The Smoking Gun has outdone itself this time with a collection of letters donated to the University of Michigan’s Special Collections Library by none other than the Unabomber himself, Ted Kaczynski. The letters are a fascinating insight into the media circus — they consist of pitch letters from television personalities wanting to interview Kazcynski and were donated to The University of Michigan along with other correspondents and documents to and from Kazcynski.
For the most part, the television reporters are more than willing to kiss Ted’s ass to get an interview. Greta Van Susteren lets Kazcynski know that she thinks, “You are an extremely smart man.” A letter from a 20/20 producer informs Kazcynski that an interview with Barbara Walters will allow the Unabomber to clear up “what you think are misconceptions about you.”
But the most disgusting of the letters has to be from that bane of all existence, ABC-News’ Good Morning America. GMA correspondent Dan Dahler wants to convince Kaczynski that just because the Unabomber hates all technology doesn’t mean giving a TV interview would be compromising his principles,
I know I represent a form of technology abhorrent to you, but I also know from reading excerpts from your journal (released by the government – so I wonder if they’re accurate representations??) and descriptions of the intricately made explosive devices that you have a talent for using anything at hand for your purposes.
And journalists always wonder why people dislike their profession so much.