NO CLASS - AT 3:20 P.M. ET:  From AP:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- One of the two TV reporters held in North Korea for 4 1/2 months hopes her story will lead to more public awareness of the plight of journalists incarcerated while reporting from hostile countries.

In a brief letter released Wednesday, Laura Ling of Los Angeles says it was the groundswell of support for her and her colleague Euna Lee that not only freed them but kept her spirits up during her imprisonment.

COMMENT:  Oh great.  Now this is about "journalists."  In fact, North Korea is holding many, many Japanese and South Korean citizens who don't have the privilege of a press card.  But there is only silence about them.

The Japanese and South Koreans must be seething at the fact that we got our "journalists" (who work for Al Gore, that legendary editor-in-chief) out of captivity, but there was no relief for Japanese and South Korean families.  They weren't even mentioned.

Another triumph for "engagement."

August 12, 2009