CNN is being a lot nicer to Bob Murray this morning

[spinbaby]

Suddenly, he's no longer described as bizarre and they've stopped showing the rants. The earthquake theory seems downright plausable now.

At first, I figured that some of his Republican buddies must have had a word with CNN, but then they showed an exclusive tour into the mine rescue area led personally by Bob Murray. He may be nuttier than a box of squirrels, but he certainly knows how to be nice to media to get his way.

[KharmaTrain]

1. It's Only A Lull...

NPR this morning did a real nasty piece on Murray...disclaiming the "earthquakes" and talking about his safety and poor labor record. But right now, it's like screaming fire in a crowded theater. Until the miners are found, there's a "truce" per say on what's happened here until this tragedy plays out. If, by some faint chance, the men are found alive and well, Murray becomes the hero here...otherwise, shit will fly.

There's a real nasty story simmer underneath here...and its all being held in check while the fate of the miners is determined, but I suspect the worst and Murray will soon be under attack on several fronts...his attempts at damage control and media manipulation are a vain attempt to buy time and avoid the shitstorm he knows is coming. He wouldn't have been so confrontational from the get-go if he didn't expect trouble.

Should these miners not survive, there is sure to be outrage at how this fiasco happened and Murray's role in it. But also, simmer beneath is that several of those miners were Mexicans...(not sure of their status...I've heerd various descriptions of their status) and this could set off a second shitstorm inside the GOOP. Murray is tap dancing as fast as he can. He looks like a guy whose gotten ahead by intimidating others...he may have gone one bridge too far here.

[fishnfla]

3. Good post

He came out real defensive right off the bat. Bad move.

[malaise]

4. I heard late last night that

he received Fed approval for retreat mining. His 'very close' Rethug ties and his presence on Cheney's energy task force will soon hit MSM.
USGS, University of Utah and seismologists in Colorado have already stated that there was no earthquake.

Murray is up S creek unless those miners are found alive and that seems unlikely. I'm sure others are digging up the info on illegal immigrant workers in those mines. Dems need to make lots of noise re his ties to Rethugs and his is anti-union stance.

Edit: change words

[spinbaby]

5. We'll see this afternoon

The first borehole is supposed to be down to the miners by this afternoon. From what they were saying on the news, the chances that they survived is actually quite high because it was a cave in and not an explosion. As long as they weren't crushed, they're probably alive.

As for the illegal alien status...well, sooner or later that will come out and I suspect it won't be pretty. Here in western PA, many of the mines hire what amounts to temp miners from agencies that hire out laborors. It wouldn't surprise me if some of those trapped miners in Utah weren't actually mine employees but were actually illegals hired as day laborers.

[KharmaTrain]

7. He Can Tap Dance Only So Long

Seems like a typical right wing goon...that if you say a lie enough times, people will believe it. It really gets that way when you have lots of money and political clout in your corner...people always seem to "see your way".

At first, he came out attacking Faux and that raised my ears...he singled them and AP out...and then I heard about his GOOP ties...the wheel turned and this got me thinking that this attack was an attempt to intimidate and manipulate the coverage...and I think I'm right. This goon is worried about having dozens of local miners come down with shotguns and he's trying to keep both the calm while he buys his way out of this. Or so he thinks.

This morning the U of C Berkley chimed in about the "earthquake"...and said it was more likely the "displacement of earth" caused by the collapse...also that Murray himself had been presented with citations about ventilation problems in the mine. He better get those men out safely and fast as the noose is tightening.

This could have major fall-out for the GOOP in some interesting states...like West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Colorado...all places that are definitely in play for Democrats and Murray has spread his money around. If there are corpses pulled from that mine, include Murray's as well...his face now is the outcome of this tragedy.

:hi:

[John Q. Citizen]

8. Murray has a long anti-union anti- safety regulation history. Add in the CO2 pollution

the mercury and the long history of environmental devastation and it's clear where he's at in terms of his politics. And unfortunately, these miners fates are political issues.

I heard the NPR piece. It didn't sound nasty, it sounded like Murray has been doing a lot of spinning to attempt to stave off what will be widespread calls for greater health and safety oversight of mining operations.

All the impartial seismologists say the seismic waves were the cave in occurring, not an earthquake.

There is also a number of indicators that the miners were doing what called "retreat mining" where they stand back and cause the mine roof to collapse by knocking out the supporting columns. Murray can yell at reporters not to say this, but his own maps show this is likely.

The impression that Murray is lying and bullying to hold off the inevitable political ramifications is unmistakable.

On the hopeful side is they expect to have a 2" and and 8" hole drilled to where they think the miners are by as early as this evening.

[KharmaTrain]

10. He Seems Too Certain

The NPR piece didn't put Mr. Murray in a very good light...whereas I heard one talking head on the TV say how he thought Murray was a "stand-up guy"...hopefully that meme is about to come crashing down. The more he puts himself at the center of this tragedy, the more dirt appears to be coming out about his and his company.

What irks me is here is a former miner...a man who supposedly worked his way up and how poorly he's treated others along the way.

Now, how certain are they about the location of those miners? A two inch hole better be on the money...plus I haven't heard if there's any real solid evidence as to which area of that large mine they were working in or had/have access too...after all these days they could have moved on to find better shelter. And then that brings in one more ticking timebomb...and that's the lack of food and water for these men. It doesn't appear that there was an explosion or that the mine had a relative low level of methane...so that's a hopeful sign.

[tularetom]

2. Don't discount your first thought

Soon as I heard he was a big repub contributor and may have in fact been on cheney's mega secret energy task force, I knew the depiction of him as a wacked out loony would soon change. I think your perception that his pals called in a few chips with CNN is probably right on.

[spinbaby]

6. You may be right

But this morning it sure looked like Murray was trading a mine tour for more sympathetic coverage.

[malaise]

9. Check this out as well

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1549119