Simon,
I've tested to see if I could recreate the Pulitzer and ABC images in Google Earth with a WTC model.
First of all; you assumed it is the same Brooklyn bridge pillar in both images, but they are most likely not.
The two spots which came closest to match the images:
The "Pulitzer viewpoint":
"Pulitzer viewpoint" cutout, resized and sharpened (as if a zoomlens was used):
The "ABC Australia viewpoint":
"ABC viewpoint" cutout, resized and slightly sharpened:
Take into account that all the building models vary in accuracy, so it's not said that these viewpoints are precise, but they are I think in the proximity.
It also doesn't mean these pictures are legitimate of course. For instance the impossibility of two separate people taking a photo at exactly (1/10th of a second or less?) the same time of an unexpected event is still valid I think.
Edit: @Simon: you're welcome