That's my story, and I'm sticking with it and with Eliza.

In a "careful" enunciation of "panda attack," the way they're most likely to do it on the news, there is both a pause (hiatus) and a glottal stop. Just say "attack," out loud, all by itself. It's difficult to do without the initial stop, and if you omit it you may sound like you're about to expire.