X Marks the Vice President

Hugh Hewitt ^ | 11/21/2005 | Mary Katharine Ham

[saveliberty]

X Marks the Vice President

by Mary Katharine Ham

November 21, 2005 06:35 PM PST

Scroll for updates...

Well, this is quite a story on Drudge right now:

At 11:04:45 AM ET Monday CNN was airing Vice President Dick Cheney's speech live from the American Enterprise Institute in Washington -- when a large black 'X' repeatedly flashed over the vice president's face!

I just got an e-mail from someone who says Drudge will be on Fox News at 9:45 p.m. to talk about it. I'm guessing CNN won't cover the story tonight.

UPDATE 9:50 p.m.: Drudge is on now (without a hat!)and says the X showed up each time for 1/15 of a second, so you couldn't see it unless you slowed down the tape. No one at CNN is talking to Drudge about it.

Alan Colmes: Do you think it was purposeful?
AC: Is it possible this only happened on your set?
Drudge: No, this has been confirmed.
AC: Do you think it's evidence of the liberal media?
Drudge: I don't know...I just find it rather alarming that this is being subliminally sent out on the airwaves.

UPDATE 10:01 p.m.: The Political Teen has video of the Cheney speech, slowed down for the X-effect.

UPDATE 11:42p.m.: Jeff Harrell has a full analysis and serious questions about the video linked above. He has written The Political Teen for clarification, but hasn't heard from him yet. More as soon as I hear it.

Right at the end of the segment, Alan Colmes read a statement from CNN, which I found at TV Newser but not at CNN.com.

Responding to TVNewser's request for comment this evening, a CNN spokesperson explained: "This was a technolgical malfunction, not an issue of operator error. A portion of the switcher experienced a momentary glitch."

Not much of an "official statement," as Colmes called it. Considering how suspect the X incident looks, I think we deserve just a little more than that-- especially those of us who remember this little incident. Bias? What bias?

UPDATE 12:09a.m.: Michelle Malkin gets an e-mail from someone with apparent technical knowledge who says, "It's possible it was a mistake. It isn't likely it was a mistake."

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[saveliberty]

Well we can see where the brains of CNN may be. :-)

[tonyinv]

[cake_crumb]

"The trick is... to seperate the text-black from the background-black."

Yep. Still trying.

[JFC]

CNN aides our enemy and has helped Cindy and Dean with their stupidity,

[No Blue States]

"Besides, I think we should coin a phrase with this: Cheney X.

Like Malcolm X, only for old white guys with heart disease."

LOL!!

[No Blue States]

Excellent!

My bet it the whole thing was intentional and not a glitch at all.

[cake_crumb]

HEY, this IS in English! The tiny text on the popular screen capture starts out saying "The [three letter word, can't make that out yet but looks like "POA"] proposed restrictions".

It sure LOOKS like it was done with the same equipment as the news ticker itself, as someone pointed out earlier on this thread. I don't see how it could possibly have been an accident.

[cake_crumb]

"The [POA?] proposed restrictions on his top selling ash {something]..."

[Fresh Wind]

Obviously, that clip has been stretched to increase the time that the "X" event is visible, and it has been repeated to show it twice. It appears that the software he used to stretch the clip interpolates (it creates and inserts additional transitional frames), rather than repeating frames, for a smoother effect. So, I may have misinterpreted the altered clip, but the clip is most certainly not fake, as you assert, only misleading.

[khnyny]

"On the other hand, debate in this country sure can be hysterical. I'm sure giggling over this incident."

You really cannot make this stuff up. Who needs sitcoms - just watch our political process in action with a special emphasis on the MSM. As Americans we do have more fun with our political "debates" than most of the world. In China you'd be shot or locked up for life for what this flunky did at CNN. Definitely no sense of humour there.

I still hope the FCC investigates and that CNN gets fined and/or loses advertiser revenue over this BS.

[Sisku Hanne]

Only a DUmmie would continue to maintain this is a fake, even after CNN has launched an investigation and found another "X" on the tape.
I make that transition with an animated gif in a handful of frames and it has the exact same fade effect. No thousands of frames needed.

[iseedumbpeople]

Let me get this straight. People are still trying to figure out the message? It's been known as early as 11:30 PM EST last night what the message says. Here's a clue: look at post 516 in the original CNN "X" thread.

Or gee I dunno...maybe read this thread before you reply!?!

If you still can't figure it out, go to Michelle Malkin's site.

Stuck on stupid indeed.

[Preachin']

I detest most of the media.

[saveliberty]

They are not worthy of that much attention.

[cake_crumb]

"You really cannot make this stuff up. Who needs sitcoms - just watch our political process in action with a special emphasis on the MSM. "

LOL...exactly! I've said that for years. It's what turned me into a political junkie to begin with.

[Toskrin]

Obviously, that clip has been stretched to increase the time that the "X" event is visible, and it has been repeated to show it twice. It appears that the software he used to stretch the clip interpolates (it creates and inserts additional transitional frames), rather than repeating frames, for a smoother effect.

I suspect that you are right about the interpolation of frames. That particular clip is misleading, however, and is not an accurate representation of the aired clip. This link shows in excellent detail what is wrong with the clip.

www.theshapeofdays.com

The original, and accurate clip, appears here:

Cheney X Clip

[mosquitobite]

A bit testy today are we? Are you the CNN employee responsible?

[cvq3842]

Very interesting!

I miss many of these incidents because I don't watch the "fringe" media like CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC.

:)

[RasterMaster]

To me they're all JAYSON BLAIRS, so I don't watch much news.

[Preachin']

I get 98% of my news here.

The rest from listening to Sean Hannity on the way home.