White House spokesman Ari Fleischer claimed not to have heard the tape either, but Powell had already told Fleischer everything he needed to know. "Based on what Secretary Powell has said, it gives rise to concern about the ties between al Qaida and Iraq," said the bald prevaricator. Reporters were invited to listen for themselves.

Back in the CNN studios, Wolf Blitzer appeared confused, if not shaken. Hadn't Condoleezza Rice (1) hinted back in October, 2001 that the media - especially quick footed CNN - were acting against the national interest by providing a forum for bin Laden-speech?

Reporters for the Reuters (2) news agency found the events of the morning strange - and strangely timed:
“It wasn't a United States news network that scooped Al-Jazeera on Tuesday in breaking word of the latest purported Osama bin Laden tape - it was the Bush administration, which seemed eager to play the tape to the masses....
“It turned out Al-Jazeera hadn't even played the tape before Powell's revelation. The news network said it received the tape just as Powell was making his comments.”