Fly.... thats totally overthinking things... Mucklow was trying to assuage a very tense situation, with that comment....there's nothing there....
I know Tina's claim was that she was being humorous, asking for some money. It may be all true and innocent, but it just seems bizarre to me. To ask for the money, take it then return it and claim no gratuities allowed recalling company policy, it wasn't just a gratuity it was ransom money. This seems odd. It was the only time she was being humorous. She also claimed the money (which she held in her hands) was in bank-style bands contrary to other evidence. Her demeanour was a little sheepish in news footage as well.
Sometimes people make up stories to cover for their actions just in case, her prints are on some of the money. There is no evidence she did anything wrong but that particular story is as fishy as fishy gets.. IMO, it sounds like it may be deceptive in some way as though she was covering for the possibility that her prints might be later found on some cash.
Never automatically trust what "witnesses" say, look at actions. She (claimed she) took the package of money from the hijacker, why didn't she refuse it and quote her company policy. Did she take the earlier tip from the hijacker and then return it or just refuse it per company policy.
Remember she was 22 years old... From the east coast yet living on the west coast.... I would say her behavior was beyond superb and mature at the conference, not sheepish. heck, a 22 year old stewardess today would have been dazed, checking her phone every two minutes, saying the word "like" five times a sentence, answering other questions than asked etc....
Now, if one wants to imply a possible covert CIA black OP of the entire caper,well, Ithats another discussion. and your talk about the money could fit that theory.... for this was during great national unrest with vietnam,with the public protesting,rioting, etc, and there were alot of Black ops the CIA was doing yet couldn't get the funding from the public taxpayer via Congress...this is precisely why the CIA had to delve in the overseas drug trade,to fund some of these very necessary earmarked missions. And this operates outside the US banking system to which these dollars are called Eurodollars, and would never show up in the search unless repatriated. Maybe caper did involve that Rackstraw like Colbert says (but on the ground) and that the money was planted etc.... many aspects of the caper could point to this, of the no solve,the no talk by any relative by now, NO TRACE, etc... I do think in this realm the money issue has a real place, but not involving Mucklow. They wouldn't use someone so young.
