Why do you think ABC News "says" they were trying to authenticate the tape?
It's a cover, imo.
They were going to keep it until Sunday night and then play it in hopes of influencing the election.
Give Kerry a chance to say "See, he told us he'd keep us safe and he can't."
I'll bet an employee of ABC sympathetic to the Bush administration called them or leaked it to Drudge. This is too big a story to keep quiet at ABC and someone found out about it and realized it is wrong.
No--it's just the opposite. ABC was probably going to hold onto this tape until AFTER the election was over. If it was released now, it would reinforce the primary campaign issue for President Bush and he would win in a huge landslide as the electorate is reminded about the events of 9/11. We would have a similar unity as a nation like we did 3 years ago, and JOhnKErry would become just that... a joke.
That is such a good point, Peach. "Trying to authenticate the tape" confirms that they held it for some time. Some of the stuff that goes on is just hard for me to believe!