I've been watching ABC since the beginning because ABC is the only news organization that did not give a neat little tag line to their coverage (like "Attack On America", etc.)
And yes, Peter Jennings did seem amazed that the president did not immediately return to Washington. I never heard him utter the word "coward" but his displeasure with the strategy was apparrent.
I have found myself irritated with Jennings a number of times throughout the past several days. When democrats have tried to show a unity with the president Jennings has gone out of his way to drive small wedges in the front (like pushing members of Congress to acknowledge that they will not give Bush a completely free hand.)
Likewise, when a senator or congressman was attempting to paint a story of the heroism of the passengers aboard the plane that crashed south of Pittsburg, Jennings picked the details apart getting the story teller to admit that he was unsure that the plane was targeting the capitol building.
Still, over the course of the last 4 days, the coverage at ABC has been outstanding. And Jennings, I think, has been trying to do a great job during a very difficult time. Sometimes he gets too hung up on the small points and misses the bigger picture.
As for his displeasure with the strategy of not returning to Washington, I too, wanted the president to stand defiantly in Washington. That was my emotional response at the time. Would it have been the prudent thing to do? Perhaps not. But in those emotional moments immediately following this tragedy is it any wonder that Jennings allowed his own emotions to show through? I guess I am glad that he was not so professional.
