According to the Drudge Report, the Al Qaeda video tape obtained by ABC in Pakistan has been authenticated by the CIA and FBI. Drudge reports:

ABCNEWS obtained the tape from a source in Waziristan, Pakistan over the weekend. The network has withheld airing it, initially citing concerns over its authenticity.

One senior federal official alleged ABCNEWS is now holding back from broadcasting any portion of the video out of fear it will be seen as a political move by the network during election week.

One ABC source, who demanded anonymity, said Thursday morning, the network was struggling to find a correct journalistic "balance."

"This is not something you just throw out there while people are voting," the ABC source explained.

A second ABC source told DRUDGE Thursday morning: "ABCNEWS has shared this tape with both the CIA and the FBI as part of our reporting process. ABC News is committed to accurate, credible and complete journalism and is applying the same scrutiny to this tape that we apply to all raw information. ABCNEWS continues to report this story aggressively."

According to Drudge, the tape portrays a man with his face concealed by a headdress speaking with an American accent. The man warns, "The streets will run with blood," and "America will mourn in silence" because they will be unable to count the number of the dead.

I concur with ABC's decision not to immediately run with this story, waiting for the CIA and FBI to authenticate the tape. But if Matt Drudge is correct and it has been authenticated, ABC cannot play hide the ball from the American voters.

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