John Edwards Attacked, Media Yawns

Today, in North Carolina, a Democratic presidential candidate suffered a terrorist attack.  John Edwards' campaign headquarter was evacuated today after the office received an envelope of white powder.  AP story through the International Herald Tribune here.  Kossack chuckles1 broke the news here.

You may be wondering, "Why the International Herald Tribune, a foreign newspaper?"  I'll tell you why.  I could only find this story on one of the major networks fucking website, and that link was hidden better than Jimmy fucking Hoffa.

Screen grabs, and angry words, after the flip.

Now, to be fair, the powder may be a hoax.  We won't know until the tests come back.  However, whether this was somebody's sick idea of a joke or not, a terrorist's main goal before anything else is to sow terror.  That is it.  Any kind of carnage is just a bonus.  If you ask the staffer who opened that envelope, I'd lay odd she felt at least some measure of terror, if only for a moment.  Thus today's events fall under the terrorist attack label.

Big Fucking Story, right?  It's not every day a candidate for President is attacked by terrorists, after all.  Well, there was no link in the original diary (not calling you out chuckles1, you did fantastic work today), so I need to make sure this story wasn't a hoax.  I went running to CNN.  This is what I saw.

Bupkis. Nothing about Edwards, evacuations, white powder.  Not even a mention.  I thought the original story might be meritless.  Then I did a Google search, and that brought me to the linked story.

Why the fuck isn't this news?

I couldn't believe it.  Added irony points that terror is all over the news today, as one of the 9/11 conspirators confessed in Gitmo.  Forgive me if I'm a little suspicious of any kind of confession from the confines of that black hole.

So CNN's lapse got me curious.  All the news organizations couldn't be so cavalier to a Big Fucking Story, could they?  I went over to FoxNews, thinking that a Presidential candidate coming under terrorist attack would lend itself to their brand of color-coded panic.

Fucking zip.  That's strike two.  On the All Terror, All the Time network, no less.  However, Dennis Miller and Ashton Kuthcher get space.  Christ in a kickline.

I swung over to MSNBC.  Surely the network of Keith Olbermann would have some space on their front page for this Huge Fucking Story?  Turns out I was half right.

I found that oval by accident.  I just happened to swing my mouse over the politics button on the sidebar.  So, if somebody else just happens to click on that little Politics button they might stumble on the tenth fucking story under politics.

I have screengrabs from CBS and ABC too, but I think you get the point.  I'm too fucking depressed to continue anyway.

So, today we have found out when a terrorist attack is not news; when it happens to a Democrat.

•  Tips.

  The Mainstream Media is fucking worthless.

  by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:37:25 PM PDT

  •  I changed the title of this diary.

    This was formerly "When a Terrorist Attack is Not News".

    It's rare that the MSM's ineptitude is this clear, and I wanted to bring more attention to it.  

    by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:52:45 PM PDT

    •  if it's a white terrorist

      with conservative views it's not as thrilling as someone with an islamic name.

      very likely this is a disgruntled white guy who listens to too much hannity.

      by inevitibility on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 05:41:09 AM PDT

  •  Anthrax mailed to Democrats is SOP

    for rightwing terrorists. Edwards should be flattered. He must be regarded on the right as a threat - at least as much of a threat as Leahy and Daschle, the two previous Democratic recipients.

    I wonder why Republicans never have anthrax sent to them?

    by lorelynn on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:53:32 PM PDT

  •  Everyone who reads this needs to go to MSNBC and

    rate the story up. Perhaps that will get more eyes on it.

    by PatsBard on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:57:40 PM PDT

    •  on the way

      n/t

      by Blue South on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:01:20 PM PDT

    •  Why

      Why should this "story" get rated up? Are the little freak who sent the letter? Not getting your kicks that the media dosen't think this is a big deal, right now? You want to rate something up? Complain about the lack of coverage of the situation in Zimbabwe with the arrest and beatings of opposition leaders. The massacres in Darfur...How about Uganda? There's a story that John Edwards would agree is a bigger story, but it gets no coverage, except the odd NPR story.

      by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:22:26 PM PDT

      •  That's a pretty damned libelous accusation there

        And totally uncalled for.

        by PatsBard on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:27:47 PM PDT

        •  It wasn't accusation. I was making a point

          Apparently my point went over your head.

          by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:29:24 PM PDT

          •  I got your point exactly

            You have no idea what I complain about or who I complain to. Not only did you decide that this was the only thing that stirred me to action, but you accused me of doing the deed myself. The latter is what got the troll rating. I could care less what you think I do with my time, but I in no way deserved an accusation of terrorism.

            by PatsBard on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:37:49 PM PDT

            •  You really have to be kidding

              You can't seriously have read my post and seriously believed that I was seriously accusing you of the silly little prank (it's way too premature to call this anything more than that). I mean, you have to be kidding, right? Maybe you didn't get my point, which was this is a non-story for now, for good reasons. It might become a real story, but I find that highly unlikely. People are mailing white powder hither and yon -- it's been a long while since it turned out to be something of concern. You are kidding, right?

              by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:04:33 PM PDT

              •  No, I'm not kidding

                And I'm done with this conversation.

                by PatsBard on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:33:33 PM PDT

              •  Highly inappropriate

                No one is buying your "Oh it was just a little joke" defense anymore.  If that's what passes for humor among your set, you may be getting some visitors.  Tall, humorless men in suits and sunglasses and lots and lots of backup.

                Really.  Not.  A.  Good. Idea.

                The Music Room.

                by madhaus on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:50:10 AM PDT

        •  Rec'd for calling it libel

          instead of slander, the word that the maroons around here like to bandy about.

          by sheddhead on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 02:51:48 AM PDT

      •  Yeah, a troll rating for saying Darfur worse

        I guess I shoudn't have expected more from the hysterical person who wrote this silly diary.

        by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:28:27 PM PDT

        •  I didn't troll-rate you, dickhead.

          I can't.  Haven't had that capability in a while, though I'm missing it right now.

          by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:33:21 PM PDT

          •  I know you didn't. The diarist did.

            I didn't suggest that you did troll-rate me. I clearly was talking about the diarist. But, thanks for calling me a dick-head.

            by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:35:22 PM PDT

            •  I am the diarist.

              PatsBard trollrated you.

              Are you new?

              by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:38:16 PM PDT

              •  Oops. That is my bad. Sorry. My error

                I saw the name, and remebered it from the diary. I thought I remembered it as the diarist's name, not the poster of the comment I had replied to. You have my apology for the mistake. Mistakes were made, and I am responsible.

                by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:41:22 PM PDT

                •  Accpeted n/t

                  by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:42:30 PM PDT

          •  Please slip the apology note under the door

            by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:38:52 PM PDT

            •  I'm sorry for calling you a dickhead.

              That was wrong of me.

              I have to remember to keep that to myself the next time somebody acts like one.

              by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:40:28 PM PDT

              •  Apology accepted

                by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:42:13 PM PDT

      •  ahem, uprated

        Are the little freak who sent the letter?

        This could arguably be trollworthy, but I uprated the comment because of your civil exchange downthread, and because I see your point. And I'm an Edwards supporter... go figure.

        by TheGardener on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:08:01 AM PDT

        •  No.

          Uprate the comments in the civil exchange, if you will, but not that one. It is not "arguably... trollworthy," it is TR worthy.

          by sbdenmon on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 06:15:28 AM PDT

        •  And I'm an Edwards supporter, too

          Actually, I'm more than a mere Edwards supporter. That's got nothing to do with anything. This was not a big story and it was an overwrought diary in seeking to rally support to get the media to feature it. Not only overwrought, but maybe even a bit dangerous, if you are an Edwards supporter.

          by FischFry on Fri Mar 16, 2007 at 02:31:10 PM PDT

      •  Ad hominem attacks

        get an automatic troll-rating from me.  This one is specifically for "Are the little freak who sent the letter? Not getting your kicks ..."  

        You made your point earlier.  Then you went and made yourself look both nasty and ridiculous.  Heckuva job.

        by Bob Love on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:12:20 AM PDT

        •  And not the first time.

          I got my eye on you Wazowsky.  Always watching...

          The Music Room.

          by madhaus on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:56:26 AM PDT

  •  He's the become the

    Voldermort of the race.

    I wrote this diary after an outrageous display of journalism I saw on C-SPAN. And if you think just because the press doesn't want the complications due to covering a three person race - think again. They are presenting the Republican horse race as a three way between McCain, Giuliani and Romney. There's also a lot of coverage of Fred Thompson now.  

    I have noticed some coverage in the media lately but I'd like to see how long that holds up before I take off the tin foil hat.

    I support Edwards, but I think the media elites don't want to see a real progressive take this thing away from the heiress apparent. Media and the corporate masters who pay the salaries and keep the lights on are comfortable with HRC - that's the bottom line. Just my two.  

    by mbair on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:47:22 AM PDT

•  North Carolina.

  Not South.
  But otherwise, you're not wrong.

  by shayera on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:39:11 PM PDT

  •  Fixed.

    I love that I can fix that after publishing.

    by filmgeek83 on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:40:11 PM PDT

    •  I love that feature. n/t

      by shayera on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:48:29 PM PDT

•  Why does the Fox website

  look like it was put together by someone with a limited amount of programming experience, and no eye for design?  The other ones are cluttered, too, but at least they look semi-professional.  

  But seriously: who has time to discuss terror attacks on U.S. presidential hopefuls when they've got a SHARK BITE CAUGHT ON TAPE!!!

  by pico on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:45:06 PM PDT

  •  none of the major

    sites have had a site upgrade in a LOOOONNNNGGGG time

    by Blue South on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:50:47 PM PDT

•  I have news for you

  It's not news that a terror attack on a Democrat is not news.

  ;>P

  by offgrid on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:50:27 PM PDT

•  I think this will pick

  up a lot of steam.  But thanks for the screenshots.

  Im letting them have the excuse that this happened after 8pm.  But that excuse has a very very short shelf life.

  by Blue South on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:52:12 PM PDT

•  Was it from Ann Coulter?

  She's joked about doing that before.

  by ljm on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:52:13 PM PDT

  •  probably

    Bill O.

    Others pointed out the timing of this is very close to the timing of the letter to Kieth Olberman after his fight wtih Bill.

    by Blue South on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:53:04 PM PDT

•  if one of the female staffers was not wearing

  undergarments, I'll bet they'd be all over this story.

  That's what 'journalism' is today in America.

  If it isn't a 'boob slip', forgetaboutit.

  by shpilk on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:52:49 PM PDT

•  I dashed off an email to CNN Online

  Politeness went by the wayside, but I managed not to curse.

  by PatsBard on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 09:55:20 PM PDT

•  Well, to be fair...

  Bush gets deliveries of white powder all the time and there is no coverage of it. Not one peep.

  No hazmat teams are summoned to dispose of the white powder though. GW, brave soul that he is, just inhales it all up his nostrils.

  by Rex Manning on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:01:51 PM PDT

  •  It's called Extraordinary Rendition....

    the red-eye from Colombia to D.C.

    You know...

    for the good of the country!

    by Diaries on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:52:11 PM PDT

•  I'll give you a hint

  Whoever did it was hoping to get a big kick out of coverage. Responsible reporting does not indulge such silliness. If it happened during the middle of the day, CNN would have given it the breaking news treatment, or even the wall-to-wall while it was being sorted out. Which would have been overkill. By the time this hit the wires, it was time for the big-time news shows, and they're covering big stories like Gonzales and the 9/11 confession. If it turns out that someone actually mailed a dangerous substance, it will get attention. Right now, it's a prank until further notice. Frankly, I don't understand why you're upset, or why you're so interested in what level of coverage this is getting. If the real stories were downlplayed to cover this 'event', I'd wonder what they were thinking....

  by FischFry on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 10:18:49 PM PDT

  •  I just hope it WAS a prank

    Anthrax would be bad enough but at least they could start the staff on cipro. Ricin is another matter entirely--as the CDC notes, "there is no antidote...treatment is supportive."

    Inhaled ricin goes to work pretty fast...so I'm presuming (hoping) that since we haven't heard about any of the staffers becoming violently ill right away, that particular bit of nastiness has been ruled out... #crosses fingers#

    by Uncle Cosmo on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:48:47 PM PDT

  •  Not a 'prank'. Domestic Terrorism.

    This happened in the afternoon at his Chapel Hill, NC headquarters not in DC.
    Because Homeland Security has not done anything much to solve the anthrax plots the citizens of this country have been unable to easily communicate with their representatives, senators and that big goof in the oval office...for the last Five Years.

    by cosette on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:03:06 AM PDT

•  Remember Olberman?

  When Olberman got one of those he initially didn't comment or publicize it.  And when the NY Post did, he smacked them down hard not only for treating it frivolously, but for potentially interfering with an FBI investigation.

  Point is, apparently the FBI asks that these things not be publicized.  It only encourages copycats.  Maybe they'll report it when there's an arrest.

  by acerimusdux on Wed Mar 14, 2007 at 11:17:29 PM PDT

  •  If you recall, The NY Post made a big joke of it

    Terrorism against Jews blacks Arabs gays liberals Democrats is always funny to fascists.

     Read Orcinus for the story on Olbermann from last fall.

    Just wait for the brownshirts at Fox to get the giggles about scared-y, girl-y Edwards. Any moment now...

    by DavidW in SF on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 02:08:42 AM PDT

•  Keeping the copycats to a minimum

  and quietly investigating the incident may not  necessarily be a bad thing.

  The other choice is wall to wall CNN/Fox/MSNBC standups describing how much they don't know.

  by SFOrange on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 12:27:41 AM PDT

•  Locally, its the #1 story

  http://www.wral.com/...

  http://rdu.news14.com/...

  http://abclocal.go.com/...

  http://www.nbc17.com/...

  every tv station lead with the story on the 11:00 news.

  expect the national orgs to cover it tomorrow

  by ScrewySquirrel on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 01:40:35 AM PDT

•  time to push the media, about not covering

  Edwards!, I believe if this had been some of the others that the MSM has assigned a correspondent to already, this would be on all the news channel as "breaking"

  by America08 on Thu Mar 15, 2007 at 04:55:31 AM PDT