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All three networks led their newscast with the paralysis in the great plains. An icestorm stretched from northern Texas to Illinois, causing traffic accidents on icy roads, branches weighed down by icicles to break off trees, electricity blackouts from downed power lines and delays in airline travel. States of Emergency have been declared in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. More than 20 have been killed; more than 500,000 residents lost power, which will not be restored fully for ten days. ABC kicked off from Oklahoma, CBS from Iowa, NBC from Missouri as winter weather was Story of the Day.

ABC's Steve Osunsami's face was tastefully framed by ice laden branches for his report. His anchor Charles Gibson appreciated the effort: "It would be beautiful if it were not so devastating." In Iowa, CBS' Nancy Cordes observed that "only truly terrible weather could keep most of the major Presidential candidates from campaigning." NBC, which led with the weather for the second straight day, had Janet Shamlian in St Joseph where "90% of the city was dark" team up with Don Teague in Oklahoma City. There, the Survivor Elm, which withstood the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, "has not lost a limb."


Andrew Tyndall 12/13/07 12:38:30 am

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