[Smogger]

The Associated Press, carried the witness accounts and official pronouncements, and in some cases later repeated the claims as fact, without attribution.

Gee you don't say? No.. AP wouldn't dare.. What disgusts me more are the the Freepers that were quick to pick up and spread such sensational unsourced unsubstantiated nonesense because it furthered thier agenda (whatever that may be.)You expect this sort of behavior from the msm, but this used to be a place that was skeptical of news accounts and could ferret out obvious overblown sensational crap.

[t2buckeye]

So these PROFESSIONAL journalists simply reported the gossip and rumors instead of getting the story straight OR at least waiting to report these statements until they could be proven true or false.
They don't call 'em media whores for nothing

[ladyinred]

What was anyone to think when the very Mayor and the media who were there were saying this?

[Lijahsbubbe]

What disgusts me more are the the Freepers that were quick to pick up and spread such sensational unsourced unsubstantiated nonesense because it furthered thier agenda (whatever that may be.)You expect this sort of behavior from the msm, but this used to be a place that was skeptical of news accounts and could ferret out obvious overblown sensational crap.

Good post Smogger. I was one of the Freepers who opined that this may be the stuff of urban legend. Too lazy to find the post for you, but it's in my comments somewhere.