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Alleged Terror Tape Gives ABC Pause (DRUDGE gives ABC Hotfoot)
Washington Post ^ | October 28, 2004 | Howard Kurtz

Posted on 10/28/2004 7:39:51 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182

It has all the makings of an incendiary story: a chilling pre-election videotape featuring a supposed member of al Qaeda, declaring in English that "blood will run red in the streets of America."

The problem, say ABC News executives, is that they can't determine whether the tape, obtained by a producer, involves a real threat -- or even the identity of the figure on it, a man wearing an ammunition belt and a headdress that obscures his face. The network enlisted the aid of the FBI and CIA but still can't authenticate the 75-minute videotape.

"We're not quite there to broadcast something that would be quite frightening," investigative reporter Brian Ross said yesterday. "I'd love to have the exclusive, but first we'd like to get it right."

ABC was put in the awkward position of defending its insistence on fully checking out the story after the Drudge Report posted a huge online headline: "ABC News Holds Terror Warning Tape...."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaqaa; ammogate; bush; cbs; drudge; explosives; iraq; kerry; nyt; nytrogate; wot
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....And DRUDGE is not finished with them:

The latest DRUDGE teaser.

"ABCNEWS EXECUTIVES CONSIDER POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AIRING DISTURBING TERROR TAPE DURING ELECTION WEEK... MORE..."

1 posted on 10/28/2004 7:39:51 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: Anti-Bubba182

ruh roh.


2 posted on 10/28/2004 7:41:16 AM PDT by Samwise (If you want to understand the differences between the two parties, study the nature of their enemies)
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To: Anti-Bubba182
Did ABC give the tape to the CIA before or after it was discovered that they had it?
3 posted on 10/28/2004 7:43:10 AM PDT by airborne (God answers all prayers. Sometimes the answer is ,"No".)
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To: Anti-Bubba182

IS this promise (the streets will run red with blood) from Al -Qaeda -- or the vote fraud hacks at the DNC?


4 posted on 10/28/2004 7:43:29 AM PDT by BenLurkin (We have low inflation and and low unemployment.)
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To: Anti-Bubba182

Drudge has a siren and the headlines FBI/CIA authenticate terror tape...right now.


5 posted on 10/28/2004 7:44:08 AM PDT by milford421
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To: BenLurkin

Al -Qaeda


6 posted on 10/28/2004 7:44:38 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: Anti-Bubba182

Please let me know if my thinking is off here, but don't reminders of how dangerous terrorists are, or that we have enemies out there help Bush?

It seems like if terrorism is on the front, folks are oging to go with the guy who wants to go after the enemy.


7 posted on 10/28/2004 7:49:09 AM PDT by havegood
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To: Anti-Bubba182

If it's authenticated, they'll have to release it. No way around it.

Perhaps they won't BROADCAST it, but they'll have to make it available. If something happened and they had suppressed the warning...well, God help 'em.


8 posted on 10/28/2004 7:49:45 AM PDT by Timeout (Just hours to go....before we can sleep!)
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To: Anti-Bubba182

Now that the tape has been authenticated, ABC should air it. They should not be in the position of gaming the news and considering the political implications of releasing this tape. If it authentic, it is newsworthy. If it helps the President, it helps the President. If it hurts the President, so be it.


9 posted on 10/28/2004 7:51:21 AM PDT by gridlock (BARKEEP: Why the long face? HORSE: Ha ha, old joke. BARKEEP: Not you, I was talking to JF'n Kerry!)
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To: Anti-Bubba182
Note to ABC's affiliates: You didn't think CBS was an aberration, did you? Suckers.
10 posted on 10/28/2004 7:53:36 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: Anti-Bubba182

The RATS should remind the terrorists that if they take out NYC prior to the election Bush takes New York's electoral votes!< /sarcasm >


11 posted on 10/28/2004 7:53:50 AM PDT by JimRed (VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED UPON IT...because it may!)
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To: Anti-Bubba182
The problem, say ABC News executives, is that they can't determine whether the tape, obtained by a producer, involves a real threat

And when has this stopped them before?

12 posted on 10/28/2004 7:53:58 AM PDT by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: Anti-Bubba182

LOLOL.....hotfoot.......love that headline


13 posted on 10/28/2004 7:54:45 AM PDT by OldFriend (It's the soldier, not the reporter who has given US freedom of the press)
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To: Timeout
Actually, on that point, they will be OK since they turned it into the authorities. Also, there could be terrorist code words in the tape.

What may be useful is if Drudge can find out what political implications ABC was talking about in his teaser:

"ABCNEWS EXECUTIVES CONSIDER POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AIRING DISTURBING TERROR TAPE DURING ELECTION WEEK... MORE..."

14 posted on 10/28/2004 7:56:12 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: OldFriend

Thanks.


15 posted on 10/28/2004 7:56:43 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: gridlock

This tape is nothing more than a nuisance. Just ask Senator Kerry.


16 posted on 10/28/2004 7:56:58 AM PDT by Callahan
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To: Anti-Bubba182
I can just see John F'n Kerry's new ad....Vote for me and prevent the streets from running red with the blood of untold millions.....

It doesn't matter who said what in the tape, all that really counts for the Dem's and MSM is does JFK feel it will give him a boost.

At least ABC paused to think, even if for all the wrong reasons. Thinking, if then followed by fair and balanced reporting is all we can ask from the MSM. If they do air the tape, I hope that they will have some folks come on to point out that the terrorists obviously don't want Bush elected again, and if they have something like this planned, they are likely to implement it no matter who gets elected.....but that is expecting a lot from the MSM.

17 posted on 10/28/2004 7:57:31 AM PDT by Robert357 (D.Rather "Hoist with his own petard!" www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1223916/posts)
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To: gridlock

stupid question - but since the govt has a copy now - why cant they release it under the auspices of security ?


18 posted on 10/28/2004 7:58:25 AM PDT by Revelation 911
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To: gridlock
Now that the tape has been authenticated, ABC should air it.

I'll be interested in seeing which parts they choose to air -- cause I don't think they'll air the entire hour-long production. So will they air the empty-headed ranting, or will they play the heart of the threat?

19 posted on 10/28/2004 7:58:26 AM PDT by aBootes (Whatever Cheney hit, it's flat now)
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To: gridlock

Since they thought twice about airing it, we can be sure they think it will help the President.

The terrorist warns that there will be an attack if Bush is re-elected.

Ohio voters aint Spainards.


20 posted on 10/28/2004 7:59:28 AM PDT by Callahan
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