he is pretty sure that Berger hung around with Thompson back in the day. He wasn't a member of the "Freak Party" (Thompson ran for mayor of Aspen promising to tear up the streets and replace them with sod, make the cops ride bicycles -WAY ahead of his time huh?- and rename Aspen "Fat City" to scare off the tourists) but my brother was pretty sure that Berger is mentioned by Thompson and was amongst his buddies at the time.

Anyone know if this is true?

[boobooday]

1. I'd like to know

I would have a new respect for Burger, and Clinton, for that matter.

God, we are SO much hipper than the Republicans. I mean it. Did they ever notice they are the antithesis of cool?

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[starroute]

2. Google is your friend

http://www.freezerbox.com/archive/article.asp?id=287

The Hunter S. Thompson Interview
BY ADAM BULGER
CULTURE | 3.9.2004

This interview took place in early March 2003, shortly after the publication of Kingdom of Fear.

<snip>

You were a very vocal critic of the Clinton administration, but you were in correspondence with Sandy Berger, Clinton's Defense secretary. Are you guys still friends?

Oh, yeah, definitely, he's a good boy. I disagree with a lot of my friends. Just because he's my friend doesn't mean he has to agree with me.

[underpants]

3. Damn my brother was actually right about something

Who knew that could happen.

That is very cool. I have read Thompson also mention Ed Bradley, Sean Penn, and Johnny Depp in his columns. They play poker together and Depp and he became fast friends when Depp met him to research his role as Hunter in "Fear and Loathing.......".

[direwolf]

4. Yes. I know he's mentioned

in Hunter S. Thompsons's "Fear and Loathing in America." There are a couple of photos of him with such notables as Jann Wenner, Pat Caddell, Doris Kearns, etc.

The two volumes of his "Gonzo Letters" are a fun read. Then again, what Thompson stuff isn't? :)

[newyawker99]

5. Hi direwolf!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[HydroAddict]

11. Fear & Loathing...Loved it!

BTW, Great screen name...

"Don't murder me, I beg of you, don't murder me.
Pleeeeaze, don't murder me"!

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[TacticalPeek]

6. I thought sure your brother was confusing him with Sonny Barger.

But, hey, I guess the weird turn pro after all.

:)

[buycitgo]

13. now, THAT/s funny!

Sonny for SecDef under Kerry?

or did he succumb to that throat thing?

[thebigidea]

7. they were both at the "Elko" conference post-McGovern

there's a picture of that in one of Thompson's books...

actually, every time I see Sandy Berger I try and imagine him sitting next to Hunter Thompson. Its an odd image.

[lazarus]

8. For added weirdness

Hunter and Pat Buchanan were drinking beer by the pool of the Watergate Hotel the night of the break-in. They're buddies, too.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

9. No F-in way! That's the best

bit of trivia I've heard in absolutely ages. Thanks!

[lazarus]

10. Can't recall which of his books I read that in

But it's always stuck with me. Just more weirdness in the life of the truly weird.

[starroute]

12. Pat's mentioned in the same interview I quoted above

Right after the Sandy Berger question, in fact.

Are you still in touch with Patrick Buchanan?

Occasionally. We're still friends. Patrick is a libertarian, or at least in that direction. I think of politics as a circle, not a spectrum of one line not just right and left. Patrick and I are often pretty close. Patrick's an honest person. He's a straight guy and very smart guy.

His magazine, the American Conservative, is really interesting. It's all anti-Bush, basically.

I'm pleased with that. I frequently agree with him. He's an intelligent--you might call him a politician.

[buycitgo]

14. ha! look out......it's a meta-interview! so far, at least

thanks for providing it....Thompson wrote the best political book ever....Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail

he actually predicted McGovern's winning the nomination when Muskie was still riding high

won't go into the details, but Thompson, an actual journalist, took the time to find out WHY McGovern was going to win, and the "real" journalists at the time laughed at him

he lost his objectivity while following GM during the campaign, but, then, he's an authentic person, so give him a pass on that

still remember reading the Rolling Stone issues from which the book was taken.....if only I'd kept those......

thanks again.....now back to the interview.....what a TREAT!

[buycitgo]

15. HARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

What kind of music are you listening to?

Let's see. I just got the new Bob Dylan box set from the Rolling Thunder tour from 1975. It's kind of a big package with a book and several CDs in there. It's maybe the best rock and roll album I've ever heard.

You don't think that was after his peak?

Shit. You really are dumb. You have to listen to it and find out. If you think that, you really are ignorant. What do you want to talk about, Eminem?


too much!