Bush is speaking re Italian Premier's visit and answered a question with this information.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Answers

It's one thing to rev up the media. Seems like quite another to piss off someone who could help authorize the funding to exterminate these assholes.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Gawd, I was so busy, I forgot I had posted it before SAR! Okay, SAR's thread gets nuked.

Here's the rest of the info:

The information was contained in an answer to a reporter's question as he introduced the Italian Premier outside at the White House. A preliminary field test is said to be positive, although Daschle's office is denying that.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.ugh), October 15, 2001.

Monday October 15 12:24 PM ET

Bush: Anthrax Letter Sent to Daschle

WASHINGTON (AP) - A letter opened in the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle ``had anthrax in it,'' President Bush said Monday.

Bush said the envelope was field-tested shortly after being received, and the staffers who have been exposed are being treated.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Bush said ``there may be some possible link'' between Osama bin Laden and a recent flurry of anthrax-related developments.

``I wouldn't put it past him but we don't have any hard evidence,'' he said of the man suspected as the leader behind Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington that killed thousands.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.ugh), October 15, 2001.

Latest report is that the letter was postmarked Trenton, NJ. DC police will be holding a press conference soon. One might suspect that if a letter was sent to Daschle's office, there were others sent to other political leaders. (Sometimes mail gets backed up and isn't opened for several days so others may not show up for a day or two.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.ugh), October 15, 2001.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

CNN reports the letter was received Friday but opened today.

Also, Tom Brokaw and this senator are both from South Dakota.

hmmm...

[was trying to post to the other thread! grrrr]

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

MSNBC: Reports are that paramedics went to Trent Lott's office. Also, that some people were sent home from Daschle's office. Daschle is now speaking, hasn't said much.

Capitol police: powdered substance, exposure, contacted police and physician. Situation was isolated, field test conducted. First test came back positive. Second field test was also positive. Absolute confirmation won't be made until other tests are made, results available shortly. Treating situation as if it were confirmed, decontamination procedures undertaken.

Capitol physician: Medical response was SOP. Swabs taken from persons who may have come in contact. If positive, will be treated with Cipro.

Daschle: Has spoken to staff, with exception of person most directly involved, still being deconned. Confident, been given assurances, no immediate danger for staff. Under control. Warned other leadership. Office is quarantined and closed until procedures satisfactorily completed.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Among a growing list of reasons not to apply to be a Washington intern...

I'm not worried about anthrax for myself. Triage is easy. If it looks like a bill, throw it out. Anything else doesn't matter.

Essentially, I'm not in a position of needing to open mail I don't recognize. If something like that landed on my desk, I would suspect an inside job. But it occurs to me that the envelopes are showing up in places where large amounts of anonymous mail are routinely received. Makes it more difficult.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Just heard Tony Espisito, Postal Inspector, who was quoting the New jersey Dept of health saying that the chances of being exposed just by handling the 'ouside wrapper' was remote to non-existent.

I suggest everyone take a regular envelope, fill it with sugar, or talc powder, seal it, and turn it upside down and shake it around a bit. [You might want to do it outside away from prying eyes. LOL]

Tell me if any came out.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

I did a regular business letter with coffee creamer, it came out both ends where the flap glues to the back.

Now, imagine us clerks grabbing a bunch of letters of various bulkiness, tapping them on the ledge of the case to make them neater to handle, and the chance of a leak is quite possible.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Easy for you to say. The motel staff will have to do the cleanup. No way, no how I'm trying this in my own kitchen!

Meanwhile, I don't quite remember the details, but the part about the USPS advising people not to open packages with wires protruding... Whazzup with that?

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

for some reason people have no qualms about sending pins, like those little flags that most are wearing now, in envelopes. These things get caught in the automation machines, and poke us as we handle them.

Then there are the gift pens, some are metal in nature and when damaged can poke out, too.

I did mine over the sink and wshed the resulting mess down the drain. But my point was that the envelope did not seal to keep the powder inside.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001