Posted on 02/01/2005 2:16:20 PM PST by Dales
At a discussion moderated by David R. Gergen, the Director for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, the concept of truth, fairness, and balance in the news was weighed against corporate profit interest, the need for ratings, and how the media can affect democracy. The panel included Richard Sambrook, the worldwide director of BBC radio, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, Abdullah Abdullah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, and Eason Jordan, Chief News Executive of CNN. The audience was a mix of journalists, WEF attendees (many from Arab countries), and a US Senator from Connecticut, Chris Dodd.
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.
Due to the nature of the forum, I was able to directly challenge Eason, asking if he had any objective and clear evidence to backup these claims, because if what he said was true, it would make Abu Ghraib look like a walk in the park. David Gergen was also clearly disturbed and shocked by the allegation that the U.S. would target journalists, foreign or U.S. He had always seen the U.S. military as the providers of safety and rescue for all reporters.
Eason seemed to backpedal quickly, but his initial statements were backed by other members of the audience (one in particular who represented a worldwide journalist group). The ensuing debate was (for lack of better words) a real "sh--storm". ...
(Excerpt) Read more at forumblog.org ...
Strange isn’t it? The story is either true – which I doubt – or it is not. Either way, considering Eason Jordan’s position, it is a major story.
Oh I don't know, this pretty much seals his qualifications to lead the Democrat party in 2008.
excellent! Hit it dead on...
'the concept of truth, fairness, and balance in the news was weighed against corporate profit interest, the need for ratings, and how the media can affect democracy.'
Now it seems to me this is the meat of what the discussion was supposed to be about..but that got deflected by Jordan...I wonder why....do any of you wonder too?
I am all for plastering this all over the news....let hit all the talk shows..the Bill O'Reilly Show, Hannity and Colmes, Rush Limbaugh...and the like..'cause you know it won't show up in the MSM....
you do know the little weasel is romatically involved with Pearl's widow....
What Jordan mentioned is neither new news or necessarily inaccurate. Several instances of "journalists", embedded with terrorists, coming under US attack in Iraq have been documented. Some were killed. The terrorists they were covering were targeted by the US.
In some instances these "journalists" were employed by international news organizations such as CNN. They were not however US citizens and were not "on air" personalities. Often their work product was released by their employers and the footage was used to inflame the Arab world against the US.
I believe the US military has the right and responsibility to attack our enemies. Those enemies include members of the media who use their work product to harm US interests. Enemy "journalists" are legitimate targets in a war zone. They are not neutral, noncombatants.
Hugh Hewitt talked about it; it may get more play tomorrow. But it is several days old.
Not good enough.
It's about f***ing time that these worthless little fifth column weasels like Eason Jordan be made to really pay for flinging out outrageous and inflammatory remarks they know fully well have no basis in fact, just so they can score points with their fellow "elites" or make headlines. They pull this sh!t because they know that the only thing that's going to happen to them is that the NYT will write long columns gushing about their "vision" and "courage."
This guy just makes up a fairy tale about our troops murdering journalists so he can pander to his America-hating audience - just look at the names of some of the "luminaries" that attended. I do, however, commend Barney Frank for getting in this guy's face. Kennedy or Kerry or Reid would have been applauding right along with the rest of the Blame America leftists and Islamists in the audience.
He can backpedal all he wants, but he knows that his lie will be picked up and amplified and spread throughout the Arab world by al Jazeera and the rest of the enemy propagandists. No question that he knows the damage is done, and I'd imagine he's quite pleased with himself.
Lots of Freepers (and of course the media themselves) have been pissing and moaning about that recent survey of teenagers where a majority of them believed that the press has too much freedom and that the government should be able to restrict speech. While I agree completely that that's an extremely dangerous attitude to take, it's precisely because of episodes like Jordan's ravings at this forum (and the almost certainty that he won't be held accountable for any damage his ravings will cause) that people think the press is severely abusing its First Amendment rights and needs to be reined in.
I didn't post that update to even begin to mitigate Jordan. I posted it because it was a pleasant surprise to hear that Barney Frank was standing up for our troops.
Oh, I understand. I've been steaming over this one all day, and your post gave me just the opening I needed to vent.
Are journalists aiding and abetting the enemy and if they are why aren't they being tried for Treason?
Welcome Home Brother
Yo Bro
Sort of wish I could go back. You and/or I could easilly run basic training units to free up the experienced E5-7 / O1-3 types for the current unpleasentness....
Can still field strip a M2 HMG in seconds!
I actually, kind of, mentor Coast Guard crew at least one day a week now a days
Check my profile page
No, but it wouldn't break my heart to see CBS, CNN, and al-Jazeera meet with an accident.
to kind.... may this leftist POS and all his ilk burn in Hell. They are one with SATAN.
what a weak looking girlie man. What a sissy. This guy is as evil as any terrorists. He is consumed with hatred for the U.S. and Bush. May he burn in Hell.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.