October 29, 2001

Wonder why the press is

Wonder why the press is giving the Bush administration a hard time over the anthrax attacks? It's not because victory in Afghanistan isn't coming as quickly as all-news cable channels would like. (I'm sure MSNBC's Ashleigh Banfield would just love to get her sexy spectacles in front of a bombed Kabul background.) No, it's because the media were targets of the bio-attack. Remember, NBC, CBS, ABC, and the NY Post have all been hit with infections. Questions about officals "bumbling" became the story only after anthrax was found in a facility where White House mail is processed. The press corps freaked out during the press conference when Ari Fleischer released the news. He was bombarded with question after question to find out if it was a possiblity that anthrax got into the White House (and presumbably infected reporters). Then President Bush was questioned if he was tested for anthrax. Bush said he didn't have the bacteria--we must presume he was tested for him to say so. The press is understandably scared that they could be the next to get infected, but that's no reason to go berserk on the government. Yes, officals could have tested more people sooner, but that wouldn't guarantee that fewer people would be dead.

Finally, let us remember that the mail is safe, and the attacks are localized in three areas (NYC, D.C., and Tampa, FL). If the press wants to blame the feds, the should also be honest in giving them some credit for minimizing some of the effects from this attack.

"For Every Cool Head, a Thousand Overheated Mouths"