Wag My Dog?
Update:
This apparently isn't some conspiracy on the part of CNN, rather just some clever forum submitter having a little fun. See updates below.
CNN is reporting on the release of video of the hijacked plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/11:
What is most interesting about this CNN report is the URL for it:
Notice the end. "Wagging the dog" is a political slang term for a politician creating headline news in order to distract from other embarrassing news. Back in the 1990's there was even a movie made about a fictional President creating a fake war to draw attention away from a sex scandal.
Now, some leftists are already "questioning the timing" of this video release, implying that Bush ordered the release of this footage to draw attention away from the illegal immigration controversy. That would indeed be "wagging the dog," if were true, and apparently CNN (if their URL tells us anything) thinks it is true.
Anyway, Hot Air has the video. And here's a screen capture of the CNN article up on my monitor should the URL suddenly change.
Update:
Email just sent to CNN:
I'll post anything I get back.
Update:
Well I feel like an idiot.
I got this link off of Fark. The URL there has the "wagmydog" appended, and apparently CNN's website will accept URL's with pretty much anything added behind the question mark.
I wasn't aware of that. I just saw the "wagmydog" pop up in the URL box. Didn't know you could make changes to it and have it still work.
False alarm, and my mistake.
This apparently isn't some conspiracy on the part of CNN, rather just some clever forum submitter having a little fun. See updates below.
CNN is reporting on the release of video of the hijacked plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/11:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Video showing a plane crashing into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, was released publicly for the first time Tuesday, a judicial watchdog group said.
The Justice Department has handed over tapes showing American Airlines Flight 77 striking the building outside Washington to Judicial Watch, a public interest group that requested the video, the group said.
The video is available on the group's Web site, according to a news release from Judicial Watch.
At least two tapes were released, from different security cameras. The two cameras, from the same Pentagon checkpoint, show the building from different angles.
What is most interesting about this CNN report is the URL for it:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/16/pentagon.video/index.html?wagmydog
Notice the end. "Wagging the dog" is a political slang term for a politician creating headline news in order to distract from other embarrassing news. Back in the 1990's there was even a movie made about a fictional President creating a fake war to draw attention away from a sex scandal.
Now, some leftists are already "questioning the timing" of this video release, implying that Bush ordered the release of this footage to draw attention away from the illegal immigration controversy. That would indeed be "wagging the dog," if were true, and apparently CNN (if their URL tells us anything) thinks it is true.
Anyway, Hot Air has the video. And here's a screen capture of the CNN article up on my monitor should the URL suddenly change.
Update:
Email just sent to CNN:
Hello,
My name is Rob Port and I run the political blog Say Anything. Recently while reading your website I noticed your article about the recently released Pentagon 9/11 video had the following URL:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/16/pentagon.video/index.html?wagmydog
As I'm sure you know, "Wagging The Dog" is a political slang term for a politician creating a controversy to distract people from something else. Clearly, this term in the url is meant as some sort of subtle editorial statement.
Can I ask how this would have come about and why CNN feels the need for this sort of petty editorializing?
Sincerely,
Rob Port
http://sayanythingblog.com
I'll post anything I get back.
Update:
Well I feel like an idiot.
I got this link off of Fark. The URL there has the "wagmydog" appended, and apparently CNN's website will accept URL's with pretty much anything added behind the question mark.
I wasn't aware of that. I just saw the "wagmydog" pop up in the URL box. Didn't know you could make changes to it and have it still work.
False alarm, and my mistake.
