As usual, Rita Cosby, host of MSNBC’s Live & Direct, was at the head of the pack. In an “exclusive” with Alabama senator Richard Shelby, she asked such hard-hitting questions as: “What kind of steps do you think you can do as a senator, as a powerful and respected senator there on the Hill, to make a difference here?” To which the exalted senator responded: “I can speak out on the floor of the U.S. Senate. That gets the attention of a lot of people.”
I think he meant to say: “I can talk to nice people like you, Rita. That gets the attention of a lot of people.”
High power people making totally preposterous assertions—like hurting Aruba economically is the only viable option left in solving the Natalee Holloway murder—is a classic press ploy. Because no matter how absurd the claim might be, the public will still have to contend with the fallout. Nevermind that Washington said it wants nothing to do with the boycott. Or that the Prime Minister of Aruba was dumbstruck (his exact words were: “We are not guerillas. We are not terrorists. We don't pose a threat to the United States, nor to Alabama.”).
Good press or bad press, it’s still publicity. Though nice people like Rita give such claims that much more credibility.
willemmarx @ November 10, 2005 - 11:05am
Seems to be a pretty clear case of the Senator grandstanding to his own electorate. By giving him coverage for such an extraordinary pronouncement, MSNBC and Shelby himself are once again doing damage to the image of the United States abroad, as the rather flummoxed Arubans will seek to understand how such an unsubstantiated and illogical criticism could come to affect their small island's tourism revenues.
Quite right Tim, an incredibly hard-hitting exclusive by the Rottweiler Cosby.
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