9-11 coverage - CNN, accident theory, navigation error

Click here for an earlier post commenting on vhs tapes of the news coverage of the 9-11 attacks.

This morning I have been watching CNN's website, at which CNN is transmitting a repeat of its live coverage from 9-11-2001. I find all of it fascinating, but one item stands out in particular.

Watching live coverage at about 9:00 in the morning, one can clearly see the north tower burning. As the CNN commentators speak, one can see an airplane fly into the south tower, followed by an explosion. The commentators keep talking as if they hadn't noticed. The commentators then begin speculating that a second explosion has occured at the scene of the north tower. This second explosion supports the theory that the first plane was still inside the north tower and was still exploding, according to the CNN commentator.

The point is that the commentators did not notice the second plane hitting the WTC even as it appeared on the screen. They began attributing the damage caused by the second plane to other causes at the wrong tower. This discussion continued for several minutes.

Even after the CNN anchors acknowledged that a different plane had hit each tower, they refused to acknowledge the possibility of terrorism or an intentional attack. For at least 15 minutes after the second plane hit, the anchors speculated as to what kind of navigation error could cause two commercial jets to crash into the World Trade Center in the same morning. They speculated as to some sort of homing beacon gone awry. They discussed the normal flight paths and the distance between Battery Park and the airports. The continued on this theme until some government source stated that this must be a terrorist act.

This commentary stands in marked contrast to the immediate reactions of ordinary people, such as those who commented on Howard Stern's radio program at the same time. Various callers and Stern's own people immediately jumped to the obvious conclusion that terrorism was the cause of these crashes. I recall my own reaction (and those of my co-workers) being the same.

This coverage leads me to two thoughts.

(1) The MSM/DNC is so paralyzed by a PC, defeatist attitude that they cannot even acknowledge the possibility that an attack has taken place until long after it becomes obvious to everyone else.

(2) The moonbats might have seen this presentation this morning and gotten more ideas for their "inside job" theory. They may begin theorizing that the CIA directed the planes into the buildings by remote control homing devices so that George Bush could start a war.

The first mention of Osama bin Laden came at 9:55 A.M., maybe a half-hour or more after CNN first acknowledged the terrorist angle (upon government prompting). CNN then noted that the administration had previously (prior to 9-11) issued a warning that bin Laden might attack American targets.

I do applaud CNN for rebroadcasting its coverage over the internet today.

Michelle Malkin posts commemorations.