Sharon’s Stroke: Notes

> FNC was a few seconds ahead of CNN with the word of a “significant stroke” shortly after 4:30pm. MSNBC was several minutes behind both channels. FNC was also first with live pictures outside the hospital. Update: 7:19pm: An e-mailer asks: “Was MSNBC taking the time to completely confirm the reports of Sharon’s stroke before reporting it, and that’s why they were minutes behind FNC and CNN?”

> FNC correspondent Mike Tobin was outside the hospital very quickly. CNN’s John Vause (updated 7:18pm) was on camera from Jerusalem almost immediately.

> Does NBC News have a correspondent in Jerusalem? Martin Fletcher eventually got on the phone from Tel Aviv on MSNBC…

> I hope Dr. Sanjay Gupta doesn’t have any surgeries scheduled this week, because he must not be getting much sleep. He was up until dawn on CNN, and he’s back on the phone for Sharon coverage. “This sounds very serious,” Gupta told Wolf Blitzer…

> Hypothetically, if Sharon died, who would anchor ABC News coverage? Vargas is in rural WV and Woodruff is in Iran. Update: 7:19pm: “Charlie Gibson and Barbara Walters are standing by on the WNT set for news on Sharon,” an anonymous tipster says…