Anthrax Hits Daschle Staffers - first full story

AP | Wednesday, October 17, 2001

[JohnHuang2]

WASHINGTON (AP) - More than 20 people in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office have tested positive for exposure to anthrax, sources said Wednesday.

The tests were conducted after a letter sent to Daschle's office was found to contain a highly refined form of anthrax, suggesting it was produced by experts.

One official with direct knowledge of the test results said 22 Daschle staffers had tested positive for exposure to anthrax. All of them are taking the antibiotic Cipro. Another source said that more than 20 had tested positive. Both sources insisted on anonymity.

The FBI is investigating strong similarities in handwriting and style, including identical anti-American language, between the letter sent to Daschle in Washington and a letter with anthrax sent to NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw in New York.

Elsewhere in the country, four people are known to have contracted anthrax and nine others have tested positive for the bacteria.

Hundreds of people were tested Tuesday after the suspicious letter was opened in Daschle's office Monday. Nasal swabs were used on the staffers to see if there were any anthrax spores in their noses. A positive finding does not mean the person has the disease or will get the disease.

About 8,000 spores must be inhaled for a person to develop inhalation anthrax.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said about 200 people on Capitol Hill are taking Cipro because of the anthrax scare, including himself.

Lieberman, who has not tested positive for anthrax exposure, said during a CNN interview on Wednesday that his taking the antibiotic ``is probably unnecessary, but why not?''

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said of the anthrax scare: ``There's no question that right now we are in a period of the unknown.''

For Education And Discussion Only. Not For Commercial Use.

[LurkedLongEnough]

At least you don't have to live with him and his comments as your US senator... He is a wicked and cowardly liar.

[Savage Beast]

So "the ruling elite" "on Capitol Hill" are taking Cipro while withholding it from the general public?

Remember these are the clowns who, until the Republican Congress, were passing laws from which they exempted themselves.

And there are people who actually want to increase the size and scope of the federal government!?!!

[wimpycat]

But since our leader has decided to go to China for a few days, it's unlikely he has chosen to fight.

I suppose our boys were just playing patty-cake with the Taliban by using those AC130 gunships.

I bet there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than we know about--Bush and Rumsfeld said there would be. I just hope it involves things like exploding telephones, booby-traps, poison, piano wire...........piano wire..........mmmmmmmmm....piano wire!

[Sabertooth]

More than 20 people in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office have tested positive for exposure to anthrax, sources said Wednesday.

We really need to get a handle on our terms here. What does "tested positive for exposure" mean? Do they have anthrax, or just the antibodies?

I'm not for a second diminishing the gravity of this either way, but I'd like better information.

And either way, bomb Sadaam.

[surfer]

There is an interesting side effect of CIPRO that affects many people. The anti-biotic makes you very tired to the point where you are forced to take naps every day. Combined with the increase in sleeping patterns due to depression they literally can bring our national productivity way down...

[Piquaboy]

Does it hurt when you are hit with one of them thar anthraxes?.

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Some of you people need to tone down your "paranoia amplifiers."

LOL That was a fun, good way with words.

[Savage Beast]

The real fools are the ones who elect these bastards to office.

[TheFilter]

The good news is...the company which makes Cipro (or one of the companies) is making enough for 200 million doses over the next three months, so there WON'T be a shortage if it's needed.

Hopefully that much wouldn't be needed. But it's nice to know it's at least in production.

[steve-b]

against any widespread stockpiling that would make an effective response to a massive attack impossible

Er, widespread stockpiling is clearly a necessary preparation for an effective response to a massive attack.

[Polybius]

More than 20 people in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office have tested positive for exposure to anthrax.........

Well, I guess the Islamic terrorists will succeed in turning the Democrats from Kumbaya-singing Peaceniks into "Nukem-till-they glow" war mongers.

[cajungirl]

It seems to me if the Capitol has been hit with anthrax especially if it is pretty potent then congress and their staff and anyone in the buildiing ought ought to be taking cipro. It is peculiar but I think there are two groups that are sendiing this stuff out and they have anthrax from two different sources, one potent and one pretty weak.

[Cvengr]

Speaking about HVAC and anthrax, consider outside air and how limited and focused all of these 'attacks' have been.

I hope all those 'chemtrial' conspiracy theories which now consider 'chemtrails' to have been research to mass inocuate have more truth than the conspiracy theories about UN Biosphere, NWO takeover, mass murder in rural areas by anthrax, 'uselss eaters', yada, yada, yada...

This week, what has been called 'chemtrails' have been occuring everyday out in the SW US. Last week, nothing,...clear as a bell. I don't know what it is, but hope the good guys are doing it and know what they're doing.

[surfer]

I wonder if congress is going to go home and stare at the sun to look for a host!

[6ppc]

and for some reason the government is NOT saying where.

Because the trail leads to Baghdad and they don't want to rock the boat with the coalition just yet. I'm confident they will get around to Saddam when bin Laden has been taken care of.

[CyberNag]

"One indicator, Spertzel says, is particle size. Inducing pulmonary, or inhaled, anthrax requires 8,000 to 10,000 spores embedded in particles between one to five microns in diameter. That amount would fit on the period at the end of this sentence."

That is a quote from an article at abc.com

Here

It is part of a very informative full coverage report

Link to abc main page

[surfer]

Isn't it interesting how things have happened this year so the top republicans are out of the limelight...amazing...maybe there is a god!

[Dirk McQuickly]

I think he's referring to Aunt Ethel and her Costco-sized, three year supply of Cipro -- hey, could you imagine the black market for Cipro if something big happened and there wasn't enough in the pipeline? -- This is what the feds want to avoid.

[Sabertooth]

We really need to get a handle on our terms here. What does "tested positive for exposure" mean? Do they have anthrax, or just the antibodies?

Just heard on "Good Morning America" that they found anthrax spores on the nasal swabs taken from Daschle staffers.

More tests to follow.