An Arkansas TV reporter that had a bit part in Oliver Stone's movie "W" was found beaten unconscious in her Little Rock home on October 20 and in its report on the crime the Associated Press seemed to decide that she was beaten merely because she had appeared in the movie though this impression the AP seems to have is not supported by the police. One wonders why the AP decided to spend almost half its story focusing on her movie role when reporting this crime? Is the AP trying to say her connection with George W. Bush got her attacked? It sure seems like the AP is seized by another bout of Bush Derangement Syndrome with its unnecessary emphasis on this reporter's film role.
The APs obsession with the victim's movie role was odd, indeed. Even in its first few lines the AP ties KATV anchor Ann Pressly to her movie work saying in its first sentence that she "had a small part in the Bush biopic 'W.'" The AP takes pains to point out that in the movie, Pressly "speaks favorably of President Bush's 'Mission Accomplished' event on an aircraft carrier shortly after the start of the Iraq war." The report speaks about how she won the role in the film and then adds this odd sentence:
Spokeswoman Kate Hubin for the film company Lionsgate confirmed Pressly's role but declined to comment further.
Why did we need to have Pressly's role "confirmed"? Why would the AP imagine that Lionsgate films had anything useful to add to a report on this crime?
In fact, despite all the attention the AP directed to the victim's movie role, there doesn't seem to be any immediate reason to suspect that her role in "W" had anything at all to do with the attack. The AP quotes a Little Rock police spokesman on a possible motive for the crime; robbery.
Davis said investigators are talking to Pressly's co-workers to determine whether she "has had any problems." Davis said Pressly's purse was gone and that robbery was among the possible motives being explored. Davis would not discuss specifics of what the investigation revealed.
So, why did the AP spend so much time on the movie role? Is it possible that the AP just wanted to find a way to make it all seem like Bush's fault?
Now, let's contrast the AP's treatment of the crime with the way the Arkansas Times reported the story. In its 12 paragraph story, the Ark. Times mentions Pressly's movie role precisely once and briefly at that.
Pressly has a small role in the current movie, "W," Oliver Stone's portrayal of George W. Bush. She played commentator Ann Coulter in the movie, much of it filmed in Shreveport.
That was it. The Ark. Times didn't see the movie role as that much of a factor at all and unless more details emerge, nor should anyone else.
Yet the AP went mad over her role in "W." What could have been the APs motivation?
Anyway, here's hoping that Miss Pressly gets well soon and can help the police to find her attacker whatever his motive.
**UPDATE**
Sadly, Miss Presly has died of her injuries. Condolences to her family and friends and may they catch her killer.