Posted on 02/08/2005 6:51:33 AM PST by crushkerry
Who is this award named for? Judge Elihu Smails, the character in the film Caddyshack who asks of the obnoxious but lovable Al Czervick (played by Rodney Dangerfield), “Good Lord, what has this buffoon done now?”
As a special tribute to Judge Smails, every week we will issue this award to the biggest buffoon of the week … the person who, through his or her actions or public statements, has made a buffoon of themselves and everyone associated with them. Please note that since we slam Kerry on a daily basis, and he could win every week,he and his family are ineligible for this prestigeous award. We also ask Ankle Biters to send in your nominations (no limits, so keep them coming). All we ask is that you tell us why you’re nominating the person, and include a link to any relevant stories.
Thanks to all the Ankle Biters who sent in nominations this week. I really wanted to name Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid as co-winners for their clock management, but this is not the place. No, this week's winner committed a far worse sin. He accused the American military of deliberately targeting and killing journalists in Iraq. Yes, this week we are "honored" to present this prestigious award to Eason "I'll call our troops murderers, but not those that killed my girlfriend's husband" Jordan, who just happens to be CNN's top news executive.
Haven't heard about this one? Then you must read the mainstream press, as Chris Matthews , and most shockingly, even CNN's Judy Woodruff have expressed ignorance at Jordan's outrageous statements. But as usual the blogs are all over this like Teddy Kennedy on a hi-ball. The best sources for the latest updates on this story, which gets worse for Jordan by the minute, is LaShawn Barber's "Eason Jordan Repository" and our buddy Jim Geraghty at TKS . These two sites are THE places to go on this story.
We'll give the very abbreviated version. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Jordan claimed that the American military had not only killed 12 foreign journalists, but they had targeted them as well. When directly challenged Jordan backtracked on the comments, yet at the end of the forum he was congratulated by many Arab journalists for finally "telling the truth". Jordan's comments were so heinous that Barney Frank and Chris Dodd were both legitimately offended and outraged by Jordan's comments. Jordan and CNN have since tried to weasel their way out of the comments, but to no avail. In fact, it keeps getting worse. Again, read LaShawn and Jim for much more detail and the aftermath. What's just as galling has been the complete media silence on this matter. You can bet if it were head of the Fox News Channel, there would sure be some press interest.
Why is it not surprising that CNN's top news executive would so brazenly and falsely claim atrocities by American troops? Well, most likely because he's CNN's top news executive. But it actually goes deeper than that. Turns out that Mr. Jordan has been, how shall we say, somewhat less than honest in his reporting in the past?
You see this is the same Eason Jordan, who, after the fall of Saddam Hussein, admitted that CNN knew of atrocities and murders being committed by Saddam Hussein but said nothing about them in order to remain in Baghdad for reporting and to get access to Saddam. Um, someone tell me how they are somehow not complicit in what was going on in Iraq while they had free reign to wander around the streets and stay in the Al-Rasheed hotel, or wherever that other fraud Peter Arnett stayed in 1991. Let's get down to brass tacks here - Eason Jordan and CNN were figuratively on Saddam's payroll. No money changed hands, but this supposed "news organization" was anything but. Funny how Jordan carried Saddam's water for 12 years, yet when surrounded by like minded propagandists he has no trouble spouting the anti-American rhetoric.
Geez, this guy should send a resume to the "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il. He's got all the right experience. Maybe then after Il is gone Jordan could really tell us what was going on. To him the people in North Korea wouldn't be starving to death, they'd just be on diets, no doubt encouraged by the Dear Leader's Fitness program. Hell this guy has no more credibility than "Baghdad Bob".
But you see, that's not the final irony to this story. You all recall the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl at the hands of terrorists in Pakistan. Now he was targeted - unless of course Jordan thinks that beheading someone is an accident - which we're not sure he doesn't. Well anyway, the Washington Post reported in March 2004 that Jordan, the married father of 2, was romantically involved with Marianne Pearl, Daniel Pearl's widow. We have found nothing where either party denied the report. However, isn't it rather curious that Jordan rails about Americans targeting journalists, with utterly no evidence to back it up, yet has remained stone silent about terrorists that actually do target and assassinate journalists, including Pearl.
So enjoy this award Eason, you vile piece of human debris. You rightfully deserve it for slandering our troops.
Past Winners:
Ted "I Killed a Woman Once" Kennedy
Eddie "UN Inspectors in Florida" Bernice Johnson
Kendrick "Johnny Soprano" Meek
Howard "The Terror Alerts Are Political" Dean
Bruce "I'm a Washed Up Bush Hater" Springsteen
Chrissy "I Squat To Pee" Matthews
Al "HE BETRAYED US!!!!!" Gore
Dan "What's The Forgery, Kenneth?" Rather
Joe "Allawi's a Puppet" Lockhart
Charlie "I Voted For the Draft-Before I Voted Against It" Rangel
Jimmy "The Revolutionary War Was Unnecessary" Carter
Walter "Rove Made the Bin Laden Tape" Cronkite and Bill "It's a Coup I Tell You" Moyers
Kofi "Don't Bother the Terrorists" Annan and Dustin "Let's Smell Their A$$es" Hoffman
John "I'm a Partisan Hack Pollster Whose Polling Was Good, Desptie All Evidence To The Contrary" Zogby
Jan "You Are All Stingy" Egelund
Barbara "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To" Boxer
Ward "We Need More 9/11's Churchill
Judge Elihu Smails Buffoon of The Week Award Ping.
Woodruff and Mathews are far more deserving of the title "Buffoon" for their feigned ignorance of this statement.
Pearl left behind an infant child. Detestable, interfering in a new mother's marriage.
Incredible.
Please add me to your ping list.
OK, Boxer, Pelosi and Harry Reid are working their way to this exclusive list also!
I see Boxer has had the award once...OK!
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