Today's Most Popular Video
Aug 28, 2008 11:03 pm US/Central
Good Question: How Do Media Rumors Start?
(WCCO)
It's been the hottest political story around: the rumor that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was going to be named as John McCain's running mate. But how do these stories gather so much steam?
WCCO started tracking the Pawlenty buzz, hot and heavy, at 9:35 in the morning.
"We are hearing this morning from the political people at CBS," said Assistant News Director Mike Caputa in the morning news meeting. "The Romney people are saying that he's decided on Pawlenty as the guy."
Caputa shared the e-mail he received: "A few connected Romneyites say they think McCain has chosen Tim Pawlenty. Maybe it's a head fake... Maybe not."
WCCO's assignment desk immediately sent a photographer to sit outside Tim Pawlenty's home in Eagan.
"We're looking for something to happen," said photographer Gordy Leach, as he staked out the home waiting for Secret Service agents to arrive.
Secret Service showed up at Joe Biden's house several hours before Barack Obama picked him as Vice-President.
In the meantime, political reporter Pat Kessler talked to CBS News and the New York Times. Everyone wants to know what everyone else thinks they know.
According to Kessler, the campaigns orchestrate this dance, floating names to gauge response and generate interest.
"They don't want us to know, but they kinda want us to know anyway," said Kessler.
By 12:56 a.m. Thursday, he heard Governor Pawlenty cleared his schedule for that night and all day Friday. It was another indication that Pawlenty "maybe, is probably going to be" the guy.
Rumors can be wrong, of course. Last week, a Kansas City TV station incorrectly reported that Obama selected Evan Bayh as his running mate, because a company was printing Obama-Bayh bumper stickers.
By 3:45 p.m., WCCO heard that the McCain campaign would anonymously leak the name of their choice at 5 p.m. on Fox News. But 5 p.m. came and went without word of the selection.
But with every passing hour, that situation could change.
Perhaps the only answer will come at the official announcement Friday at 10 a.m. Central Time in Dayton, Ohio.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Man Recalls Night Friend Was Shot By Cop
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
