This is an archive of the old Stones Cry Out site. For the current site, click here.
« Prager’s Case for Judeo-Christian Values | Main | I Love a Good Firestorm »
February 08, 2005
Easongate Debuts in the MSM: But What's Missing?
Two MSM stories this morning on Easongate, neither of which include Jordan's actual statements, but instead what others have attributed to him (here and here - HT: Hugh Hewitt and Daily Thoughts via Easongate).
Why do both accounts fail to mention that: 1) there is a tape; 2) it's being witheld; and 3) the tape could clear up a lot of the he said/she said that is currently making the rounds in the blogosphere?
The headline of the Howard Kurtz piece in the Washington Post this morning reads, "Eason Jordan, Quote, Unquote CNN News Chief Clarifies His Comments on Iraq." Kurtz opens with,
What CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan said, or didn't say, in Davos, Switzerland, last month has become a burgeoning controversy among bloggers and media critics.
To "clarify" his, as of yet unheard and unread comments at Davos, Jordan said to Kurtz,
I have never once in my life thought anyone from the U.S. military tried to kill a journalist. Never meant to suggest that. Obviously I wasn't as clear as I should have been on that panel.
This of course is in direct contradiction to many accounts of the talk, including Barney Frank's, which was provided in the WaPo story.
Kurtz closes with a quote from David Gergen,
Gergen said Jordan had just returned from Baghdad and was still "deeply distraught" over the journalists who have died in Iraq. "This was a guy caught up in the tension of the moment," Gergen said. "He deserves the benefit of the doubt."
The MSM is giving Jordan the benefit of the doubt. Gergen provides a big picture context of Jordan's comments, but we still do not have the entire context.
Now comes word that the Davos people will not release the tape (HT: Hugh). Blogger Sisyphus has been in contact with a Davos organizer and thought he was going to receive a tape, but now they say that some of the sessions are off the record:
We would of course revisit the topic if all participants agreed for it to be released - but even then we would have to consider carefully since the rules are set for all the 'off the record' sessions - we would have to change the policy for the whole meeting - which would have much wider implications.
I'm not holding my breath.
The MSM doesn't represent America. Give America the immediate context (i.e., the tape) and let her decide whether Eason Jordan deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Posted by Rick at February 8, 2005 09:38 AM
Trackback Pings
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Easongate Debuts in the MSM: But What's Missing?:
» Easongate becomes CNN-gate from Pajama Hadin
Captain Ed gives, in his post Eason's Fables Not An Isolated Incident For CNN, tells us just that.
Slublog's Peter Cook, who has done some remarkable sleuthing on the Eason's Fables scandal, finds out that Eason Jordan isn't the only CNN executive... [Read More]
Tracked on February 9, 2005 02:06 AM
» Easongate becomes CNN-gate from Pajama Hadin
Captain Ed gives, in his post Eason's Fables Not An Isolated Incident For CNN, tells us just that.
Slublog's Peter Cook, who has done some remarkable sleuthing on the Eason's Fables scandal, finds out that Eason Jordan isn't the only CNN executive... [Read More]
Tracked on February 9, 2005 09:08 AM
Comments
Rick, I couldn't agree more. The videotape should tell the whole story. I have believed from the beginning that Jordan meant to say that the military was targeting journalists. It's certainly consistent with past statements. The MSM has been trying desperately to provide cover for Jordan. I doubt we'll ever see the tape.
It also says a lot about CNN that Jordan hasn't been fired for these remarks or any other outrageous statements he has made in the past.
Posted by: Daddypundit at February 8, 2005 11:27 AM