NBC Removed Reference To Amanpour To “Further Continue Our Inquiry”

Yesterday, MSNBC.com published a transcript of Andrea Mitchell‘s interview with author James Risen about the CIA’s domestic spying program. In it, Mitchell asked Risen if he had uncovered evidence that CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour was eavesdropped upon. It was a specific and pointed question that led AMERICAblog to ask if the veteran journalist had been spied on by the Bush administration. This afternoon, MSNBC.com removed the portion of the transcript that referred to Amanpour. (Here’s what it originally said.) In a statement to TVNewser tonight, NBC explained why:

“Unfortunately this transcript was released prematurely. It was a topic on which we had not completed our reporting, and it was not broadcast on ‘NBC Nightly News’ nor on any other NBC News program. We removed that section of the transcript so that we may further continue our inquiry.”

I sure hope NBC continues the inquiry. Does Amanpour have reason to believe she was spied on? Why? No word from CNN yet…