Another Dan Rather Moment?

[thedrifter]

CNN’s Eason Jordan: Another Dan Rather Moment?

February 8, 2005


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by Sher Zieve

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Not one mainstream media “news” organizations appears to have picked up the rash and inane statements made by CNN Executive VP and Chief News Executive Eason Jordan. Speaking at the World Economic Forum on 27 January, Jordan made the bizarre and incendiary claim that US troops in Iraq had not only killed 12 journalists but, had actually targeted them for murder! It was recounted by the new media bloggers, in attendance, that tough questioning from the audience caused Jordan to waver from his initial assertions. But, when he received encouragement and cheers from the Arab country attendees Jordan returned to his original assertions. It was also reported that Moderator David Gergen (currently the Director for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government) was “shocked and disturbed” by Jordan’s allegations, as was Congressman Barney Franks. Rightly so as when Jordan was pressed by the new media for both facts and details to back up his claims, Jordan could provide none. Another Dan Rather moment, Mr. Jordan?

It appears that no one in the mainstream media has any desire to learn from the problems caused by and for CBS in its ‘We know the documents about President Bush are forged but, we want the public to believe them anyway’ fiasco. Instead, the MSM is still proceeding as if the public is comprised of a large group of doltish idiots who will believe anything they say; no matter how ludicrous and incendiary. Jordan’s statements were, indeed, inflammatory and designed to further provoke leftists in their hatred of and against the United States military.

One of the major problems with Jordan’s declarations is that he is a leader and policy-maker for his network. Can there be any further doubt as to what CNN’s policy is and what it is designed to affect? No. With his avowals, Jordan has made it clear where CNN stands. Its reporters and Executive staff will do and say anything to not only continue their attempts toward bringing down President Bush but, will make every effort to discredit and vilify our military. With leftists, a democratic form of government is not to be trusted. Jordan’s comments reflect his and his colleagues’ definitive disdain for the voters of the United States and underlines their abilities to lie straight-faced when their agenda dictates it.

I have no doubt that the other MSM services will be watching and waiting, toward ascertaining whether or not CNN gets away with this abhorrent behavior. If so, we will probably see and hear more of these insane and unable-to-be-proven charges. However, as the leftist MSM has, thus far, refused to report even an inkling of Jordan’s statements we already have our answer. Now more firmly than ever against America, the MSM’s motto of “Whatever we can get away with we’ll implement” is already in full court press. Today, we need to be even more vigilant as we read their drivel. The Left is now more determined than ever to destroy any and all semblances of a free and accurately-reporting press.



Sher Zieve

[thedrifter]

CNN's 'Baghdad Jordan'- Take Two
February 8, 2005



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by Kevin McCullough
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This story got lost in the shuffle of the President's historic "State of the Union" address last week. But it shouldn't have. CNN News Exec Eason Jordan is now about to have to "face the music" for the second time in as many years.


In the "late edition" of the New York Times on April 11, 2003, Jordan was confessing on the editorial pages as to how he had been irresponsible, and dishonest in his attempts to cover the news all the years that CNN had been the only "news" bureau allowed into Baghdad under the post-Gulf War Saddam era.



Some of us expressed our repulsion at the time. For a news executive in the world of free press, and supposedly disciplined with an understanding that the search of, and reporting of, actual facts, Jordan's admission that CNN had taken the Saddam slant on nearly all important stories was sickening. Having known that he reported things that were not true - Jordan cleansed his conscience in 808 words on the pages of the bleeding heart, pro-Saddam rag that the New York Times had/has become.



To my surprise, I found out this week that not only was 'Baghdad Jordan' was still around. But in fact he was still taking the enemy's position on matters. This time he was feeling comfortable enough to slander the good name of the men and women serving in the United States military while speaking at the World Economic Summit in Davos.

Here's how one eye-witness recorded the account...

During one of the discussions about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq War, Eason Jordan asserted that he knew of 12 journalists who had not only been killed by US 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.

Other eye-witness accounts confirm the facts of the matter.

Without batting an eye, Jordan was willing to tarnish the character of the men and women serving to protect his right to do so. A few bloggers got hold of the story and began to raise response to it that finally CNN was required to answer the charges. I received this in my e-mail box on Thursday...

Many blogs have taken Mr. Jordan's remarks out of context. Eason Jordan does not believe the U.S. military is trying to kill journalists. Mr. Jordan simply pointed out the facts: While the majority of journalists killed in Iraq have been slain at the hands of insurgents, the Pentagon has also noted that the U.S. military on occasion has killed people who turned out to be journalists. The Pentagon has apologized for those actions. Mr. Jordan was responding to an assertion by Cong. Frank that all 63 journalist victims had been the result of "collateral damage."

It should be pointed out that, according to the eye-witness accounts, Congressman Frank did not even enter the conversation until he rose to defend the honor of the U.S. troops.

That being said, the side-step-spin-slop that CNN is dishing out is par for the course. The man admitted in 2003 to making up the news, and here he is caught dead to rights.

I wrote of the University of Oregon's ban on "Support the Troops" last week. This week a major news executive at an increasingly less influential news network accuses them of "targeting and killing" journalists. (With the implication being 'ones they disagreed with'.) And conversely those very troops were securing 5200 polling places in Iraq, and did such a fine job that not one of them was lost on Iraq's Election Day.

The left in America is unhinged, and as long as they think they can get away with it the "Baghdad Jordan's" of the world will continue to prime the pump for the hatred of America to be stoked.

Well I'm not taking it sitting down - and neither should you.

CONTACT CNN: E-mail via their website. Or by phone at 404.827.1500.

Kevin McCullough

Ellie