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Eason Jordan, some guy who works for CNN, has stirred up a blog swarm. He apparently said something really stupid (and false?), and mainstream media (MSM) doesn’t consider it newsworthy. From Forumblog:
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”. What intensified the problem was the fact that the session was a public forum being taped on camera, in front of an international crowd. The other looming shadow on what was going on was the presence of a U.S. Congressman and a U.S. Senator in the middle of some very serious accusations about the U.S. military. (Emphasis added)
This story is developing. I will update and link to other bloggers and news articles. Trackback to me, and I’ll trackback to you.
Captain’s Quarters (and here), Wizbang, Pajamahadin, The American Mind, Digital Brown-Pajamas (Sleepy Stormtroopers of the Religious Right), Kevin McCullough, Pejmanesque, Winds of Change, Myopic Zeal, The Glittering Eye (and here), The Baron, Ramblings’ Journal, Hugh Hewitt, Jeff Blogworthy, Okie on the Lam, Citizen Smash, Slublog, Shot in the Dark, Power Line, Red State Rant, Professor Bainbridge, Roborant, Kabasue, RedState, Flopping Aces, cerdipity…
This article may be of interest to you: Are Bloggers Journalists?
Update: A journalist and blogger who was present at the forum where Eason made the statement about American troops confirms Rony Abovitz’s (Forumblog) account.
(Hat tip: Captain Ed)
I’m having trackback “issues.” If I haven’t tracked your post yet, I’m working on it. 
Update II (5:35 p.m.): CNN responds to an e-mailer:
Many blogs have taken Mr. Jordan’s remarks out of context. Eason Jordan does not believe the U.S. military is trying to kill journalists. Mr. Jordan simply pointed out the facts: While the majority of journalists killed in Iraq have been slain at the hands of insurgents, the Pentagon has also noted that the U.S. military on occasion has killed people who turned out to be journalists. The Pentagon has apologized for those actions.
Nice try, CNN, but this contradicts what “ear-witness” Rony Abovitz said:
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. (Emphasis added)
Jordan said or implied that journalists were TARGETS, not collateral damage.
(National Review Online via Hugh Hewitt)
Update III (6:52 p.m.): CNN should release the transcript so everyone can read it for themselves.
Captain Ed received an e-mail from CNN. Could it be a subtle, “Please leave us alone!” plea?
Jim Geraghty of KerrySpot says he’s willing to give Big Media the benefit of the doubt for not reporting on this quickly. But Hugh Hewitt says:
First, this isn’t a story about media bias. It is a story where a senior American news executive accused the American military of assassinating journalists, and did so before an international crowd of influential opinion-makers….Second…I refuse to believe that not a single reporter/editor/producer in MSM knew about this before deadline last night, or that AP and Reuters are unaware of the story or its significance at this hour. In fact, we have been in contact with Rony Abovitz and he is being pursued by many major media outlets for interviews etc.
Read the rest. Hugh’s reaction and the ensuing “blog swarm” surrounding Jordan’s remarks are why his book BLOG is a prescient piece of work and one that every Big Media type should read.
Update IV (7:26 p.m.): Regarding the transcript, journalist and blogger Rebecca MacKinnon, who confirmed Abovitz’s account of Jordan’s remarks, added this update:
I have emailed people at the World Economic Forum requesting a verbatim transcript of what precisely was said during the panel in question. I have also emailed Eason Jordan asking him whether he’d like to confirm and/or clarify his comments, since I did not record the session myself and my notes are not verbatim. (Emphasis added)
Also, Glenn Reynolds received an e-mail from CNN:
Many blogs have taken Mr. Jordan’s remarks out of context. Eason Jordan does not believe the U.S. military is trying to kill journalists. Mr. Jordan simply pointed out the facts: While the majority of journalists killed in Iraq have been slain at the hands of insurgents, the Pentagon has also noted that the U.S. military on occasion has killed people who turned out to be journalists. The Pentagon has apologized for those actions.Mr. Jordan was responding to an assertion by Cong. Frank that all 63 journalist victims had been the result of “collateral damage.”
They must be sending out a form e-mail. I’ll wait patiently for mine. 
Good grief. Ed Morrissey is all over this. He’s found another Jordan faux pas. Little Green Footballs got a form e-mail, too. I guess mine is in the mail.
But wait. There’s more. Charles Johnson at LGF is reporting that Jordan has made similar statements before, and so has another CNN executive. And Ed suggests you to contact Time Warner, which owns CNN, if you want to see Jordan’s head roll.
Update V (9:12 p.m.): From Hugh Hewitt:
My producer Duane e-mailed blogger Rony Abovitz earlier today and got back this reply, which Abovitz had agreed I can post:“Dear Duane,
I just returned to the US a few hours ago and have jetlag.
I am getting numerous requests about this story, including calls from
CNN.Tonight would not work as I am very tired. I can let you know tommorrow
if appearing on your show would make sense. I am also getting requests from some major media outlets, and need to think about what is the best thing to do.Thank you,
Rony”
Why is CNN calling Rony? And since other major media are on the case, can we expect thorough reporting tomorrow?
Update VI (10:35 p.m.): Eason Jordan responds! (Via Captain’s Quarters) Dig his backtracking, parsing and obfuscating:
To be clear, I do not believe the U.S. military is trying to kill journalists in Iraq. I said so during the forum panel discussion. But, nonetheless, the U.S. military has killed several journalists in Iraq in cases of mistaken identity. The reason the word “targeted” came up at all is because I was responding to a comment by Congressman Franks, who said he believed the 63 journalists killed in Iraq were the victims of “collateral damage.” Since three of my CNN colleagues and many other journalists have been killed on purpose in Iraq, I disputed the “collateral damage” statement, saying, unfortunately, many journalists — not all — killed in Iraq were indeed targeted. When someone aims a gun at someone and pulls the trigger and then learns later the person fired at was actually a journalist, an apology is appropriate and is accepted, and I believe those apologies to be genuine. But such a killing is a tragic case of mistaken identity, not a case of “collateral damage.” That is the distinction I was trying to make even if I did not make it clearly at the time. Further, I have worked closely with the U.S. military for months in an effort to achieve a mutual goal: keeping journalists in Iraq safe and alive.
Says Hugh Hewitt: “Why I am not inclined to believe that Jordan is telling us the truth? Perhaps because he accused American troops of torturing journalists just months ago? The transcript, Mr. Jordan, just the transcript. Not your interpretation of what you want people to think you said. Just the transcript.”
Captain’s Quarters has a rebuttal up already! More thoughts from ThoughtsOnline. Jordan’s probably sorry he ever heard of bloggers.
Update VII (2/4): This post will not be updated. Please see Part I and Part II of The Eason Jordan Repository.
I think he was incredibly dumb to say something like this. If he says that 12 journalists were deliberately killed by the US military, then he should name these journalists, and give all details of how it happened to the nth details. Otherwise, he should just shut the *** up.
Comment by Lola — 02.02.05 @ 11:39 am
See my Response to Are Bloggers Journalists.
It is, in part, an open invitation to all bloggers for dialogue on the issue.
Comment by PajamaHadin — 02.02.05 @ 11:48 am
Are Bloggers Journalists?
This is an Open Letter/Invitation to The Big Trunk at Powerline Blog and other bloggers for open dialogue on this topic.
An important court case is underway in California which may decide whether some bloggers have the same privilages and re…
Trackback by Pajama Hadin — 02.02.05 @ 11:49 am
It wouldn’t be new, during the Kosovo war we targetted journalists. There was a bit of complaint from journalist groups.
Comment by actus — 02.02.05 @ 11:51 am
Good post, thanks. I just used the link on Hugh Hewitt’s site to register a comment to CNN, asking for their response to Hugh’s remarks on his blog.
Lynne
Comment by Lynne Gale — 02.02.05 @ 11:51 am
Any cites or details on that Actus?
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 02.02.05 @ 12:05 pm
Another MSM Making Stuff Up
This story is more serious than the AP getting fooled by a toy. Eason Jordan who runs CNN told an…
Trackback by The American Mind — 02.02.05 @ 12:27 pm
MSM Insider Stabs US Military In the Back
I don’t have much time to devote to this as work calls, but as a military member myself, I couldn’t let go unmentioned this absolutely self-serving, weak, and HATEFUL accusation by CNN news big, Eason Jordan, that the US military
Trackback by Digital Brown-Pajamas — 02.02.05 @ 12:32 pm
Hugh Hewitt has a link to the original story.
Comment by Stephen — 02.02.05 @ 12:32 pm
‘Any cites or details on that Actus?’
We bombed a TV station full of journalists. Google it up. It wasn’t a secret or a conspiracy. It was done in the open.
Comment by actus — 02.02.05 @ 12:43 pm
Thanks for your perspective on this issue. Here’s my take:
http://daddypundit.blogspot.com/2005/02/silence-is-deafening.html
Comment by Daddypundit — 02.02.05 @ 1:19 pm
We’ve posted on this subject this morning here
http://www.theglitteringeye.com/archives/000691.html
and here
http://www.theglitteringeye.com/archives/000692.html
Comment by Dave Schuler — 02.02.05 @ 1:21 pm
We also bombed the Chicom embassy in Kosovo. We also bomb wrong houses.
Comment by Sandy P — 02.02.05 @ 1:24 pm
‘We also bombed the Chicom embassy in Kosovo. We also bomb wrong houses. ‘
I think those we claim are mistakes. The Belgrade TV we targetted on purpose and claimed it was a valid target.
Comment by actus — 02.02.05 @ 1:44 pm
Eason Jordan Hates America More Than Al Jazeera
Eason Jordan is an ass. At the World Economic Forum, he made the claim that twelve journalists have been targeted and killed by US forces in Iraq. Not killed in the crossfire or by accident, but deliberately targeted and killed.
After dropping
Trackback by Roborant — 02.02.05 @ 2:01 pm
Isn’t Eason Jordon the same guy who kept CNN in Bagdad by kowtowing to Saddam Hussein? Seems to me he didn’t report the whole truth of what was going on in Iraq before the war.
Comment by ratso ferrari — 02.02.05 @ 2:05 pm
Ah yes, the moral war to stop a dictator, without UN approval.
“Clinton defended the decision to bomb the headquarters of Serbian TV, saying NATO military planners had determined that it was “an essential instrument of command and control” for military forces. “It is not, in a conventional sense, a media outlet,” Clinton said.”
Wasn’t former presidential hopeful, Gen. Wesley Clark running that show?
While I am not a big defender of Clinton and Co, wasn’t it the transmitter, not the journalists, who were the target?
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9904/25/kosovo.01/
for anyone who wants an article, not a conspiracy site (or Robert Fisk lol )
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 02.02.05 @ 2:13 pm
Eason Jordan in Davos
It looks like the topic I threw up a quick post about yesterday is hitting the fan all over the place. Here’s a roundup:
Captain Ed weighs in here, and had more info yesterday.
If Jordan has evidence of this military practice, why hasn’t CNN r…
Trackback by Myopic Zeal — 02.02.05 @ 2:16 pm
ratso, yep. He’s the one.
Myopic-Z has a good roundup on this, to get your feet wet.
Claims of bias aside, is it a shock that people don’t trust the press like they used to? Not when you hear about people like Mr. jordan. Or that some students think the press has too much freedom? I think that’s a dangerous idea (limiting the press), but it always has been one of the more radical concepts to come out of the American experiment. But we’ve had an independent press so long, I don’t think these kids have a notion of what a state run press would be like, and the dangers it would pose.
Still, it would be nice if some in the media would show a bit more restraint… but that’s the price we pay.
/soapbox
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 02.02.05 @ 2:28 pm
Eason Jordan Has Disturbing Pattern of Allegations
Captain’s Quarters is uncovering Eason Jordan’s paranoid delusion of troops targeting journalists. Updates can be found here, here, here, here, and here.
This is more than just a pattern. This is a calculated effort to destroy the credibility of…
Trackback by The Baron — 02.02.05 @ 3:00 pm
SCSIwuzzy:
since we are both from Jersey perhaps a call to Tony Soprano will settle this unfortunate matter.Bada Boom BadaBing.
Comment by ratso ferrari — 02.02.05 @ 3:04 pm
CNN honcho enjoys the taste of shoe leather
Eason Jordan, “head honcho what be’s in charge” down inside the monolith known as CNN Center, suffered from major foot-in-mouth disease late last week, when he charged that US military forces in Iraq were purposefully targeting US journalists.Jordan…
Trackback by Ramblings' Journal — 02.02.05 @ 3:23 pm
‘While I am not a big defender of Clinton and Co, wasn’t it the transmitter, not the journalists, who were the target?’
My understanding was it was a TV station. Which we can imagine is full of journalists.
Comment by actus — 02.02.05 @ 3:47 pm
Interesting that the widow of Daniel Pearl is now romantically linked to E Jordan. Hmmm
Comment by Andy — 02.02.05 @ 3:56 pm
I found that interesting, myself.
Comment by LB — 02.02.05 @ 4:00 pm
Journalist claims U.S. Soldiers target journalists
He says they’ve gotten 12 already.
Trackback by Jeff Blogworthy.com — 02.02.05 @ 4:02 pm
Corroboration For Eason’s Fables In Davos
Rebecca MacKinnon, a TV reporter as well as a blogger, somewhat reluctantly confirms the account given in Forumblog about Eason Jordan’s remarks in Davos last week (hat tip TKS). MacKinnon writes in her blog, RConversations: I was in the room…
Trackback by Captain's Quarters — 02.02.05 @ 4:11 pm
The Shame of Eason Jordan & CNN
Eason Jordan is the executive vice president and chief news executive of CNN, he chairs the CNN Editorial Board, is a member of the CNN Executive Committee and provides strategic advice to CNN’s senior management team. He also slanders the U.S. milita…
Trackback by OKIE on the LAM - In LA — 02.02.05 @ 4:19 pm
I’m officially joining the blogswarm.
I’ve linked to your post (update VII)
http://slublog.blogspot.com/2005/02/jordans-libel-this-is-troubling-story.html
Great blog, by the way.
Comment by Peter — 02.02.05 @ 4:54 pm
Memo to Eason Jordan
We don’t target journalists A BLOGSWARM is forming around some remarks made by CNN executive Eason Jordan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. During one of the discussions about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq War,…
Trackback by The Indepundit — 02.02.05 @ 5:00 pm
Jordan’s Libel
This is the same Eason Jordan who admitted in the pages of the New York Times that CNN didn’t report stories about Saddam’s atrocities. It was a stunning admission - CNN had abdicated its responsibility as a teller of truth to guarantee access to a m…
Trackback by Slublog — 02.02.05 @ 5:25 pm
Sorry ’bout the name thing.
Fixed it.
Comment by SMASH — 02.02.05 @ 5:35 pm
Next To Fall?
The blogs are swarming after Eason Jordon. The CNN executive, who gained transient infamy for revealing that he’d directed CNN to sit on stories of Hussein’s brutaility to avoid getting the CNN Baghdad Bureau shut down, has been caught by…
Trackback by Shot In The Dark — 02.02.05 @ 5:46 pm
Great idea a blogswarm is just whats needed with this treacherous CNN executive. How can anyone be so desperate for attention that they would direct such vile attacks against those who insure the rights he tramples on?
Lets drive this bashtad from the field. First we knocked over Rather now we need to knock down Eason Jordan!
I was not able to trackback to your post. Something about not having permission.
Pierre Legrand
Comment by Pierre Legrand — 02.02.05 @ 6:04 pm
CNN not misguided just on the otherside of the war on terror
First Eason Jordon claimed that his network CNN kept stories of torture and the general mayhem of Saddam’s Iraq off the network for fear of losing their prized station in Baghdad
Trackback by The Pink Flamingo Bar and Grill — 02.02.05 @ 6:13 pm
I have thoughts on this and on Jordan’s earlier admission at:
MEDIA COMPLICITY WITH THUGS
JOURNALISM’S NUREMBERG?
http://photoncourier.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_photoncourier_archive.html#110727592106895512
Comment by David Foster — 02.02.05 @ 6:37 pm
David- Why not just trackback to the post?
Comment by La Shawn — 02.02.05 @ 6:43 pm
So if Jordan’s comments were taken “out of context,” has CNN provided a complete transcript/tape what he said so we can judge for ourselves? Or are we supposed to take Jordon and CNN’s “word” for it? Do they realize how low their credibility is?
Comment by Evon Bachaus — 02.02.05 @ 6:44 pm
That’s what National Review Online and others are asking for. Release it!
Comment by La Shawn — 02.02.05 @ 6:46 pm
Sorry La Shawn…I’m using Blogger and it apparently doesn’t support trackbacks.
Comment by David Foster — 02.02.05 @ 6:55 pm
‘So if Jordan’s comments were taken “out of context,” has CNN provided a complete transcript/tape what he said so we can judge for ourselves? Or are we supposed to take Jordon and CNN’s “word” for it? Do they realize how low their credibility is? ‘
It wasn’t broadcast on CNN and is not CNN’s word.
Comment by actus — 02.02.05 @ 7:06 pm
tracking the CNN Eason Jordan Statements
La shawn Barber’s corner
Obviously a CNN Reporter has been telling some interesting stories about journalists being targeted by US and Israeli Military. As if CNN’s credibility can sink any lower.
Captain Ed at CQ is absolutely relentless in …
Trackback by Anonymous — 02.02.05 @ 7:18 pm
Actus,
Maybe CNN doesn’t have an actual tape, but either they’re just taking Jordan’s word for it (about what was said) or they have some evidence (which could be a tape, transcript, or other eyewitness accounts).
And frankly, I don’t believe CNN’s statement. I want to see the evidence that they have, if there is any.
Do you find that so unreasonable?
Comment by Bostonian — 02.02.05 @ 7:18 pm
The Eason Jordan Flap
Hugh Hewitt is leading the charge against CNN’s Eason Jordan on both his blog and radio show. According to Hugh, Jordan told a Davos meeting that the US military is targeting journalists for assassination and reminds us:It was Jordan who
Trackback by ProfessorBainbridge.com — 02.02.05 @ 7:37 pm
Isn’t Jordan the same guy who unveiled media bias for all to see with his comment that a positive media would give Kedwwards a 15 point bounce in the election? Something about a glow about them.
Comment by Ray Phelps — 02.02.05 @ 7:58 pm
So far CNN has yet to produce a transcript, but bloggers have. Go to the round up of the Blogswarm, but don’t take any toys with you, they may be taken hostage….
Comment by Blogswarm! Blogswarm! — 02.02.05 @ 8:30 pm
Eason’s Fables
CNN Executive Eason Jordan claims that the US Army targets, kills, and tortures journalists. See Captains Quarters, and Roger L. Simon. La Shawn Barber is tracking the BlogStorm. Looks like a Force 3 so far……
Trackback by cerdipity — 02.02.05 @ 10:45 pm
CNN And Their Lies
Continuing on my blog yesterday The Captain has done some added research on Eason Jordan’s fables recently.
Trackback by Flopping Aces — 02.02.05 @ 10:47 pm
Thanks for providing one-stop shopping as to what the blogs are saying on this issue, La Shawn. I’ve posted a link at MoltenThought to this.
Eason Jordan’s a symptom, not the root cause. Ted Turner steered CNN toward anti-Americanism during the first Gulf War, supposedly to avoid it being viewed as an American network. Peter Arnette typifies the “Blame America First” corporate culture of CNN–remember the “Tailwind” fiasco where he, Jeff Greenfield, and April Oliver accused American troops of nerve-gassing their own men during the Vietnam War?
Christiane Amanpour is married to a Clintonista State Department bigwig. Rick Kaplan spent so many nights in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Clinton years that CNN was dubbed “The Clinton News Network”.
The fact is, CNN has become the private propaganda channel of the foreign policy elite who used to spend their time undermining the President. It will only gets worse once Condi purges the apparatchiks over at Foggy Bottom.
Still, Jordan’s scalp would look awfully nice on Hugh Hewitt’s belt.
Comment by Teflon — 02.02.05 @ 10:50 pm
The whole key to Jordan’s comments is the word “targeted.” No doubt journalists have been killed but target killings means assassinations. That is as serious a charge as can be made. I understand the Forum discussion was videotaped. Let’s see the tape. Then we can judge if his comments were taken out of context or not.
In the meantime, I hear there are allegations that CNN reporters have eaten puppies.
Comment by Rant Wraith — 02.02.05 @ 10:50 pm
Eason’s Fables
Maybe it’s just me but the Main Stream Media (MSM) seems to be screwing up more and more lately. The…
Trackback by EckerNet.Com — 02.03.05 @ 12:55 am
Is this the Same Eason Jordan?
After reading Captains Quarters things started coming back to me. I asked a dear friend (my father) about some of the things I thought I remembered from 2003. He confirmed what I thought. This is the guy that talked about the CNN coverup of Saddam hussein
Trackback by Anonymous — 02.03.05 @ 1:05 am
‘The whole key to Jordan’s comments is the word “targeted.” No doubt journalists have been killed but target killings means assassinations.’
I think he means they weren’t accidents or side fire, but where shot at. Which does leave it ambiguous as to whether they were mis-identified, or poorly identified, or accurately identified.
Comment by actus — 02.03.05 @ 1:17 am
CNN, Eason Jordan Stir Up A Blogswarm
You know, I gave Mr. Jordan the benefit of the doubt. That was, however, before I knew about his history of making such accusations and never backing them up.
Trackback by Hoodathunk — 02.03.05 @ 7:11 am
We keep worrying about the poor journalists being shoot by the troops…how about the troops being betrayed or targeted by the journalists? The journalists certainly are not without questions of their integrity. They “the journalists” repeatedly demonstrate lack of morality, ethics, responsibility and ownership of their own actions. This is what the public is so fed up with
Comment by GODSAVES — 02.03.05 @ 10:07 am
Eason Jordan Update
UPDATE II: La Shawn Barber provides an extensive round up of developments in the story here and here.
Trackback by Stones Cry Out — 02.03.05 @ 6:04 pm
It sound to me like CNN(Communist News Network)is becoming just another TV taboid just like Weekly World News did the bat boy order the firing to commence?
Comment by firebird — 02.03.05 @ 9:17 pm
Eason Jordan at CNN
For the uninitiated to the Eason Jordan scandal, CNN’s chief news executive made offhand accusations at the World Economic Forum in Davos that US soldiers were deliberately targeting and killing journalists in Iraq. And today we learn that it’s appar…
Trackback by INDC Journal — 02.04.05 @ 10:19 am
Eason Jordan Controversy Summary
Looks like this story may be finally starting to snowball, after several days of turbulence in the blog world.
If you’re new to the controversy of Eason Jordan allegedly accusing our troops of targeting journalists, see the original post here, whic…
Trackback by Myopic Zeal — 02.05.05 @ 3:54 pm
CNN’S EASON JORDAN - SERIAL SLANDERER OF THE MILITARY
“Eason Jordan is a serial slanderer of the American military, and he upped the charge from torture to murder this week.”
David Horowitz has an excellent compilation of editorials from all over the blogosphere regarding Eason Jordan’s slanders of …
Trackback by Jeff Blogworthy.com — 02.07.05 @ 3:47 pm