The News We (CNN) Kept To Ourselves [must read]

The New York Times ^ | 04/11/03 | EASON JORDAN

[InterceptPoint]

I accuse CNN of being complicit in the torture of these people by cooperating with Iraqi authorities just so they could get a camera into Iraq.

How do you spell mea culpa?

[pubmom]

I thought my opinion of CNN couldn't get any worse. I simply cannot find the words to express my anger.

[Diddle E. Squat]

A sudden shift in coverage tonight? I guess CNN's polling results came in today.

It is one thing to keep secrets to protect lives. It is quite another to manipulate what stories are presented and how they are presented in order to delay and undercut attempts at liberating Iraq.

Perhaps this reporter is genuine. That just means that someone else at CNN decided to step into the shoes of Walter Duranty, to look the other way for the good of "The Movement".

[CatOwner]

"There will be many long magazine articles and even books written by the embeds. I am very much looking forward to it."

I wonder if the news organizations that sent these reporters to be embedded with the troops own the "rights" to these stories? Maybe the embeds had to sign an agreement saying that they weren't to publish any story without the editor's consent. Sort of like when you create a new product that becomes patented, but the company that employed you gets to keep the patent.

[Freedom2specul8]

"We also had to worry that our reporting might endanger Iraqis not on our payroll. I knew that CNN could not report that Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday, told me in 1995 that he intended to assassinate two of his brothers-in-law who had defected and also the man giving them asylum, King Hussein of Jordan. "

Why didn't he tell our govt about this?

[NYCVirago]

Great, great post. You summed it all up perfectly!

[Howlin]

No kidding. We're OUR people debriefing him, too?

[BossLady]

Well, exactly....like any one of these journalists were gonna get the 'golden goose egg' of stories there with minders and the g'ment trailing them everywhere. Why bother! If they were there to see the city fall....well....that seems legit.

The CNN people though knew about this for years and just went happily along with the situation.....GRRRRRRRRRR.....

[Freedom2specul8]

I sure hope not. If they keep personal diaries, they should have the freedom to write what they're experiencing..On the other hand..maybe cnn does own their thoughts.

[jocon307]

"I felt awful having these stories bottled up inside me."

gunnut, you said it. I feel like the Arab guy who said "no one believes Al Jazeera now". These media people should have been beating the drum for this war a long time ago.

what's with them. really, is a proper reception at a cocktail party on the Upper West Side worth all this?

"A man's reach must exceed his grasp/ Or what's a heaven for?" Robert Browning.

Great Post, original poster, if I hadn't checked the link myself I wouldn't have believed it to be true. Expecting to hear this dicussed tomorrow, which is today.

I love the 24 hour b*llsh*t dubbunking cycle!

[Howlin]

I saw one reporter say flat out that he had to give THEIR side from Baghdad.

They should put that on the screen under their names!

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

My e-mail to CNN's feedback (which will undoubtedly be skimmed and deleted by some slack-jawed intern, but it made me feel better to write it):

So, now we learn that your journalistic presence in Iraq had nothing to do with reporting the truth. Indeed, the very fact that you had people in Iraq *prevented* you from reporting the truth. You prostituted your journalistic integrity to Saddam Hussein. Your presence in Iraq cost the lives of God knows how many innocent Iraqis. All so you could say, "We have people in Iraq."

Were your bragging rights worth it?

[cgk]

ping

[Diddle E. Squat]

And now we know where all those breakdancin' parachute pants went to...

[Howlin]

Howlin, I am not sure what to write in response to this..

That's exactly what I am feeling. It's like a whole lot of things need to fall into place before I can formulate what I think.

But I KNOW I am very, very upset about this.

[lorrainer]

I am waiting to see what happens when the embeds get back and they can tell the truth.

I am so looking forward to this--I hope they all make it back OK to do this. Maybe (I hope I hope) it will be a renaissance of sorts, and shows the public how honorable our military guys are--and bring them back to the same public regard they had in WWII.

[Howlin]

Keep writing, will you? You are putting my rage in words. I'm quite dumbfounded just now.

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

Expecting to hear this dicussed tomorrow, which is today.

Limbaugh and Hannity and other radio talkers will discuss it, but how many major news organizations didn't have people inside Iraq? Even Fox did. What if they're all compromised this way? Who will be the first to admit that they're amoral scum who are interested in neither truth nor honor, but only in revenue and celebrity?

[dirtbiker]

There will be many long magazine articles and even books written by the embeds. I am very much looking forward to it.

I heard that when one of the units with an embed came under heavy fire in N. Iraq, that the Marines started firing TOW missles in return, whooping and hollering like a bunch of fans at a NASCAR race! You gotta love these guys! May God bless each and every one of you!

[Howlin]

I feel the same way!