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BS: Too much information?

14 Sep 01 - 02:09 PM (#550122)
Subject: Too much information?
From: Kim C

I have been listening to NPR almost nonstop for the last three days. I just now heard that the President has boarded Air Force One at Andrews and is heading for New York.

Why in the hell do they broadcast this on the radio? Especially RIGHT NOW? Why does anyone need to know where the President is going?

Likewise, whenever the President or Vice President come to Nashville, we are told which interstate they'll be travelling, and of course they draw attention to themselves with the limousines and such. Just put em in a Brinks armoured truck and SHUT UP!

Jeesh!


14 Sep 01 - 02:11 PM (#550124)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Mrrzy

Right. Like last night - "the vice president has been moved to a secure location" says one channel, and another reports that he's at Camp David. Anybody remember the Gulf war? Aren't there some things the people have NO right to know RIGHT NOW?


14 Sep 01 - 02:13 PM (#550125)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: DougR

Yes, Kim, it does seem at times that they are careless about the President's travel plans. However, freedom of movement is something we treasure here, right?

I would imagine in the President's case today there will be some F-16 jets hovering near Air Force One.

Good point though.

DougR


14 Sep 01 - 02:14 PM (#550126)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: GUEST,Melani


14 Sep 01 - 02:15 PM (#550129)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Pseudolus

I agree but I wonder how much information is true. The president may not even be in Air Force One. Just a thought....a naive one perhaps......but a thought.

Frank


14 Sep 01 - 02:16 PM (#550130)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: GUEST,Melani

Stupid computer.

I meant to say, I guess we're out of practice for wartime mode. I have a feeling that we will hear less about his movements as time goes on.


14 Sep 01 - 02:18 PM (#550134)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Kim C

Yes, although when the President comes to town, one could argue about how much freedom of movement the rest of us have. :-)

It strikes me as funny that we never can ascertain the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Ladin, but everyone with a radio knows where the POTUS is. Hmpf.


14 Sep 01 - 02:19 PM (#550136)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Michael B

Who gives a monkey's where the President is?


14 Sep 01 - 02:27 PM (#550150)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Kim C

Well, Frank, I guess they could be bluffing. I did have that thought. But I don't think there's any need to bring it up in the media at all.


14 Sep 01 - 04:36 PM (#550242)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: sophocleese

How much more information do you get by listening to the news non-stop? I listened to the CBC coverage of Tuesday and for a while on Wednesday but I haven't done anything other than listen to the regular news broadcast that I normally do since. While there was change from minute to minute it was useful but a lot of what I hear now seems to be repeats of what was said earlier. How many times was that shot of Palestinians celebrating shown? Probably too many times unbalanced by other views.


14 Sep 01 - 04:58 PM (#550264)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Kim C

Well, you don't, unless something new happens. I have it on at my desk but am not paying 100% attention to it. I like to listen to the news, though, because people in my office get to talking about "I heard this" and "I heard that" and I don't want to get sucked into the misinformation trap.

I was hoping today, since they found some of the flight recorders, there might be something more, but not yet.


14 Sep 01 - 06:37 PM (#550370)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: CarolC

When President Clinton came here for the peace talks in 2000, they were careful to make it very difficult for anyone who might want to harm him, while they made it look like he was very accessible. They have a lot of ways of doing that. For instance, he had a photo-op a couple of blocks from my apartment. I could see the motorcade from my front window.

But nobody knew ahead of time that he was going to be in that exact location, and there was a lot of security for several blocks all around. I ran to try to get there before he left. I missed him by about two minutes. Also, there were two different locations where the talks took place. We didn't know for sure in which location the president was at any particular time.

There was an awful lot of helicopter traffic around town during that time. Nobody knew which helicopter he was in at any given time.

It looks to me like the idea is to keep the appearance of accessibility, while maintaining a pretty high level of protection.


14 Sep 01 - 06:46 PM (#550381)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: CarolC

Also, on the subject of the news (I've seen this brought up by several people who live outside the US). Most of what I'm seeing (and I'm pretty much glued to my television all the time), is not a rehashing of what happened on Tuesday. Mostly it's a discussion about what we need to do, what we know now, and what we're doing to find out what we need to know.

For anyone who lives outside the US, please understand that Tuesday was not the end of the attack. We are still under attack. Watching the news is the only way for some of us to get any kind of reassurance that we, as a nation, are carrying on and doing what needs to be done.


15 Sep 01 - 02:57 AM (#550632)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Liz the Squeak

I'd be happy to stick Dubya in an armoured truck.....

But I'd be very tempted to lose the keys.....

LTS


15 Sep 01 - 09:35 AM (#550702)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Peg

I agree with Pseudolus; I do not believe for a minute that Dubya was actually in Louisiana or Nebraska either. nor that Air Force One was one of the original targets...

And I am tempted to say it would not be the worst thing in the world right now if Dubya were to be relieved from duty; then Mr. Cheney could suffer a mild heart attack and also be relieved from cuty; and Colin Powell would be running the show. I would feel a lot better about the current situation if that were true.

I don't wish any harm on the president. But I fear for America with him in charge.


15 Sep 01 - 11:59 AM (#550763)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Alice

Peg, the next in line to become president after the vice president would be Speaker of the House, who is now Denny Hastert. Despite how anyone disagrees with the President and Vice President, God forbid that we have more loss in addition to what has already happened.


15 Sep 01 - 12:29 PM (#550782)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Gervase

My impression is that Dubbya's so dim that they broadcast his wherabouts to help him know where he is.
I know I'm setting myself up as flame-bait here, but am I alone in desparing that the most powerful country in the world appears to be run by a blithering idiot incapable of coherent thought?
Boy, do I miss Clinton.


15 Sep 01 - 02:35 PM (#550872)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: Mudlark

No flame from me Gervase....you gave me the first chuckle I've had in what now seems like years. I wish the man no harm but dispair also of adequate leadership...and can't help but wonder, political innocent that I am, who is REALLY in charge....


15 Sep 01 - 02:56 PM (#550891)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: wildlone

Then thing that worries me is that we are all under attack.
dave


15 Sep 01 - 04:05 PM (#550947)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: GUEST

Too much propaganda, not enough fact.

Truth being the first casualty of war...


15 Sep 01 - 05:20 PM (#550983)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: DougR

I believe George Bush is showing real leadership. Fortunately, polls show that that a very heavy majority of the population in the U. S. agree. Latest ABC polls show close to 90% polled believe he is doing a good job. No president in recent history has enjoyed such support.

I believe those of you who are so critical of GWB are so biased, due to your disappointment over the election, you wouldn't recognize whether he did something right or not.

DougR


15 Sep 01 - 10:38 PM (#551187)
Subject: RE: BS: Too much information?
From: GUEST

I've only seen poll results giving Baby Bush 80%. But Mickey Mouse could pull off a 80% approval rating as president right now.

People aren't responding to the person in polls like this at times like this. They are expressing their desire for strong political leadership at a time of national crisis.

It doesn't mean people believe he is actually doing anything (especially when we never know where he is, much less what he is doing) truly remarkable. They just want to rally support behind the political leaders.