[CJ Wolf]

It was suggested (in my opinion) as a clear means to aviod a panic.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/10/05/florida.anthrax/

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol8no10/pdf/02-0389.pdf

[Dog Gone]

Thompson said the FBI and the CDC are checking out restaurants and other places the man may have visited in North Carolina in the hope of finding out what caused his illness.

"We do know that he drank water out of a stream when he was traveling to North Carolina last week," said (HHS Secretary) Thompson. "But as far as wool or other things, it's entirely possible. We haven't got all of the investigations done and we're doing a tremendous extensive job of investigating everything."

I agree with you that the reason these possibilities were tossed out was to counter the impression that it had to be terrorism. It turns out it was terrorism, but this was at a time when everyone was freaking out at the sight of crop duster.

Anyway, this incident can't be used as an example of lying by the CDC. We were told the truth as soon as they knew it.