CNN SENIOR MANAGEMENT LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO CHENEY "X" - Control Room Staffer Laughed

The Drudge Report ^ | 11-22-05 | Matt Drudge

[rabair]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUE NOV 22, 2005 08:25:48 ET XXXXX

**Exclusive**

CNN SENIOR MANAGEMENT LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF CHENEY 'X'; CONTROL ROOM STAFFER 'LAUGHED' WHEN X FLASHED

CNN management has launched an internal investigation into how a giant black 'X' mark appeared over Vice President Dick Cheney's face -- as he delivered a speech from Washington on Monday!

"We are taking this matter very, very seriously, and I can assure you no one at this network would ever deliberately place an 'X' over the vice president's face," a top CNN source, who asked not to be named at this time, said from New York.

A well-placed CNN insider claims a control room staffer "laughed" when the image appeared shortly after 11 am.

A careful review of the tape now shows a white colored 'X' was also transposed over Cheney's face during the speech, it appeared for less than 1/15 of a second, creating a startling flash effect.

CNN spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg emails: "We concluded this was a technological malfunction not an issue of operator error. A portion of the switcher experienced a momentary glitch. We obviously regret that it happened and are working on the equipment to ensure it is not repeated."

A rival network news director asks: "When has an 'X' ever aired on CNN before? Who had the graphic sitting in the key signal? Who generated the 'X'?"

The vice president himself is said to have brushed off the incident, a White House source said early Tuesday morning.

Developing...

[rabair]

As I suspected all along... The blogosphere has all bought the "technical malfunction" (no word if Janet Jackson or Justin Timberlake were involved), not "operator error line. While everyone may be buying it, I ain't. Do I think CNN meant to actually send it to air... Not sure, but I don't think they'd be that stupid. What I think happened was in the midst of bordem and rage, the CNN control room libs were screwing around and put that X up on a monitor and all were going to have a good laugh, but someone screwed up and briefly put it on the live broadcast... Or maybe just some lib that was so angry he came unhinged and deliberately did it. Wouldn't be actually that surprising that some whacked out CNN lib just lost it for a minute and couldn't resist.

That said, why are people believing the excuse from CNN? Has anyone ever seen a random gigantic X appear on their screen before? I know I haven't, and I've watched my share of television. I might have given them a slight chance had they said "somebody leaned on the wrong button, but we quickly fixed it." But even then, why would there be a need for a giant X? As the folks on Fox & Friends pointed out this morning, this ain't Hollywood Squares, and Cheney ain't Whoopi Goldberg. Even their control room people said that this "malfunction" excuse made no sense. They spent most of the show putting the X on Brian and changing it's size and following his head with it. Pretty funny.

Anyway, make up your own minds... I don't work with this equipment, and I know a lot of "experts" have agreed that it was probably a malfunction... But common sense to me tells me that excuse is bogus.

[Peach]

I thought it was a black X, not a white X?

[nuconvert]

"I can assure you no one at this network would ever deliberately place an 'X' over the vice president's face,""

ummm......someone did

[battlegearboat]

Family Feud

[roses of sharon]

CXN is a political organization made up of political operatives.

Simple.

Destroy them now.

[rabair]

follow drudge link.. he has pictures... it was black, but that white one made the effect he mentions in this update.

[Coop]

They spent most of the show putting the X on Brian and changing it's size and following his head with it. Pretty funny.

That is funny! And I'm not buying CNN's excuse either. I'm glad to hear that they are supposedly taking this matter seriously and investigating. If that's true, then I imagine someone will be looking for work very shortly.

[Lazamataz]

We have a new savior:

Cheney X

Like Malcolm X, only for older white guys with heart disease

[Rummyfan]

Well, at least CNN is being open about where they stand finally.

[mosquitobite]

LOL, without FOX, with the VP brushing it aside, so would everyone else. I'm glad FOX is holding their feet to the fire. Even Colmes!

[rabair]

by the way, here's the black and white "X"s via Drudge:

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[AngryJawa]

LOL!!!

[Peach]

Okay -- I looked at the pictures. Why did the first picture show a black X and the second picture shows a white X?

Has CNN manipulated the evidence?

[reagan_fanatic]

"We are taking this matter very, very seriously, and I can assure you no one at this network would ever deliberately place an 'X' over the vice president's face," a top CNN source

Bullsh*t.

[KeyLargo]

I xd out CNN from my tv remote a long time ago.

[johnny7]

It ain't no mistake.

Somebody flashed the graphic directly over Cheney's face... with additional text below it. Take a GOOD look.

[SE Mom]

My, how the mighty have fallen, ping!

[conservativecorner]

But...but...but it was just a mistake. The message at the bottom of the screen was generated by HAL9000, and there is no one to be held accountable. END SARCASM!!

[Patriot from Philly]

OK...here's my theory and I read many Nancy Drew books in my youth so this comes with some background.

Put yourself in the perp's shoes. All the left has thought about for months was Fitzmas. The evil elf of Fitzmas was to be Cheney.

Now Fitzmas is starting to fizzle. The left refers to the Woodward/Novak leaker as Mr. X (clever, huh). So what better way for CNN to plant the suspicions that Cheney is the evil neo-con leaker than with a big X.

I know if I this subtle message I would think...hmm. Cheney...X.. Mr X!!! evil neocon leaker!!