Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 20:59:30 -0400
From: [T S Ben c h] at [aol.com]
To: [J--r--y] at [cris.com], [n--b--n] at [Mainstream.com]
Subject: Re: Waco on ABC Nightline 
Message-ID: <[950710205926 29915255] at [aol.com]>

<<<<Has the media decied to cut loses and sacrifice a few BATF agents to stop
the noban and/or the evil milita movement?>>>>

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the media can smell blood in the water on
this one and has decided to be in front of (and on the right side) of what
promises to be the story of the year.

It appears that Rubin, at Treasury, misunderstood the media badly on this
one.  His letter to the media, asking for mercy before the hearings even
started, has had the reverse effect. He played the 'gun control card' (lets
not let the hearings erode the support of the American public for gun control
measures and those who enforce them) hoping the media would back off on
coverage to support one of their (the media's) pet causes (gun control).
 Didn't work.  Reporters, editors, and news producers figured out in a hurry
that since Rubin must know what is going to come out at the hearings he
already knows this is going to be a disaster for ATF (and probably FBI). He
didn't understand how the drill really works (reporter: "umm..lets see
now..pull Chuckie Schumer's chestnuts out of the fire ..or win myself a
Pulitzer prize  and a big, big raise and maybe a job at a bigger paper or
even a shot at TV.?.  Chuckie who?).

Also, having the letter published in the papers really put the media on the
spot.  Go easy and you'll look like a lickspittle to the administration; or
really dig into this one and forget about defending an administration that is
toast in 18 months anyway.

God...Whitewater, Waco, and Ruby Ridge all at once.  I must really live
right.

Regards,
TSBench