Super journalism from the Superdome

But first this: I thought this shirt was hysterical and just couldn't pass it up!
In fine print it should say, "But I still don't have any electricity to use it!"

So, word on the street is that the word on the street was entirely wrong! Once again, the national sensationalism... whoops, I mean the national news (who called Florida for Gore and hour before the polls closed) continues to garner a feeling of trust from it's loyal viewers and readers.

Actually, the word here is from the Seattle Times, The New Orleans Time Picayune, MSN, and others.

So it turns out that there weren't murders in the Superdome. Children weren't climbing over more bodies than they could count! The report of 200 dead was just a little over blown. Let me see if I can get the actual figure here. *shuffle shuffle* I know it's here *flip flip* *rustle rustle* Ah, here we go: 6 dead. I guess the refrigerated 18 wheeler that was brought to carry away the dead that were "heaped" in piles in the dome was a bit much, huh?

Six deaths: 4 of natural causes, 1 apparent suicide, and an OD. 0 rapes reported, 0 murders, and 0 violent crimes. Ok, so even in my zeal to expose the news for the sensationalizers they are, I'm not willing to say these things definitely did not happen, but the evidence does not support it. The reports from the Superdome were grossly exaggerated! Will there be any repercussions? Like that annoying furniture guy Bob says: "I doubt it!"

Were these stories an attempt to scoop other news stations? Were there political or social agendas? Perhaps the republican reporters wanted to outrage people to the poor job done by the local authorities as both the Governor and the Mayor are democrats. Perhaps the democratic reporters wanted to shame the republican national administration with how poorly they planned to evacuate and care for the residents of New Orleans. Perhaps it was racist white reports saying that all of these African Americans in one place were uncivilized. Perhaps it was racist African American reports showing the terrible situation that the white authorities put these people in. Perhaps the reports were entirely wrong! Who cares why! Aren't reporters supposed to get the facts?! More than one source? Did anybody talk to anyone who was actually in the Superdome!? What happened?!

On a final note: Kudos to news for admitting they were wrong. If major news sources didn't admit that they blew these stories out of the stratosphere we may never have known. And the people trying to get the truth out would be considered conspiracy loonies!

But that's just my opinion