ABOUT THAT TAPE. I’ve got to disagree with my co-guestbloggers. Megan and Michael have both said ABC ought to run the tape it has of a hooded man mouthing al Qaeda commonplaces like “it’s your turn to die” and “the streets will run with blood.” That tape is a big nothing. Why should the newsmedia run al Qaeda’s lame advertisements?

UPDATE: I should note that Megan is saying that “if ABC is planning to air this tape at all, it should air it now; there’s no excuse for waiting.” I think there is some excuse for delaying it. The idea would be that it is newsworthy, but that it should not be sprung at the last minute where it can’t be examined and responded to and where it will get way more attention than it deserves.

ANOTHER UPDATE: I saw the portions of the tape that were shown tonight on “Special Report With Brit Hume,” and I got a good laugh at this dumb American jawing his headwrap up and down and flailing his fingers at the camera. I’m willing to believe this clown is dangerous, but he’s nothing special. Anyone can swaddle his cranium in a checkered scarf and make general threats that sound like things we’ve heard before. What difference does it make? We already know there are people who want to kill us. There’s nothing about what I’m seeing here that has anything to do with the difference between idle threats and imminent threats. You’d have to be a fool to change your vote one way or the other based on this!