February 3, 2005

The Latest Media Scandal

CNN chief Eason Jordan claimed publicly recently that American troops in Iraq have intentionally targeted and killed journalists. It isn't true, of course, and Jordan was immediately called on the carpet for that slander by bloggers, including one that was in the room when he made the charge. Pressed to produce evidence for his slanderous charge, Jordan has been unable to do so. Because it isn't true. Now, Jordan is backpedaling, saying what he's been quoted as saying is not what he meant. But it is what he said, and what he meant, and his game of semantics isn't going to erase the slander. Jordan, remember, is the guy who admitted that CNN deliberately sugar-coated its reports from Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein in order to keep Saddam happy so Saddam wouldn't shut down CNN's Baghdad bureau. CNN deliberately covered up stories of murder and torture in order to appease Saddam.

Most of the mainstream media is doing its best to ignore the latest idiocy from Eason Jordan, but the blogosphere is all over it and - mark my words - will force this story into the mainstream media in a big way. For more on the story, stick with the following blogs: Hugh Hewitt. Carol Platt Liebau. Powerline here and here. Captain's Quarters. Instapundit.

(Background on Jordan's admission in April 2003 that CNN had for years been Saddam's Complicity News Network here, here and here)