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True crime

vsergu on 2002-05-23T04:16:49

I understand why I'm suddenly hearing about Chandra Levy again. Her remains were discovered in the park three quarters of a mile from my apartment.

What I don't understand is why I've just heard it as one of the top stories on the BBC radio news, and why it's the top story on CNN.com.

Can one of you furriners, or even one of you West Coasters, explain what makes this story international news?

Sensational Boredom

gizmo_mathboy on 2002-05-23T07:00:06

Sensation sells, as does sex, murder, mayhem, depravity, death, and such.

Maybe the press realizes that the US government will be posting this "imminent" terror threats every day until we just don't care, because they don't want to suffer the political fallout if it is found out that they had information pertaining to the attack and did nothing with it.

The only interest I vaguely have is whether Condit was involved or not. Even then I'm not too concerned. Not to be unsympathetic to the Levy's loss, but many more people die each hour without their story being splattered across every media outlet.

condit

hfb on 2002-05-23T12:59:13

Gary Condit was reportedly one of the last people to ring her so the implication that he was involved in her disappearance has fed the media frenzy. It was also rumoured that she was pregnant prior to the disappearance and since she was having an affair with Condit it is conjecture but there are those who conclude it was his baby and that he was willing to kill her to keep it mum. Nothing makes American news media more thrilled than a good old fashioned sex scandal. It beats more news about Pakistan and Indias nukes :)

Re:condit

vsergu on 2002-05-23T19:17:03

I understand that the frenzy wouldn't be happening without the Condit connection, but then Gary Condit wasn't exactly a household name before the scandal, and your average congressman isn't like a movie star or a sports star. There must be hundreds of murders per year in the US that are as interesting as this one (assuming it's a murder).

I don't think it would be anything like as big as it is if the Monica Lewinsky scandal hadn't come before.

Re:condit

hfb on 2002-05-23T19:37:19

It's the S - E - X part...well, and the allegation that she was preggers with his kid that make it sensational. Corrupt and morally bankrupt politicians simply get a nod these days from the press who don't wish to appear 'anti-american' and there's nothing more american than a big whoopla over a guy poking his dick where he shouldn't.