Wednesday Whodunnit & Why

Background: Tuesday State of the Union Address

"Viewership for Obama's State of the Union addresses has been in decline since 2009, when he drew 52.4 million television viewers. Subsequently, 48.0 million watched on television in 2010, 42.8 million in 2011, 37.8 million in 2012, 33.5 million in 2013 and 33.3 million in 2014." -CNN 

An Administration Manufactured Event?

"Ten American sailors have been taken into custody in Iran," he said in a statement. "But President Obama completely omitted this latest example of Iran's provocative behavior so as not to interfere with his delusional talking points about his dangerous nuclear deal with Iran. - House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy 

News of this curiously unexplained capture (including 1 woman)  preceeded the East coast's dinner hour to generate interest just-in-time for Obama's final S.O.T.U.  a few hours later at 9 PM.

So despite a perfectly-timed, human interest story Obama's viewership still declined by almost 5%, attracting ONLY 31.7 million viewers (1.6 million fewer than in 2015).  

Questions:

What would viewership have been without the sailor story?

Answer: Even more embarrassing for the administration.

Was the Iranian capture event manufactured with or without SECNAV Mabus's knowledge?

Answer: If a manufactured event, it could not have been without his implicit approval. 

Would such a manufactured event have to have been coordinated in advance with Iran?

Answer:  Certainly.

What inducement(s) could Iran have been offered to go along with the event? 

Answer:  Let's think; besides humiliating the U.S. navy, what does Iran wish that the U.S. can possibly hasten? Hints: (sanctions, 'peaceful' nuclear developments), and then there is PR (photographic one upmanship): 

Finally, would Secretary of State Kerry have been involved in coordinating such an event with Iran? 

Answer:  Draw your own conclusions. During his tour of duty as an Officer in Charge of Swift boats, Kerry led five-man crews on patrols into enemy-controlled areas.

Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN's Dana Bash that he expected the sailors to be released "very soon" but would not be more specific. He was speaking at the Capitol ahead of the start of Obama's speech.

A senior State Department official, though, told Fox News that there was “no apology from Kerry” to the Iranians.  

Submarines are always silent and strange.