I googled Bradley Manning today for news hits and got 9,120. Did the same thing for Julian Assange and got 901,000. Which makes me wonder why the media is so drawn to Assange but, in the entire scope of coverage, Manning — the private many, including the U.S. government — believe released those tens of thousands of files to Assange.

They’re really not that different; both have been described as computer geeks/nerds/hackers. Both are in custody faces charges, although Assange is in Britain and Manning is in jail in Kuwait.

Both are being pilloried and praised but only one seems to commanding the attention of the journalistic world. Any ideas why?