I watched the televised snippets of Sen. Claire McCaskill's town hall meeting yesterday. The Senator did as well as could be expected in handling the questions.

My Afro-centric radar was triggered by the televised image of a Black man and woman being escorted out of the event by uniformed men. What had occurred? There was no explanation, just the video. It was left up to the viewer to create a story. Was the couple picked out of the crowd because of police bias?. How had the couple disrupted the event? What was the political position taken by the couple pro- or anti-health care reform?

My question was answered today by YouTube. The woman had entered the event with a sign depicting Rosa Parks. Many in the crowd booed. The woman rolled up the sign and put it away. A reporter came over to see what that poster said. When the woman unrolled the poster, a man standing behind her snatched the poster. When she responded and tried to retrieve the sign, she and her companion were escorted out of the building.

I think the media needs to understand that by showing that image without an explanation, they are doing a disservice to the woman and the viewing public at large.

 The video with more details can be found at the link below:

http://hatingnotdebating.blogspot.com/

Now comes the news that CNBC contacted Tea Party Patriots for information on where the most "heated" town hall meeting would be occurring. The group's spokesperson says that they did not respond to CNBC's request. One Teabagger apparently did offer an event suggestion to TPP but not CNBC.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/email_tea_baggers_hoping_for_riot_at_rep_scotts_to.php

If all MSM is capable of is providing good video without context, then the media has failed in it's responsibility to the public.