Ambulance-chasers ‘r’ us

CNN reports a “Gun incident near President Bush’s ranch.” With a provocative title like this, the story itself is a remarkable disappointment. You know how a movie trailer sometimes entirely misrepresents the film and makes it seem, well, good? Same thing.

A group of Danish reporters were waiting for a press-conference to be held by the Danish Prime Minister after meeting with President Bush. One of the reporters wanted to submit a story but couldn’t get a wireless signal, even outdoors. He could use his mobile phone so he called his editor and began dictating the story. The reporter, Terkel Svensson, said

I was just so occupied dictating my story that I didn’t really see where I went. I was just walking and talking.

Where he went was onto the lawn of a local resident. The elderly homeowner didn’t like some unknown man walking around her home so she grabbed her hand gun, stepped outside, and told the stranger he was trespassing and to get off her property. The story doesn’t mention if she was pointing the weapon at him but it seems unlikely as he claims he didn’t see the gun. The story does say the reporter was alarmed when he rejoined his fellow reporters and saw a photo one of them had taken, clearly showing she was armed. Come on, if she confronted him and he left not realizing she was armed, she didn’t wave the run in his face.

Svensson also said,

I will show the photos to my wife and children. They thought I was on a safe trip.

I’d suggest the largest danger was of his own making. If he was really so oblivious of his surroundings, he could have easily stepped into the street and been hit by a car. I suspect that would’ve been someone else’s fault, too.

A man can easily overpower an elderly woman so I can hardly fault her for wanting to protect herself. The reporter was indeed trespassing and the woman had no idea who he was or what he was doing. The story’s author, Ed Henry, is simply shilling a catchy headline. He’s not about to let the fact that there really is no story stop him! The article’s first line bemuses me:

A Danish journalist came this close to getting shot Saturday by an elderly woman packing a pistol..

The reporter came so close to getting shot that he had no idea the woman was even armed. A close call, indeed! Look at the situation for what it is. The reporter is a stranger who expected Texas to be just like his home. You’d think an international reporter would be more savvy.