Keith Olbermann's Anthrax Scare - Cui Bono?

Keith Olbermann was the recipient, at home, of an envelope containing white powder.  For whatever reason, the Page Six reporters of the NY Post (or here) chose to treat this as a big joke, which shows a deplorable lack of judgment.  [And see "CORNYN, TOO" Update, below]

The Moderate Voices have a round-up of reaction (i.e,. condemnation of the Post) from across the political spectrum.

That said, let me take some whacks at Keith Olbermann, who has chosen to politicize and exploit the incident and the Post coverage in his response:

The Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper, The New York Post, may have just impeded an FBI investigation into terroristic threats.

I know this because I was a recipient.

Oh, boy, it's Valerie Plame redux!  From another view, a newspaper may have printed news.

The Bureau asked us not to report any of the details so that the person or persons responsible would not know any of the threats had been received by any of the targets -- and we of course complied.

I still cannot confirm many of the specifics -- again in order to make the jobs of the FBI and the New York Police Department a little easier.

An alternative division of labor would have the police do the police work and Olbermann pretend to be a journalist reporting news.  The same people who trumpet leaks that affect our national security suddenly become close-mouthed when it is their personal safety that is in play - imagine my surprise.

Let's skip right to Olbermann's political exploitation:

In fact, I was there ten hours before they permitted me to leave, even after several forceful requests by me and my employers to the New York Department of Health, that I should be released.

Incidentally, I apologize if those were too forceful.

Apologize for the requests -- not the commentaries that obviously inspired the event I'm talking about, and the Post's mocking of police and FBI efforts, and its endorsement of terroristic threats from the Radical Right.

We will not be intimidated here.

Oh, the threat came from the Radical Right?  Does Olbermann know this because the police have an iron-clad case against a suspect already in custody?  Or is he just making stuff up?

Let's ask the standard question here - cui bono?  Six weeks before the election Keith Olbermann, lefty loudmouth and wanna-be media sensation with dismal ratings, gets a DEATH THREAT INTENDED TO INTIMIDATE HIM!  But Olbermann is a hero, by golly - tune in tonight for even more unrelenting, demented Bush-bashing!  Check your local listings.

Is it ever so vaguely possible that one of Olbermann's admirers thought this stunt might give Olbermann both a ratings boost and an opportunity to bash Bush, the right, and the climate of fear?  If I were a bettor I would back the "right-wing nut job" theory, but I would certainly not present it as fact on an MSNBC "news" site.

Certainly Olbermann has thought about the advantages of creating one's own story - this is also in his response to the Post:

It's interesting too that Murdoch's paper was able to get a jump on this story so quickly -- nearly as quickly, as if they'd known it was coming.

Again, does Olbermann have any basis of all for the insinuation that the Post is behind this letter?  Of course not!  That is why he is a hero to the reality-based community.

As to how the Post found out so quickly, Olbermann unwittingly provided a clue, which I will repeat:

I was there ten hours before they permitted me to leave, even after several forceful requests by me and my employers to the New York Department of Health, that I should be released.

Incidentally, I apologize if those were too forceful.

Also incidentally, if you make a clown of yourself shouting at cops and ER technicians, they are a bit more likely to drop a dime on you and call Page Six.  And since Page Six lives for these sorts of calls, they hand out plenty of dimes.  Olbermann is ostensibly a newsman - why does he need this explained to him?

Well, I think it is fair to say that Team Murdoch does not like Keith Olbermann and vice versa (I doubt that Olbermann calmed the waters by calling Chris Wallace a "monkey" last Tuesday).  Of course, that does not excuse the Post - they do their readership a disservice by stooping to Olbermann's level.

MORE BACKSTORY?  Bill O'Reilly (Keith Olbermann's bete noir) told Barbara Walters in a recent interview that he has received death threats, including threats from Al Qaeda.  Here was Olbermann's concerned and respectful initial reaction:

That‘s ahead, but first time for COUNTDOWN‘s latest list of nominees for “Worst Person in the World.”

...

But the winner, Bill Orally.  In an interview with Barbara Walters he tells her, “The FBI came in and warned me and a few other people at FOX News that al Qaeda had us on a death list.”

Hey, fella! Were they targeting you or where they just expecting you to help?

By the next day enough folks had kicked this around enough that perhaps a bit of skepticism was warranted.  Still, call me gullible but in the era of Salman Rushdie and the Danish cartoons, I don't know why O'Reilly's fear of being targeted by Al Qaeda is so unreasonable.

I TACKLE THE TOUGH RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:  Over at Hot Air, a commenter asks:

This is not funny and should be condemned.  Would we laugh if it was O’Reilly or Limbaugh?  I doubt it.

Well, Ronald Reagan made jokes as they wheeled him into the hospital after he was shot - that set the bar for conservatives pretty high.  I'll just guess that rather than engage in extended whining and finger-pointing as Olbermann did, O'Reilly or Limbaugh would make a joke out of it ("It's going to take a lot more than this bit of soap to clean up my act" or "Thanks a lot - the next time I meet [insert foul-mouthed politico here] I'll be prepared".)

But Olbermann is campaigning for King of the Moonbats and for that role, being an oppressed, victimized truth-teller is key.

GOOD QUESTION: Do Moonbats have a King?  Shouldn't they have a more democratic, egalitarian social structure?

CAN'T TELL THE PLAYERS... No, Howard Dean is King of the Leprechauns.

CORNYN, TOO:  From the Dallas Morning News:

WASHINGTON — Aides to Sen. John Cornyn were stuck in their offices at midday Thursday after an intern opened an envelope containing a suspicious powder. Capitol police were testing to see if it was anything dangerous.

    

“It’s some sort of a powdery substance,” said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. “The hazmat team is testing the substance.”

    

False alarms and scares are not uncommon at the Capitol. No one was evacuated, though everyone in the vicinity was asked to remain in place, presumably to avoid the spread of any potential contaminant. Access to part of Mr. Cornyn’s office suite was blocked pending the outcome of the tests.

The Wonkette reminds us that it is the fifth anniversary of the first anthrax scare.

 

Comments

[Jane]

Sounds like a ratings ploy. I can't imagine anyone caring enough about Keith Olbermann to waste a stamp on him.

[boris]

waste a stamp on him

The Fedex dinosaur might waste a stomp on him.

[MayBee]

It seems to me most controversial public figures get death threats these days. It's a shame.
I felt sorry for Olberman until I read his ridiculous rant about how Fox was interfering with the FBI investigation (for mailing SOAPFLAKES!). And his forceful attempts to leave the exam. And the implication the Post was in on it.
Both page six and Olberman acted ridiculously, but it is comforting to see that when on the verge of being a sympathetic figure, Keith is simply unable to be the bigger man.

[Ex CT1]

I hope Keith was reaaaaaaaaallllllly careful when he sealed up that envelope. I'm sure he'd be surprised what the FBI can get off an envelope or a stamp.

[Neo]

This is serious. I mean there could be a charge of possessing or using a facsimile weapon of mass destruction involved. Who'd a thunk it ? (Any whiz kids thinking of a science fair project .. forget the model of a hydrogen bomb lest you face felony charges)

I'll go out on a limb here, his rant tonight will contain some point about how 5 years later the original anthrax killer from the immediate post 9/11 period still has not been captured.
As the 5 year anniversary just passed, I remember a TV story (but can't find a link) that indicated that the FBI has now determined that the anthrax was not weaponized, thus the list of suspects went up astronomically, from a few government researchers to just about everybody.

The world is full of all kinds of dangers and, frankly, it's really hard to get protection these days, but for Keith Olbermann, I suggest a full body sized prophylactic. Having watched his poor excuse for a news program, I'm sure he will be right at home.

[Jimmy's Attack Rabbit]

Keith who and what is this MSNBC thing?

[Other Tom]

How does he know the effort was from a "terrorist?" Maybe it was a freedom fighter, right?

[Neo]

I know there was a TV piece that featured a "former" suspect (not Hatfill), but this WaPo piece of Monday, September 25, 2006 is the best I can find. It appears that MSNBC had posted this or a like story last Friday with FBI widens net in anthrax attack, but it is down now.

Five years after the anthrax attacks that killed five people, the FBI is now convinced that the lethal powder sent to the Senate was far less sophisticated than originally believed, widening the pool of possible suspects in a frustratingly slow investigation.

The finding, which resulted from countless scientific tests at numerous laboratories, appears to undermine the widely held belief that the attack was carried out by a government scientist or someone with access to a U.S. biodefense lab.

[boris]

Never watched the guy. Does he mock the pro-WoT as being too chicken?

[Extraneus]

Now really, who would send soap powder to a perceived enemy they wanted to harm or even threaten, knowing the person would get a boost from the publicity and that the envelope could still possibly be traced back to the sender? Are there really any people that bright who aren't already on Olberman's side?

[Neo]

The Fedex dinosaur might waste a stomp on him.

Maybe it was an insurgent Fedex dinosaur.

[Dale in Atlanta]

Tom: I just had this discussion with Rick Moran, over at his site!

You, and Tom, and Capt Ed, and Powerline, etc., ARE correct!

Whoever did it, it was Wrong!

And, it is NOT a practical joke; it's serious, especially in light of the Antrax attacks after 9/11.

I referred to it as a "practical joke" over at Rick's, and he correctly pointed out, it is not.

That said, I'll repeat what I said at Rick's: I STILL have a hard time, garnering any sympathy for the guy.

Would I do it to him? NO!
Would I encourage anyone else to do it? NO!

I will just point out, this was the same guy, who when trying to downplay, and deconstruct the WMD issue in Iraq several months ago, when Sen Santorum released the report that some old CW Shells had been found; made the ludicrous assertions that he'd feel comfortable if they had some of those very same shells, on the set with him, and he could open them up, and they'd be no threat at all!

Yeah, well even degraded Sarin & VX are dangerous as hell, and his false, stupid, asinine Bravado, is obviously, just that, in light of his reaction to the Soap Powder!

I just want to point that out; without implying he deserved it or anything!

But then again, hypocrasy is nothing new for that fool!

[noah]

Its a sad comment on the FBI that it has taken them five years to figure out their BS was BS.

[boris]

knowing the person would get a boost from the publicity

Not sure that would matter. The anti-WoT crowd has taken to mocking the pro-WoT as "little freaked out, intimidated, frightened, right-wing Republican". Given Olbermans comment about O'Reilly's being on a terrorist death list, it wouldn't suprise me if he were one of them.

If so, motivation for a right wing kook is Rather obvious. As in "How does it feel now? Are you a little freaked out, intimidated, frightened maybe?"

[MARK C.]

i seem to remember Keith leaving his first gig with ESPN on unfriendly terms. He should have stayed. he'd get better ratings covering curling or college volleyball.

[MayBee]

Dale- heh.

[Neo]

This story just seems to get better.

seems the police haven’t a clue what The Post is talking about, neither is there any report of a Hazmat unit being dispatched

The next obvious question .. is Olbermann stupid enough to have his home address publicly posted ?

Forget about the "stupid enough" part and go with the "publicly posted" part of the question.

[capitano]

MSNBC Security Guard: "Good afternoon, Mr. Olberman."

KO: "I must make my witness!"

MSNBC Security Guard: "Sure thing Mr. Olberman."

[TexasToast]

Tom

I'm scratching my head, but ISTM that this is the first time you have used the word "moonbat".

[Other Tom]

I remember Olbermann from his days in the toy department (sports) on one of the local L.A. newscasts. He was an annoying fool then, and he hasn't changed. He is simply out of his element when dealing with news.

[Semanticleo]

Gee. Is this story the equivilent of Katie Couric's PAP test? Page six news is buried for a reason, Maguire. How about the NIE leakers? Is that closer to page one?

[dvorak]

Do Moonbats have a King? Shouldn't they have a more democratic, egalitarian social structure?

Do commune leaders have a title?

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Speaking of the Chris Wallace interview of Clinton, our old friend pgl at Angry Bear has a rather novel defense for Bubba. After a series of lengthy and detailed posts in the comments section by Movie Guy informing him of just how much was known of bin Laden's activities in the early '90s, pgl decides it just wasn't fair for bin Laden to exploit a guy who was five years behind on his reading.

[Neo]

And I don't know why an ardent lefty could not have dreamed up this stunt - c'mon, if the police make an arrest and the guy explains he was simply trying to call attention to Bush's failure to crack the anthrax case five years on, what will Olby do? Afwer he coronates the guy, lauds his imaginative exercise of free speech ritghts, and denounces an obvious political prosecution menat to stifle dissent, that is.

.. and probably cites Thomas Jefferson's "Dissent Is the Highest Form of Patriotism"

[Sue]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060928/D8KDT6400.html>Dow Passes Record High

[Lurking Observer]

I question the timing.

[Extraneus]

Ok, I get it Boris. So now Page Six can start budgeting less for laundry detergent.

[Tom Maguire]

...but ISTM that this is the first time you have used the word "moonbat".

I have used it once or twice (at least). Honest Injun, I have been spending too much time at a lefty site where there are no righties, only wingers and wingnuts.

Not that there is ever an excuse for bad manners!

I happen to think that not all leftties are moonbats, but all moonbats are lefties. So in this case, Olbermann is so dedicated to a fringe appeal that moonbats seems right.

[boris]

now Page Six can start budgeting less for laundry detergent

Not sure that follows. Expect we might hear less along the lines of opening harmless WMD shells on Olbermann's program now.

[Jim E.]

Let's review TM's tawdry post:

- The NY Post was wrong in reporting the crime as a big joke, but not for apparently getting most of the facts wrong, or even reporting the story against the apparent wishes of the FBI in the first place. It is Olberman who is truly deserving of our scorn because he attempted to set the record straight on his show.

- Olberman's probably correct in thinking a right-winger mailed the item to him, but then again, TM finds it "vaguely possible" -- even considering the certain federal criminal charges being risked -- that an Olberman fan sent it. Awesomely, the "vaguely possible" line is written in the same post TM critizes MSNBC for its reporting. TM's standards are so high that unless an "iron-clad case" already exists, he thinks Olberman ought not to report what he and FBI happens to be the case regarding the sender of the mailing. I guess as a lowly blogger TM can snidely chide the media for alleged affronts to journalistic ethics while proceeding to employ demonstrably worse practices in the same post. File this one under: "Ethics for thee, but not for me."

- Olberman is somehow a hypocrit because he discusses front page stories about national security, while also abiding by FBI requests on other matters. (Since TM also discusses front page stories about national security on his blog, are we to expect that he, contrary to Olberman, would NOT cooperate with any potential FBI requests in the future?)

- Olberman, because he is a lefty, is actually a beneficiary of this terrorist act, and therefore this whole thing should be viewed with skepticism, despite the fact that the mailing actually took place. Bill O'Reilly's claims regarding Al Quada's alleged interest in the Fox bloviator, on the other hand, seem believable and less worthy of skepticism despite being completely unsubtantiated .

- Olberman acted like "a clown" for not wanting to be in the hospital for 10 hours. (And how many hours would you wait before asking to leave? And after how many more hours would you then contemplate raising your voice?) Left unsaid is that the reason Olberman even mentioned this was to rebut what he claimed was the NY Post's inaccurate reporting on this specific point.

TM is okay with the NY Post's gossip columnists printing what appears to be a largely inaccurate story about a terrorist act without due diligence, but he's quite annoyed that Olberman took the time to respond and discuss the matter in relative detail. In addition, he's also annoyed that Olberman didn't take the time to discuss the matter in relative detail *prior* to the NY Post's "report." Mmm-kay. File that under: "Heads, TM wins; Tails, Olberman loses."

It's been awhile since TM threw out such ridiculous red meat to his devoted flock.

[boris]

facts wrong, or even reporting the story against the apparent wishes of the FBI in the first place

Presuming Jim E. knows all sees all that is.

One might suggest Page Six, being less omniscient than Jim E., published what they knew according to whatever constraints they were aware of. Of course Jim E. could easily rebut the suggestion using his acclaimed mental powers to read minds.

[maryrose]

Oelberman is tanking in the ratings and has had to fight O'Reilly's high ratings for years. He has O'Reilly as the worst person in the world about once a week. He is the Moonbat King and wears the mantle well. I am sorry he was victimized in this way but his conclusions are false and misleading as are his nightly broadcasts.

[Semanticleo]

"I happen to think that not all leftties are moonbats, but all moonbats are lefties. So in this case, Olbermann is so dedicated to a fringe appeal that moonbats seems right."

Whew!

Inquiring minds were dying to know.

[Sue]

or even reporting the story against the apparent wishes of the FBI in the first place.

Come on Mr. E., don't be a hypocrite. You like it just fine when reporters report stories against the apparent wishes of the FBI, as long as the story harms the Bush administration.

It's been awhile since TM threw out such ridiculous red meat to his devoted flock.

LOL. And weren't we lucky Olberman provided Tom with just such red meat?

[Sue]

Inquiring minds were dying to know.

Actually, Leo, we already knew. That was for your benefit.

[boris]

Inquiring minds were dying to know.

Faster please.

[Jim E.]

boris,

I wrote "apparent." Plus, wouldn't a real news organization -- even a gossip column -- try to ask the FBI or NBC for comment? The NY Post did neither, and Page Six has no follow-up today, which undercuts your omniscent claims that they were under any "constraints" whatsoever.

[boris]

wouldn't a real news organization

Like the NYT? lol

[Sue]

I was thinking of Matthews and Shuster. And Olberman himself. But the NYTs works too.

[Sue]

This is not http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/426803p-360015c.html>Olbermann's first controversy with antagonists.

[Semanticleo]

"Faster please."

Let me slow it down for you and Sue;

National Enquirer (NY Post), Rupert Murdoch
and the sanguine Maguire, all seeking to fill our voyeuristic vacuity with info we all knew already.

It's just too bad it has only entertainment value, and has little to do
with genuine news. But, I guess it's better than discussing the NIE and all it's implications.

[Sue]

Try the thread that discusses the NIE, Leo. We are trying to stay on topic here. At least while the thread is relatively new. Check back after 9:00 PM, we usually fall off the topic wagon then.

Olbermann is entertainment. He certainly doesn't provide genuine news.

[Neo]

Isn't Page Six a gossip column ?

Are there really standards for gossip columns ?

Am I to believe that a space alien actually did talk with Bush 41 and Clinton or that Bush 43 had "space alien" support ?

It's in the newspaper, so it must be true

[boris]

Try the thread that discusses the NIE, Leo.

Or better yet ... Cleo could start her own blog and do it "properly".

[Semanticleo]

The NIE - Where is Israel/Palestine?

"Try the thread that discusses the NIE,"

Is that what you are referring to? I noted
that comments were a little meatier than our
host's railway spur. But I was not referring to the comments, was I?

[Sue]

Then don't talk about discussions if what you wanted was a railway spur.

[Tom Maguire]

I don't think this is a parody site but I know Jim E will like it:

Keith Olbermann Terrorized and Gov Tries to Hide it

Keith Olbermann is hitting home run after home run, taking on the Bush Cheney led right wing, immoral lie machine, pummelling them unmercifully with truth after truth. He is the strongest voice the left has in the mainstream media. Unlike Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, other strong voices, he does not couch his hard hitting messages in comedy.

...We have serious reason to worry about Olbermann's safety. Last night, he reported that he'd been threatened, apparently with some anthrax-like substance that required him to be subjected to 10 hours of detention in a hospital. He was discharged with a prescription for Cipro.

Worse, he and his network were told to keep this off the air. He discussed it last night in the context of the NY Post violating the government's request to keep this quiet, describing how MSNBC had respected the Murdock owned Fox News request that the media keep a low profile in covering the two kidnapped Journalists in Palestine, and how Murdock-owned NY Post had not respected the government request for a low profile on the investigation of the threat that endangered Olbermann.

...We know the corrupt Bush appointees routinely use the power of their offices to take care of their own. It is not far fetched to speculate that Olbermann is being subjected to a horrendous abuse of power. The idea that he could be abused and placed in hospital detention for 10 hours, then told to keep quiet about it, for purposes of national security, possibly by the FBI, is outrageous and frightening.

Ever since his first of what are now many tough monologues attacking Bush and company, I have feared for the viability of his show. Now, with this latest development I fear for his safety and his life. The stakes are very high here.

Olbermann's message, if it gets out to the voters, could be devastating to the Republicans in November. They've already declared to their base that they are pulling out all the stops, going for broke. It is not unreasonable to assume that these politicians, who have already proved how low, how corrupt they can go, will pull out all the stops when it comes to corrupt, illegal moves as well as legal ones.

Olbermann's heroic-- and it is truly heroic reporting must be protected by the Democratic party and those on the left. I call upon Democratic legislators in congress to hold independent investigations into the terrorist threat upon Olbermann's life. Right wingers who think they can get away with intimidation of the press, the strongest voice standing up to the administration must see that they put themselves at risk, that they do not engage in their invidious acts with impunity.

There you go - any responsible lefty would have told the public the truth about this vicious right wing intimidation.

I wrote "apparent." Plus, wouldn't a real news organization -- even a gossip column -- try to ask the FBI or NBC for comment?

Sure, and whenever the police ask them to keep it quiet, they do. Every time, especially when there is a celebrity involved.

My guess is that Page Six got a tip from either the hospital or a friendly and annoyed cop, and went with it.

[cathyf]

Don't underesitmate the purely anti-idiot motivations for such an act. Somebody who saw or heard about KO's bragging about not being afraid of Saddam's sarin shells, and just couldn't take it anymore and snapped, and before he knew it the Tide was in the envelope and the stamp was on and it was in the mailbox...

Leftists are always telling us that we have to "understand" the "frustrations" of the "downtrodden" and excuse their behavior. Well, those of us besieged by idiots are pretty "frustrated" and "downtrodden" and so if KO is a leftist, then he should be happy that some member of the "downtrodden" perhaps got to act out his "frustrations." Right?

[John Dolan]

Hey, I've been sifting the record for the most insane comments on Iraq, and so far one of your correspondents who identifies him- or herself as "Kim" is in the lead with this, from March 30, 2006: "Besides, the Iraq war is almost an unqualified success. Just ask nearly any Iraqi."
Does anyone want to suggest a better contestant, or should I run with Kim's "nearly" perfect summation?
Any help appreciated.
John Dolan
eXile
Moscow

[Rick Ballard]

"engage in their invidious acts with impunity."

Cue Inigo - "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Not bad for a progressive, though. Four syllables kind of balances the error and its not as if the intended audience has a clue anyway.

[clarice]

About the anthrax investigation--Ray Robison had a marvelous piece the other day which AT cited..Barone talked about it. He believes, as does Barone (and I) that the FBI was fixated on it being domestic, rather than Iraqi-AQ and therefore blew the investigation. That is why their 5 year investigation went nowhere.

If you prowl around Edqardjayepstein he has collated the best reasons to think Atta had it and if you think about it, what better way to warn us off Iraq than to send anthrax laden letters just after 9-11. (My favorite doc examiner, Gideon Epstein said early on the writing and style of the warning letters were ME,BTW)

[clarice]

**edWardjayepstein*****

[Semanticleo]

Then don't talk about discussions if what you wanted was a railway spur.

Huh?

[Jim E.]

"I know Jim E will like it."

Ah, yes, just exactly as I "know" TM endorses every word uttered by Ann Coulter.

Otherwise, very responsive.

[JM Hanes]

The police had to take this seriously, as will the perp if discovered, and Olbermann had to take this seriously, but when did we start demanding probity in gossip columns? I always thought appalling judgment was the very basis of their existence. Apparently the universe shifted yesterday while I was mucking out my garage.

Does Bill Mahr have a patent on politically incorrect jokes? Am I the only one who finds the knee jerk, politically correct disclaimers ("Of course, every death is a tragedy....") that everyone else feels compelled to tack onto any potentially controversial observation cloyingly tedius, and, well, tacky? Real newsmen get real anthrax. Keith Olbermann gets soap bubbles. I think it's funny as hell. The whole bizarro Olbermann saga devolved into pure entertainment when his Aren't-We-Special Comments went into reruns.

[sbw]

Neo: Are there really standards for gossip columns ?

Actually, yes. After 9/11, gossip columnist Liz Smith, speaking I think to the National Newspaper Association, said with great insight, "Gossip is a luxury we can no longer afford."

The idea that news can be measured against a standard of affordability is important. Bad reporting has consequences for quality of life.

[JM Hanes]

John Dolan:

"Hey, I've been sifting the record for the most insane comments on Iraq...."

Personally, I'd go with redeploying troops to Okinawa if I were you.

[Jane]

Keith Olbermann gets soap bubbles.

Obviously someone thinks he should clean up his act.

[cathyf]

...that the FBI was fixated on it being domestic, rather than Iraqi-AQ and therefore blew the investigation.

I think that's an unfair criticism. The thing that was quintessentially "American" about the anthrax attacks was their choice of targets. I mean how many foreigners have the foggiest clue what a "Senate minority leader" is? I mean, heck, how many Americans know or care? No, the target selection was made by someone quite savvy and aware of the "inside baseball" of American politics and society. Atta just doesn't match that. He would have sent the letters to the White House and the Israeli embassy and maybe even the Saudi embassy. No, whoever did this was a member of our culture and chose his targets from that perspective.

[JohnH]

I'm wondering what the envelope sent to KO looked like. The FBI won't tell us, obviously, but I would think that KO gets a ton of mail, if his address is available. I get a ton, for no reason other than to make credit card offers. I don't open a lot of what I get.

Was it personal? Business-looking?

Anyway, it seems he opens his own mail, just like ordinary folks.

[clarice]

cathyf--Let's say he just transported the stuff and passed it off on that inexplicable trip to Portland before he went to Boston.

In any event, if you've listened to AQ videos, it does appear that the organization is not quite as ignorant about American politics as you suggest. (Remember just before the 2004 election, for example, they had Michael Moore's shtick down pat..even "My Pet Goat".)

[SmokeVanThorn]

Jim E. - If you can't see the inconsistency in Jocksniffer's concern that publicizing a secret investigation that involves a threat to him might compromise the investigative process, you need to limit yourself to DU and Kos.

Only someone as blissfully unself-aware as KO could deliver such a rant without at least recognizing that his newly discovered, exquisite security sensitivities are at odds with his position on NSA and SWIFT.

But that's what years of huffing jock fumes will do.

[Ed]

Roll Call just now:

"Capitol Police hazardous materials teams are currently responding to a suspicious substance that was discovered this morning in the personal office of Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) as well as another room in the Hart Senate Office Building."

Oh that Sen. Cornyn, doing anything for publicity!

[SunnyDay]

Is there really a police report? I think it's a stunt.

[Gary Maxwell]

Not just Michael Moore's schtick either. They parrot back the DNC talking in every audio and video released. Either they are listening carefully and taking notes or its just one of those times when certain folks just think alike.

[boris]

and just couldn't take it anymore and snapped, and before he knew it the Tide was in the envelope

Exactly! It was a cry for help. Maybe now something will be done before it's too late.

[JM Hanes]

Rick:

Cue Inigo! ROTFL! Great movie and stellar Patinkin -- hard to believe it was produced nearly 20 years ago, isn't it?

[SunnyDay]

Haha, maybelike the suspicious package yesterday. Scent of nitrogen set the dogs off.

It was a homeless guy's clothes. Nitrogen=fertilizer=poop

The dude had pooped his pants, the dog thought it was a bomb.

More of the same.

[Gabriel Sutherland]

I think it's evident that more people write about Olbermann than watch him. That's too bad. Countdown is actually a generous mix of entertainment and news. The concept is decent.

I can watch most bits except for his tonsil hockey with the unsufferable Dana Milbank.

You guys should tune in. It's great "rain delay" material.

[cathyf]

Nitrogen=fertilizer=poop

Not quite... For a slightly picky scientific correction: nitrogen=ammonia=pee. (But your point still remains -- it's just that the guy peed on himself...)

[Big Lew]

Hey!
Cornyn is MY SENATOR. Now it's serious! I want the culprit caught and coercively interrogated to a slow death!

[Daddy]

A careful reading of this NY Post article reveals that at least (1) source told at least (2) reporters at Page (6). Surely I am not alone in noticing that this 1x2x6 selective leak scheme bears the hallmarks of an OVP Cheney orchestrated conspiracy as "Payback for his (Olberman's) on air-shtick." Further motive to discredit him follows from Page 6's discription of him as "a frequent critic of President Bushes policies." Where's Kristof, where's Corn? Is the wife an operative? Has Andrea forgotten anything yet? Didn't somebody up above say inquiring minds want to know? No need for a new Special Prosecutor, we already got one. Yippee, now I won't have to go through the Plame withdrawal I was dreading.

[Tom Maguire]

I always thought appalling judgment was the very basis of their existence. Apparently the universe shifted yesterday while I was mucking out my garage.

Darn right, and you had better haul that garbage back inside pronto - gossip columns are now held to the highest journalistic standards and your former gaerbage is now gold.

A careful reading of this NY Post article reveals that at least (1) source told at least (2) reporters at Page (6). Surely I am not alone in noticing that this 1x2x6 selective leak scheme bears the hallmarks of an OVP Cheney orchestrated conspiracy as "Payback for his (Olberman's) on air-shtick."

I need to think about how to gracelessly steal that...

[clarice]

It's worth stealing, isn't it? (I'm on secret probation for stealing Ambassador Munchausen from Rick and I think it's 2 strikes and you're out, so I have to pass.)

[Sue]

I've been sifting the record for the most insane comments on Iraq,

God, your life must really suck...

[clazy]

TM--I like your observation that Reagan made jokes as he was wheeled into the operating room, and I can imagine Limbaugh joking about an anthrax scare of his own, but after seeing O'Reilly gnash his teeth a couple years ago when Al Franken ridiculed him on stage at the National Book Festival, I suspect that the guy takes himself way too seriously to find any humor in being attacked.

[Extraneus]

Speaking of Page Six, Reagan's jokes, Limbaugh, garage mucking, and on-air shticks in general, can anyone post a link to a truly funny lefty editorial cartoon? Just today on that same page 6, here's one of the lesser of what are usually pretty humorous ones. I don't get out much when it comes to liberal-slanted papers, but of the few I do sometimes read, the only humor in them seems more mean (and dumb) than funny. Is it me, or could it be related to the sleep thing...

[SunnyDay]

Squiggy in another thread:
Wow, Mac just posted that there is no record by the police of the Post story regarding Olberman and anthrax and no record of Hazmat ever having been called.

Ha! I called it right. It's a scam.

[Semanticleo]

"I don't get out much when it comes to liberal-slanted papers, but of the few I do sometimes read, the only humor in them seems more mean (and dumb) than funny."

Perhps you are unaware that the butt of the joke rarely sees the humor in it. Your lack
of approbation may indeed endorse said humor,
only unwittingly.

[boris]

the butt of the joke rarely sees the humor in it

You should know.

[Extraneus]

:-)

Seriously, though. Leo, can you tell me where the funniest liberal cartoons are? I want to check them out.

[PeterUK]

"...We have serious reason to worry about Olbermann's safety. Last night, he reported that he'd been threatened, apparently with some anthrax-like substance that required him to be subjected to 10 hours of detention in a hospital. He was discharged with a prescription for Cipro."

The sniff test is always risky when testing for anthrax,a good rule of thumb is not to buy it on street corners.

[MayBee]

cathyf:The thing that was quintessentially "American" about the anthrax attacks was their choice of targets.

I have always thought the exact opposite. I thought only a foreign source would go after the National Enquirer along with other news outlets. To understand the place of the NE in America, you really need a Western mind. To someone unfamiliar with American culture, it could easily look like an important paper because it is right there in the grocery check-out line.

[Semanticleo]

Try FDL.

[Enlightened]

Interestingly enough, Cornyn's similar event was widely reported, even the "hazmat" reference.

Olberman's is allegedly too Top Secret to Talk About?

Giggle.

[clarice]

MayBee, I always thought the NE event was a test to see if the anthrax would make it thru the mail and to see the response.

.

[MayBee]

clarice- you mean the guys did that while they lived in Florida, then passed it on later? There was a time lag, wasn't there.

[clarice]

After 9-22 a doctor came forward who reported Atta and his roommate had come in to be treated for skin problems. That in retrospect he realized that the roommate had anthrax and Atta's hands indicated irritation consistent with that.

Also (going from memory here) there R.E. agent's husband owned the building that the NE was located in.

A day or so before 9-11 Atta and his roommate flew to Portland Me where they stayed overnight. (They were picked up on a security camers on a shopping trip to Wal-Mart or K-Mart there). It has always struck me as odd that they'd not fly directly to Boston. And what do you shop for before a suicide mission?

One week after 9-11 the envelopes packed with anthrax were sent from N J.

My thesis is they had it, passed it off to someone in Portland (which BTW has a large Somali population), that person mailed the letters from N J.

[clarice]

**AFTER 9-11********

[clarice]

Flying to Portland would increase their chances of missing the flight in Boston. In fact, as I recall there had been some dealy on that flight's arrival to Logan and Atta and his pal had to race to make the flight from Boston.

Why make a detour when precise timing is essential to pull this off?

[clarice]

Here are more details from epstein:http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:QmSz156tY4EJ:www.edwardjayepstein.com/shadow7.htm+edwardjayepstein+anthrax&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2>Anthrax

Some of the details about the anthrax itself seem to have been based on earlier FBI statements now withdrawn.

[clarice]

Here's what we know of Atta's departure from Portland to catch the plane in Boston
http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/2002question/atta_identity.htm in Portland

[clarice]

http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/teamb/3.htm

[PaulV]

isn't The National Enquirer owned by something like American Publishing?

[clarice]

I think it's American Media.

[clarice]

Epstein theorizes the Atta gang may even have hand delivered the anthrax there, believing as I do that that attack was a test of some sort.

[Neo]

5 years ago it was said that ..

The security in Portland was said to be much "weaker" so Atta decided to start from there and change planes in order to avoid the tighter security in Boston.

[clarice]

Security at Logan was so bad, that months before a report said so and said a change was needed. The security was in the hands of a Dem hack close to Kerry and Kennedy and they ignored the report.

Whatever weapons the hijackers got on board in Boston, they got on board at Dulles, too. And at LaGuardia.

I don't buy that excuse for the detour to Portland.

[clarice]

If you look at the links I cited, Epstein shows that we aren't even sure Atta got on the plane in Boston--in fact we aren't sure that we even know who the hijackers were. He reviews similar incidents and shows that there had always been a division into 2 teams--the logistics guys and the operations team.

[Neo]

I have never bought into the notion that the hijacker ever had operational bombs onboard any of the planes.

The "devices" that were shown to the terrified passengers were intended to fend off attempts to retake any of the planes by the passengers.

There is no evidence that United 93 was affected by the "device" that the hijackers brandished.

This means that, except for the box cutters, there really was nothing required that had to get through security.