Who the hell is Eason Jordan?
According to his CNN bio, “he is executive vice president and chief news executive of CNN. He chairs the CNN Editorial Board, is a member of the CNN Executive Committee and provides strategic advice to CNN’s senior management team.”
Ok, he is the top dog at CNN. Got it.
What’s the big deal?
At the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland, the head of CNN “asserted that he knew of 12 journalists who had not only been killed by U.S. troops in Iraq, but they had in fact been targeted. He repeated the assertion a few times, which seemed to win favor in parts of the audience (the anti-US crowd) and cause great strain on others.”
Who was strained?
David Gergan, Democrat Senator Chris Dodd and uber liberal Mass. Congressman Barney Frank. Michelle Malkin was there when they were Crossing Jordan.
This isn’t the first time Eason Jordan has smeared the military. Hugh Hewitt, in perhaps the best titled blog post ever, points us to this,
“The Most Busted Name In News“
“Actions speak louder than words. The reality is that at least 10 journalists
have been killed by the US military, and according to reports I believe to be
true journalists have been arrested and tortured by US forces,” Mr Jordan told
an audience of news executives at the News Xchange conference in Portugal.” November 29, 2004, The Guardian, London
Why haven’t I heard about this?
It takes time for bloggers to make enough noise and break enough stories before the MSM feels compelled to put one of their own on full display for the whole country to see their bias and prejudice.
Larry Kudlow: Eason Jordan vs. the Blogosphere
The blogosphere is relentless: It rightfully hammered Eason Jordan and CNN
from day one and refuses to stop. Weâ??ve seen this before, of course. Easongate
comes only a few months after Rathergate, the blogosphere-led campaign that
ensured the dismissal of producer Mary Mapes from CBS and Dan Ratherâ??s hasty
departure. The blogosphere has gained near immediate influence and
credibility with its ability to widely disseminate alternative media coverage.
(These days, â??alternativeâ? more often than not means â??true.â?Â)
Also, don’t miss Mickey Kaus’ treatment of Wash Post/CNN media critic Howard Kurtz,
Kurtz Stays Silent in Eason Jordan Controversy! Day 7.
…Seriously, isn’t this something you’d expect WaPo’s media reporter to cover,
one way or another? … Update: Apparently the videotape of Jordan’s remarks is available. No doubt Kurtz will vigorously pursue the tape, which doesn’t look very hard to get. (Who would want to suppress the truth?) Then he can “cablecast” the video on his show, “Reliable Sources,” on CNN
How big was the blogsphere reaction?
NZ Bear, creator of the blogsphere ecosystem, has the most complete round-up. NZ Bear was a guest on Pundit Review Radio, check it out here.
What makes this so offensive?
Once again, Larry Kudlow,
Besides the obvious anti-military bias, Jordanâ??s comments were incredibly
arrogant and cynical. And, yes, I believe his remarks border on wartime treason,
since they so clearly give aid and comfort to our terrorist enemies as well as
anti-American Arab militants throughout the Middle East. Remember, this is the
same Eason Jordan of CNN who made a deal with Saddam Hussein and his regime to not report atrocities in Iraq in exchange for keeping a CNN news base in
Baghdad.
What’s this about CNN’s Baghdad bureau?
CNN boss Eason Jordon confessed that for some 12 years he covered up the fact that Saddam Hussein was a murderous “maniac” whose goons regularly tortured not only Iraqi citizens but even his own Baghdad bureau CNN employees.
Jordonâ??s excuse for keeping this kind of thing from the public CNN is supposed to inform â?? he might lose his Baghdad bureau, or his employees and informants could be killed. He doesnâ??t tell us why he just didnâ??t close down the Baghdad bureau and get his people out of there. And then tell the world the truth about the Iraqi regime.
CNN only covered up for that one dictator, right?
Wrong,
CNNâ??s Havana bureau now has a five-year track record that can be evaluated,
and the results are not good. Media Research Center analysts reviewed all 212
stories about the Cuban government or Cuban life that were presented on CNNâ??s
prime time news programs from March 17, 1997, the date the Havana bureau was
established, through March 17, 2002. MRCâ??s analysis found that instead of
exposing the totalitarian regime that runs Cuba, CNN has allowed itself to
become just another component of Fidel Castroâ??s propaganda machine.