Cargo Plane BOMB PLOT Coverage

Yup, and not seen before to my knowledge - works really well.

Steven Dixon is on Sky now since 7.

Is this a media story gone mad? Anyway let's leave the media coverage over reaction analyses until tomorrow.

A lot of these are just scares and alerts.

BBC have Clive Myrie in Washington studio, Chris & Sophie in N6 and someone in Dubai. Good stuff.

The key element to this is the addressee in Chicago. The detail there will say a lot about the nature of these incidents today.

Jeremy Thompson should be heading out to the US for the Mid-Terms, which I guess will be useful for Sky if any more comes of this story.

Apparently he will be based in Sacramento and San Francisco for the Mid Term coverage.

Interesting that President Obama will make a statement at 2115BST - either there is something more serious to this story than meets the eye, or he's really making the most of the situation with the mid-terms next week.

And its now Frederica Whitfield (CNNUS) and Michael Holmes with a continuing simulcast on CNN.

Goodness - US fighter jets now escorting a passenger jet from UAE into JFK according to CNN.

Erm, what? How, exactly?

I think 'breaking news' was referring to the notion that people won't vote for change in a time of crisis, and that incumbent leaders get a poll boost when shown to be dealing with a terrorist threat.

Government's tend to shift to the right though when stuff like this happens (except in Spain after the Madrid bombings), so it may favour the Republicans anyway.

I've been watching CNN throughout this news story. The BBC and Sky's coverage seems ok, although a little slow. I know some people don't prefer an element of emergency and speed on air during these sorts of stories, but CNN is managing to create the right tempo - quick interchange between numerous correspondents and guests, and they seem to have had all the parts of this story first so far.


Also, another thread was discussing international channels. Tonight sums up the point I made in that thread perfectly. CNN and al-Jazeera have been covering this like a domestic news channel would (suspending programming). Euronews managed quite late to get some live shots from JFK on one half of the screen. RT had a rerun of a discussion show, CCTV, NHK World and France 24 have not mentioned it AT ALL.

Al-Jazeera even dropped out of coverage to show Frost.

What is the point of these channels if they don't even attempt to cover major breaking stories?! More importantly, why is RT taking up Freeview space? CNNi would be better, even though that has too many 'feature' shows.

All the stations will no doubt go into overdrive after this Obama statement! Let the speculation begin!

Huw Edwards now on BBC News at 10. Has he been called in specially? He wasn't on BBC News at 5 (and rarely presents on Fridays)

You mentioned Spain after the Madrid bombings - but that's a good example of people in fact voting for change in a time of crisis, which you suggested doesn't happen.

As far as the United States goes, public opinion does tend to veer towards the right during times of heightened security concerns, as the Republicans have historically presented themselves as being greater champions of homeland security and national defence than the Democrats. In times of crisis, however foolishly, that perception becomes more exaggerated and the Republicans tend to enjoy increased favour among the American people.

Even if the Obama administration can claim maximum credit for the successful interception of an attempted terrorist attack against the US homeland, that won't necessarily translate to a corresponding boost to Democratic candidates in the mid-terms, especially against the historical context of a national perception of the Democrats being weaker on defence matters than the Republicans.

I can't believe that a comment like "election next week - handy for Obama" has been made rationally with any of this context in mind - it seems more like a stupid, ignorant comment made to imply some sort of conspiracy behind the whole situation. I'm sure that 'breaking news' will correct me if I'm wrong though.