The White House continues to withhold critical information from the press. In a press conference today, hospital administrator Peter Banko said that the White House had been informed that Mr. Whittington suffered a heart attack between 9:30-10AM this morning. Watch it:

(QuickTime Streaming)

But at today’s White House Press Briefing, which started after 12PM, Scott McClellan didn’t tell the press. CNN confirmed that McClellan “was notified [about the heart attack] just before the briefing.” But McClellan suggested to reporters that he had no new information:

I don’t want to make this about anything other than what it is. It is what it is. I was very respectful and responsive to your questions yesterday. I provided you the information I knew based on the facts that were available… I’m just not going to go back through it again.

McClellan concluded “You’re welcome to continue to focus on these issues. I’m moving on.” Too bad Mr. Whittington can’t do the same. He’ll be in the hospital for at least another week.

Banko press conference transcript:

QUESTION: What time did you notify the White House this morning and did you tell them, when you notified them, that he had a minor heart attack?

ADMINISTRATOR: Our cardiologists probably talked to him shortly after the cardiac cath was done, between 9:30 and 10:00 am this morning.

QUESTION: And you did tell them he had a minor heart attack?

ADMINISTRATOR: I did not hear the conversation that the cardiologists had amongst themselves, so I can’t tell you what – And heart attack is a layman’s term, so they went into a little more clinical detail.

from think progress

I don't really like this story.

When there is a genocide happening the press doesn't cover it. When we have a hunting accident or a blow job it's wall to wall coverage. Some are taking advantage of this event and are trying to cast it into a political light.

What progressives miss is that these sensational stories are consumed passively. News of genocide, torture, or other horrors emotionally demand that we do something, feel horrible about doing nothing, or just try to not think about them. But they demand that we address them which might be one of the reasons the average public shys away from real issues.

Sensational stories get lots of attention but they are generally dismissible. So even though this story may actually get paid attention to by the Main stream media and by the public it will not generate the kind of political action and awareness that many are hoping. The republicans made [chose to make] this mistake when they thought that just because the public was interested in the sexual misadventures of bill and monica that they actually wanted something done about it.

Sensational stories are so popular in part because they demand nothing of us. The public may not be excited by an outed CIA agent or bribery of public officials but at least those issues demand action. Sensational issues do not.

Inside of reveling in this misadventure or trying to make more out if it progressives should be using the platform of this media attention to bring light to the vice presidents far more serious crimes. The public already hates dick cheney bringing him down with this story will not make the case for progressive political policies or politicians. And I don’t think this point is any less relevant whether this was a complete innocent accident or a drunk botched execution.