Meanwhile, a second official associated with the Kerry campaign admits talking to Burkett about the phony baloney documents used in Rather's smear job, at the behest of CBS no less. Of course, the lamestream media at this point accepts at face value from both Max Cleland and Joe Lockhart that the contacts were brief and unmemorable. Of course it was - even though Kerry was reeling after the SBVT ads and a wildly successful Republican convention, they paid no attention to a guy saying he had ammunition they could use to fight back with. Who could doubt that they paid no attention to Burkett?

update: Did I say two big time Democrats? I meant three (hat tip to allah). USA Today is reporting that Burkett also spoke with Howard Dean. It also says the CBS exchanged access to Joe Lockhart for the documents Burkett was holding. I have been saying this from the minute the story broke - since when is it the job of the media to engage in unsubstantiated political smears, the exact thing which they accuse the Swift Boat Vets of.

The story also has this quote from White House spokesman Dan Bartlett:

The White House said CBS' contact with Lockhart was inappropriate. "The fact that CBS News would coordinate with the most senior levels of Sen. Kerry's campaign to attack the President is a stunning and deeply troubling revelation," said Dan Bartlett, White House communications director.