Cheney Shooting - Press - Spying on Amanpour - What should be done...

[HardWorkingDem]

Days ago I pointed out that the Dems should force feed the issue of Christine Amanpour being spied on in hopes of enraging them enough to start reporting on it and hitting it hard.

Did anyone notice today the junkyard dog like tenacity of the reporters today when facing little Mr McClellan? EVERY Dem spin meister should be out there jabbing these reporters in the guts and saying to them, "why the fuck do you care so much about not being told about Cheney shooting someone for 22 hrs when the Bushies were SPYING ON A REPORTER?!?!?"

We must exploit those things that fall in the realm of the news media to our advantage. (It's sort of like when Hollywood favors its own - for example, has anyone else noticed how many times movies are lauded when they suspiciously deal with the movie business? Adaptation, Sideways, et cetera.)

[applegrove]

1. Seeing how it was a conservative reporter who "outed" the story

on Amanpour - I would highly suspect it.

A rumour like that could undo Amanpour's career - yes? If Amanpour or CNN asked for answers and it turned out to not be true.

How many journalists are there left? I don't think we can afford to loose another professional.

Important to not go on rumour. Only on evidence. Cause really the machine behind the WH just plays on fear as the day is long.

So let's not fall on it.

I'm sure the journalists themselves can take care of this story and know where it truly belongs.

If it isn't based on proof - they will likely ignore it.

We do owe it to ourselves not to be baited. A rumour like that could have been started by just about anyone.

And after all - the WH never wanted the issue to be what it really is: skipping the law repeatedly on warrants.

[HardWorkingDem]

2. They have to simply ask the question...

Think of this way - I bet there are many, many reporters who have been spied on. Not long ago a Rolling Stone reporter did an article about getting inside the insurgency. Also, Time magazine also did a piece, just as US News and World Report. I would think a very safe bet would be to ask about this because the way the Bushies have operated, there must have been some calls from overseas to reporters in America involving stories like this. So it is most likely true about Amanpour.

But maybe the reason the press isn't pushing the spying is out of fear of losing sources - again, more of a self-interest reaction, rather than doing a good job, i.e., Judith Miller/Pat Cooper.

[applegrove]

3. No. I think like you say - you could invent any doctor or scientist or

person or reporter being spied on. That is the issue. If there is no proof - you don't just run with something because it looks like that will sink Bush's ship. You go with the truth. What you know. And CNN obviously has no information to say they were spied on. Or they know they are being spied on when they are abroad and have dealt with it - like you say.

It really only diminishes Amanpour for her to be a suspected "victim". She is a reporter. And to do her job she has to stay as far out of the story, on a personal level, as possible.