WTF: Eric Alterman arrested in spin room

[jefferson_dem]

June 3, 2007
Columnist/author arrested in spin room

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN ) – Columnist and author Eric Alterman was arrested Sunday night inside the debate spin room and charged with criminal trespass after police say he refused repeated orders to leave.

Goffstown, N.H. police say Alterman was in the spin room as a guest of the Creative Coalition and went to an area reserved for a private reception for WMUR-TV. Police say he was asked by an executive at the party if he was invited to the private area and was asked to leave. A police officer was called after a verbal altercation ensued. He was asked by police seven times to leave, and police say he became increasingly loud as he refused. After ignoring a final request, police say he was handcuffed and taken from the building. He is charged with criminal trespass, and a bail commissioner will determine if he will be released.

Alterman writes a column for “The Nation” and writes the “Altercation” blog for Media Matters. He also has authored several books, including “Why Presidents Lie.”

– CNN Political Desk Managing Editor Steve Brusk

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/06/03/columnistauthor-arrested-in-spin-room/

[madaboutharry]

1. What a bummer!

I really like him. I am interested in knowing what actually happened.

(Note: Read the stupid posts in the comment section at the end of the story. "Liberals don't like following rules..." Oh brother.)

[symbolman]

2. Eric

AltercationMan?

What a load of horseshit, you just KNOW the guy was getting a story, following up on some Truth - he's a cool dude, if they keep him we should try to help bail the guy out..

I don't know what you did, man, but you've got MY VOTE, even if you were only trying to Stick It To The Man, a corporate whore.. :)

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Reading the updated link, he was getting a drink

and, although he asked, and was told it was an open bar, someone got shirty at his presence.

[Enrique]

3. "a verbal altercation ensued"

[senseandsensibility]

4. Eric, my friend

I will await your side of the situation before I pass judgment. But thanks for your work in the past. You are one of my favorite liberal writers.

[Old and In the Way]

5. This sounds totally out of character for Alterman.

There's more to this than this report suggests. I'm sure Eric will have a lot to say on this soon. I'm betting that someone doesn't like Media Matters and got him blacklisted.

Way to go Dems...shooting our own.

[Tesha]

9. WMUR is pretty Republican. If they "shot" him, it was politics as usual.

> Way to go Dems...shooting our own.

WMUR is pretty Republican. If they "shot" him, it was
just politics as usual.

Tesha

[UTUSN]

7. K&R n/t

[WiseButAngrySara]

8. This was posted last night and there was speculation that it

might have had something to do with a recent controversial article in The Nation.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1037455#1037545