Hostage situation at Clinton HQ in NH…
The cable nets have been zeroed in on the Clinton campaign HQ story since it broke. I don’t know who had it first but a tipster says that CNN was last to switch over to the hostage drama fulltime because they were still covering the Chicago train derailment story. FNC just happened to have Carl Cameron in the area with FNC’s new ElectionLink vehicle and he’s been reporting on the story live both on the way in to and from the scene.
MSNBC pulled Chris Jansing in early (smart move) and she’s been co-anchoring the story with Contessa Brewer, while Norah O’Donnell has been reporting from D.C. on Hillary’s whereabouts.
Update: Anderson Cooper was reporting live from New Hampshire for CNN.
During the 6p hour of The Situation Room, once the hostage situation in NH had been contained by law enforcement, Wolf Blitzer advised viewers that early Friday afternoon, the CNN Washington bureau received a call from a woman inside Clinton campaign headquarters in Rochester, New Hampshire. The woman was very upset, and spoke with a CNN staffer, and then put the hostage taker, Leeland Eisenberg on the telephone.
Eisenberg told our staffer that he had mental problems and couldn’t get anyone to help him. He eventually hung up the telephone. CNN notified law enforcement about the call.
Throughout the afternoon, the hostage and Eisenberg called back to CNN several times, talking with additional staff people. CNN, consulting with our own security people, and assuming the hostage taker could be watching CNN’s air, chose not to report any of this, so as not to do anything which might compromise the safety of the hostages.
CNN & HLN were alternating between Clinton, the train collision, and the three arrested for murdering that football player.
MSNBC wasn’t bad with Contessa believe it or not! But, when Chris Jansing’ smooth voice entered the picture I was hooked.
FNC - I watched up until the point of Gregg Jarrett arriving on the mic.
FBN - Even tried to get in on the action. Well, Liz was backtracking and saying they’d come back to it with more information. Note to FBN - if you aren’t simulcasting FNC, stick to biz news, because that was a waste and embarrassment.
Comment by Terance — November 30, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
I was surprised Fox Biz spent more than a minute on the story — just a little “Breaking News” banner or something would have been fine. Lots going on in the market today — stay with that, please.
Comment by Anonymous — November 30, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Like moths to a flame, bees to honey, the cable news networks hasten to the next crisis in overdrive.
We are blessed to have law enforcement officials who can handle these situations.
But the principal turns out to be a local yokel who has been sleeping in the woods. And the Kalpo brothers have been released for lack of evidence.
I am guilty, as most of us are, of watching one news circus after another, and can’t seem to quit!
Comment by Cella — November 30, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
FNC did an excellent job. With their new election vehicles and their broadband via satellite broadcasting is really good. I switched between all 3 networks, but by far, I thought FNC was the best.
Comment by jerziegrl — November 30, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
I was mostly watching CNN but I thought FNC did a great job. CNN just reported that the hostage taker actually called their Washington bureau from the campaign office.
Comment by Aaron — November 30, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
Another deranged=leftist=unhinged!We will keep pushing the right buttons.Stay tuned!
Comment by SHANE — November 30, 2007 @ 9:19 pm
jerziegrl: Was it ever explained why they initally got the name wrong? Was it an alias that Eisenberg used?
Comment by Ira — November 30, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
I was wondering that too, Ira. Heard the wrong name given by FNC’s Cameron but he was getting it (at least when I tuned in) from people on the scene. I heard him do an interview with young man who said his dad told him it was this Troy Stanley guy. It goes to show that when airing info directly from “the man on the street”, make sure and give the viewers the caveat that authorities haven’t confirmed this information.
Comment by STP — December 1, 2007 @ 11:43 am
STP: Thanks for responding.
I tuned out for an hour and when I returned Troy Stanley had magically morphed into Eisenberg with no explanation.
Comment by Ira — December 1, 2007 @ 2:48 pm