"Iraqi TV has gone off the air in Baghdad" -- Brian Williams

MSNBC | Wednesday, March 19, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

Nothing follows

[Ford Fairlane]

i dont think so - i'm switching back to five-o until something happens, nbc just went back to jay & oprah

[gd124]

I think it's real. He obviously needs heavy glasses to read, which could distort his face. I don't think his speeches are done by a body double because it would be too easy to analyze it and reveal it as a fake.

[Anomaly in Illinois]

lol.

Fox news expressing doubt that it was Saddam.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Correction: Sounds like could be injured people around him.

[PRND21]

FOX says "crinkle" on screen indicates a taped segment.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I don't know why but I love that movie "Moon Over Parador."

[fhayek]

definititely looked like videotape

[WomanofStandard]

script is shaking in his hands

Why would Saddam be reading his speech instead of just speaking out as he usually does?

He looks totally different than when Dan Rather interviewed him. His mustash was always black before wasn't it? It is now brown? I doubt this is him.

Bret Bear on Fox noticing a "crinkle" in the "tape" of Saddam. He said he believes the crinkle indicates it may be a tape and not live.

[Tamzee]

ahh... Fox noticed the same thing!!! It WAS taped!!!

[two23]

Maybe the real Saddam is no more....DERN I'm in GA and we have NOAA weather red screen bulletins going off on all cable channels---its driving us nuts. That EHHHehhhhhEHHHH alarm sound. (Emerg Broadcast) Tornado watches/warnings and sever t-storm--what a night.

[JohnHuang2]

hmmmmm, interesting point, now that you mention it.

[Anomaly in Illinois]

Yes, I heard that. hmmmm

[Hessian]

That was a videotape. There were dropouts every now & then that looked a lot like old 3/4 inch videotape.

As I write this Bret at the Pentagon is bringing up the same point.

And Shep pointed out that their folks weren't convinced that this guy was really Saddam.

[Theresa]

I don't think it is him either. Saddam has broader shoulders, that bottom lip is wrong too. Saddam is harder looking....flinty. This guy looks kind of feeble. Plus there's no facial emotion to go with the words. That's some rambling speech, He sure got religion fast didn't he???

[Kevin Curry]

He's no Anthony Robbins, that's for sure. He's not even a Matt Foley.

[two23]

"Anyone else hear what sounded like rifle fire in the background of the audio?

Yup--nice touch

[Jmouse007]

Ah yes, but did Richard wear his "lifts" ... who could tell, he was sitting :o)

Another bump for Moon Over Parador

[HairOfTheDog]

Didn't even look like him. And Brian Williams called him a "senior official" of some kind before he knew what the tape was... they had to stop and start it a couple times before they got it together.

If that wasn't Saddam, the media is being mum about it until they have someone check it out!

[unspun]

Jimmy Carter with plastic surgery?