If you don’t know who Eason Jordan is or what’s going on, read the Easongate archives to catch up. Consider LBC your one-stop shop. 
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Before the story was confirmed, this post title was “Eason Jordan Resigns: Truth or Rumor?”
(6:59 p.m. EST): National Review Online reporting. Developing…
Update (7:11 p.m.): Associated Press also reporting:
CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amidst a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq.Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarnished” by the controversy.
During a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum last month, Jordan said he believed that several journalists who were killed by coalition forces in Iraq had been targeted.
He quickly backed off the remarks, explaining that he meant to distinguish between journalists killed because they were in the wrong place where a bomb fell, for example, and those killed because they were shot at by American forces who mistook them for the enemy.
“I never meant to imply U.S. forces acted with ill intent when U.S. forces accidentally killed journalists, and I apologize to anyone who thought I said or believed otherwise,” Jordan said in a memo to fellow staff members at CNN.
But the damage had been done, compounded by the fact that no transcript of his actual remarks has turned up. There was an online petition calling on CNN to find a transcript, and fire Jordan if he said the military had intentionally killed journalists.
The “online petition” they’re referring to is on Easongate.com!!!
A fellow Easongate blogger reports that Larry Elder just announced it on his radio show. I’m going to be a guest on Kevin McCullough’s show next week. I wonder what we’ll talk about…
Thanks again, Lucianne! That’s what happens when you’re quick on the draw. Just think…I was about to turn off my computer!
Readers speculate that there’s more to this story, too. CNN decided to cut its losses for a reason. Another reader notes that Jordan announced his resignation after the news cycle, but there’s no such thing in the blogosphere. Bloggers were the momentum behind this story, and don’t ever let anybody convince you they (we) weren’t.
Old Media, Mainstream Media, Big Media, Legacy Media, Fourth Estate, Dinosaurs — whatever they call themselves — they’d be the wiser to read BLOG: Understanding the Information Reformation.
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Other bloggers blogging: “Simul-posting” at Easongate.com, Michelle Malkin, Power Line, Ed Driscoll, Blogs for Bush, blogicus, PressThink, Balance Sheet, Michael King, Outside the Beltway, Absentee, Mickey Kaus, Jeff Jarvis, Thirty Second Thoughts, Ankle Biting Pundits, Daily Inklings, Wizbang (and here), Captain’s Quarters, The Anchoress, Sisyphean Musings, Myopic Zeal, Jim Geraghty, Hyscience., Moderate Voice, The Question Fairy, Down with Absolutes (He’s only kidding)…
A special “thank you” goes to Bill Roggio, founder of Easongate.com. Check out his post.
Scappleface is always the comedian:
Even as embattled CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan announced his ‘resignation’ tonight, the ad hoc consortium of unedited writers known as the blogosphere met online to discuss which journalist should be the next to fall.Still riding high from its role in the ‘memogate’ firings at CBS and the demise of two editors at the New York Times, the blogosphere took less than two weeks to turn rumors from Davos, Switzerland, into a pink slip for the 23-year veteran of CNN.
Update II (9:48 p.m.): CNN finally posts the story. An excerpt:
The resignation sent shock waves through CNN — with Jordan long admired by his peers, from executives to the rank-and-file. Jordan joined CNN as an assistant assignment editor in 1982 and rose through the ranks to become CNN’s chief news executive.
They were shocked by that? This is only the beginning, people. Words and actions have consequences.
Hugh Hewitt reacts:
The MSM missed this story, and whether it is out of sympathy for one of their own, agreement with all or part of the implied charge, or simple laziness, the assessment of their incompetence should be thorough as well.
Update III (10:51 p.m.): Breaking news at B4B regarding CNN internal e-mail sent to staff: “At 6:14 PM, Eastern Time, an e-mail was sent to CNN employees regarding Eason Jordan, from Jim Walton, president of the CNN Newsgroup….A source inside CNN has forwarded me the e-mail…”
Update IV (11:14 p.m.): Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz (registration req.) reporting.
Michelle Malkin has an Easongate Retrospective.
Update V (12:13 a.m.): The last update of the “night” is a comment from reader JohninLondon, quoting Hugh Hewitt:
Hugh Hewitt said on his radio programme this evening that major networks (and newspapers like the LA Times?) are now having to report that the boss of CNN is resigning over a scandal they have never reported on !
The absurdity of it all is too childish for words, isn’t it? Good “night.”
Update VI (Saturday, February 12 @ 8:00 a.m. and beyond): Yesterday morning on Easongate.com, I blogged on a post by a liberal blogger who implied that Hugh Hewitt was a Nazi. I took issue with that, but I had a bigger problem with his use of the word “blogstorm.” This is a new pet peeve, so I had to deal with it. You might find this useful/humorous/silly:
…I need to clear up something. What happens when bloggers descend on an issue is a blog swarm — two words — not a blogswarm, blogstorm or blog storm. In BLOG, Hugh devotes a chapter to blog swarms and opinion storms. The analogy describes what happens when dozens of bloggers “swarm” around an issue/story like…a swarm of bees. That’s the image. An opinion storm is the result of a blog swarm. This a pet peeve of mine, and I cringe whenever I see “blogstorm.” Grotesque.
I felt better after blogging that. (Note: Michael makes a “blogstorm” correction.)
More bloggers blogging: Blogger and journalist Rebecca MacKinnon (knows Eason Jordan and corroborated Rony Abovitz’s [he has his own blog now] version of events), The National Political Observer, PrestoPundit, Pajama Hadin (excellent round-up), The Key Monk, cerdipity, Isaac Schrödinger, Democracy Project, PoliPundit, BlackFive (For the record, this fellow Easongate.com blogger beat me to the punch. I first posted news of the resignation at 6:59 p.m. EST, but BlackFive reported at 6:51 p.m. EST.), Captain’s coverage continues, Spartac.us, INDC Journal, David Limbaugh, Okie on the LAM, VodkaPundit, Chrenkoff, The MUSC Tiger…
Hugh Hewitt’s most recent column…
In an unrelated note, my “blogsister” Ambra Nykol has landed herself a guest columnist spot at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. This is a great cross-over move by Ambra. A public and high-profile platform is highly-prized and very valuable.
Lorie Byrd asks: “What Consequences, If Any, For CNN From The Jordan Resignation?” More here.
This is funny. More comedy from Ace: Eason Jordan: Reporters “Deliberately Targeted” by Bloggers…
Skeptic Jeff Harrell reacts. Jimmie at The Sundries Shack bids Jordan farewell…
Paul “Deacon” Mirengoff:
Given its lack of desire to report the news objectively, only two things can motivate the MSM to report stories that are embarrassing to liberals. The first is the desire to spin the story and the second is the desire not to be embarrassed itself. Both motives kick in only after a story has gained a considerable amount of buzz, but it’s clear that blogs can generate that buzz in certain cases.
Eason Jordan just resigned
Via NationalReviewOnline, H/T to La Shawn Barber.
Trackback by Jeff Blogworthy.com — 02.11.05 @ 7:08 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns
Victory? National Review Online is reporting that Eason Jordan has resigned. Hat tip: La Shawn Barber
Trackback by Common Sense Runs Wild — 02.11.05 @ 7:14 pm
Hmmm. Think the lefties will still be silent on this (if true)? Or crowing about their success with arguable nobody, Gannon?
Well, they won’t be silent, that I know. I can hear their cries about the eeevil conservatives and their witchhunt now…. and taste their sweet, salty tears… mmmm lefty tears.
Congrats, La Shawn, on your part in this.
And come to my caption contest {- shameless link pedalling
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 02.11.05 @ 7:32 pm
WoooHooo, The blogoswarm strikes fear & loathing into the MSMDNC. We’re coming to git cha!!!
Comment by Andy — 02.11.05 @ 7:32 pm
I notice he did it after the early evening news cycle ended. Oh well, let’s stay tuned to 10/11 O’clock news cycle and see what they have to say.
Comment by Andy — 02.11.05 @ 7:34 pm
No word of it on CNN online, even when I did a search.
Hmmm, I wonder if CNN logs the searches?
http://search.cnn.com/pages/search.jsp?query=eason%20resign
Comment by Andy — 02.11.05 @ 7:51 pm
Eason Jordan Quits
Looks like he couldn’t withstand the power of the New Media: 6:40 PM ET Feb 11, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — CNN’s top news executive, Eason Jordan, said Friday he’s resigning amid controversy over his assertion that journalists were targeted…
Trackback by Blogs for Bush — 02.11.05 @ 7:53 pm
Andy, I did the same search.
No word on FOXnews either.
But a few local TV stations accross the country are covering it.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 02.11.05 @ 7:57 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns: Truth!
National Review Online reporting. Developing… Update: Associated Press also reporting: CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amidst a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Ir…
Trackback by Easongate — 02.11.05 @ 8:13 pm
Eason Quits, the Blog Roars
NEW YORK - CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amidst a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq. Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarnished” by t…
Trackback by bLogicus — 02.11.05 @ 8:21 pm
I was going to say:
Wooohoooo
But Andy beat me to it.
Comment by Baklava — 02.11.05 @ 8:30 pm
Baklave, sorry, you may get 1st dibs next time
Comment by Andy — 02.11.05 @ 8:34 pm
Eason Jordan - finis?
La Shawn Barber tells us it is all over for Eason Jordan as bloggers were all over CNN’s Mr. Jordan for his comments at a World Economic Forum panel dicussion where he accused U.S. troops ‘targeting’ of journalists. A fellow…
Trackback by Balance Sheet — 02.11.05 @ 8:41 pm
CNN’s Jordan resigns
CNN’s Eason Jordan has thrown in the towel amid the unsubstantiated remarks he made last month in Switzerland. Jordan claimed that US soldiers had purposefully targeted journalists in Iraq.Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarn…
Trackback by Ramblings' Journal — 02.11.05 @ 8:42 pm
Great work!
Comment by Pat Curley — 02.11.05 @ 8:46 pm
Eason Jordan Quits
Looks like he couldn’t withstand the power of the New Media: 6:40 PM ET Feb 11, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — CNN’s top news executive, Eason Jordan, said Friday he’s resigning amid controversy over his assertion that journalists were targeted…
Trackback by Blogs for Bush — 02.11.05 @ 8:50 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns
This does smell a little like CNN is trying to cut it’s losses tho. This video needs to be found and put out. Wonder if this is because CNN has seen the video and told him to get the eff outta dodge.
Trackback by Flopping Aces — 02.11.05 @ 8:57 pm
CNN News Executive Eason Jordan Quits
CNN News Executive Eason Jordan Quits (AP)
CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amidst a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq. Jordan said he was quitting to avoid C…
Trackback by Outside The Beltway — 02.11.05 @ 8:57 pm
Eason down, Eason down the road
Resignation is the right call in lieu of a not-guilty by reason of video transcript. Based on what we all have repeatedly heard, well, repeated, it just couldn’t go down any other way.
Trackback by Absentee — 02.11.05 @ 9:05 pm
First, mad and serious props to you, Ms. B. Our mutual friend in Starbucksland, Ms. Ambra N., has high praise for you- and with great justification. Again, another victory for the Peejamma Brigade. Eason could run, but couldn’t hide. Has the feel of his own bosses in Hot-Lanta pushing him into traffic on International Blvd. Too much emphasis on the news media and not the news. Bad for the bottom line- they’re still smarting over how Fox News buried them on Iraqi Election Day. Do not expect the MSM to take much notice- or even learn. Another Eason Jordan, or Dan Rather, or Howell Raines, may emerge at any time. The Peejamma Brigade will be ready, fingers on keyboards.
Comment by Gerard E. — 02.11.05 @ 9:15 pm
Another One Bites the Dust: So Long, Eason Jordan
Jordan’s resignation is the second time that a major news scandal has been brought to the attention of the public by the blogosphere. More and more, individuals are deciding what is newsworthy and what isn’t, and the power of traditional journalism t…
Trackback by Thirty Second Thoughts — 02.11.05 @ 9:30 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns From CNN
Shocking news!!!ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan resigned Friday, saying the controversy over his remarks about the deaths of journalists in Iraq threatened to tarnish the network he helped build. Jordan conceded that his…
Trackback by Wizbang — 02.11.05 @ 9:53 pm
Easongate: Eason Jordan Resigns
..on a Friday night, hoping no one will notice.
Trackback by Daily Inklings — 02.11.05 @ 9:54 pm
More thoughts on Eason Jordan and the Blogs
Stones Cry Out suggests that the blogosphere celebrations and self-congratulations be short and sweet. I concur. Not only because - as SCO maintains - there are so many other stories that need attention, but because as I suggested here, how we succee…
Trackback by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 10:00 pm
LaShawn! MAN, you were all over this like babies on gumdrops! Congrats on the scoop - I think you got in before EVERYONE!
Comment by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 10:18 pm
The CNN Board viewed the tape with Eason and said “It looks like you meant what you said, not what you said you said you meant to say when we ask you what you said the first time you said”.
Enough said.
Comment by Jim R — 02.11.05 @ 10:20 pm
Anchoress - I’m trying to spread the word that I was first. It probably shouldn’t matter that much, but it does. I want recognition for all the split-second linking I’ve been doing.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.11.05 @ 10:23 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns
From the Associated Press:
CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amid a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq. Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly…
Trackback by Myopic Zeal — 02.11.05 @ 10:23 pm
i’ve been bloggin for a month now and have gone through more interesting intellectual experiences than when I was in the Army. Amazing to see history unravel before my eyes!!! To think that there is actually a corner of the carpet being lifted higher and higher and that the likes of a CNN commandante has to capitulate!!! HA! I heard someone on the radio talking about a resignation and I caught myself holding back!! To think that a mere mortal could reach into the machine and just remove an entire gear !! This is some BIG STUFF on the order of a constitutional amendment being ratified and the house furniture being moved around to handle the new paradigm. I have heard of China shutting off blogs, BUT THEY CAN’T STOP IT HERE!!! Just wait until blogs start going from the macro to the micro and take the real sinister governments like Detroit’s !
Comment by thad lucken — 02.11.05 @ 10:50 pm
As I’ve written many times, what bloggers are doing can’t be overstated. But the “power of the blogs” can be used for good and evil, like anything else, and we have to be careful when reporting facts.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.11.05 @ 11:01 pm
Howard Kurtz is on page A1 of the WaPo tomorrow :
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17462-2005Feb11.html
Comment by JohninLondon — 02.11.05 @ 11:09 pm
Keeeeewl, LaShawn, that you got the memo so quick! A pretty mealy-mouthed one for CNN, too, wouldn’t you say?
Comment by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 11:09 pm
ABC news now reporting the UN porn scandal
The UN peacekeeper sex scandal was uncovered by API during the election campaign. ABC just aired it tonight..I wonder why? I guess it would look bad for the liberal media to “out” the UN during the campaign..
Comment by dejuan — 02.11.05 @ 11:09 pm
Hugh Hewitt said on his radio programme this evening that major networks (and newspapers like the LA Times?) are now having to report that the boss of CNN is resigning over a scandal they have never reported on !
Comment by JohninLondon — 02.11.05 @ 11:24 pm
LaShawn - I told everyone who comes to my blog via you (and the rest of the folks stopping by) to head right back over to you, because you’ve got the CNN memo!
Comment by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 11:24 pm
Eason Jordan Quits
If I didn’t know better, maybe, I’d say that it’s begining to look like trying to pull the wool over the blogosphere is like tugging on …..
Trackback by Hyscience — 02.11.05 @ 11:34 pm
Ahem - may I have your attention, please?
Ms. LaShawn Barber is mentioned in the new DAY BY DAY Cartoon.
http://whatattitudeproblem.blogs.com/
She is now a sort of blog-goddess.
You may re-commence with your reading. That is all.
Comment by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 11:38 pm
Thanks, Anchoress. Is the cartoon out already? I thought he said tomorrow!
JohninLondon (Are you really in London?): That’s a good line that I’m sure will catch on. The absurdity of MSM’s reluctance to cover the summary is summarized in that paragraph.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.11.05 @ 11:38 pm
La Shawn,
I suppose this was inevitable–if a bit overdue.
I’m totally pleased with the outcome. It would’ve been different had Jordan been a bit more upfront in placing himself for questioning. Likewise, had a tape been released a subsequent apology made, perhaps things would have turned out better for him.
Great job on your coverage. I’m sure FOX News will be calling soon!!!! Have a good night.
Comment by Mike M. — 02.11.05 @ 11:41 pm
LaShawn, Greg over at What Attitude just posted it - perhaps they did it before midnight because you’re having such a STUNNER of a “coming out” week!
Comment by The Anchoress — 02.11.05 @ 11:42 pm
CNN’s News Chief Eason Jordan Quits
Whether he said the words that got him in trouble or not, CNN’s Chief News Excutive Eason Jordan has quit, a victim of delayed response to…
Trackback by The Moderate Voice — 02.11.05 @ 11:46 pm
EASON JORDAN QUITS CNN
This development is surprising in that the vast majority of criticism directed at Eason Jordan has come from online news sources and blogs - this story had barely created a ripple in the Old Media newsbastions of television and print. Not long ago, a…
Trackback by The Question Fairy — 02.11.05 @ 11:50 pm
You have done some amazing work LaShawn! You’ve really worked hard on this and you’ve gotten the word out about this in a very concise and engrossing way. I agree with the Anchoress - you are now officially “THE Bloggoddess”!
Congratulations!
Comment by Becki Snow — 02.11.05 @ 11:53 pm
He’s a goner!
So, that idiot Eason Jordan has resigned. In announcing the resignation after the final presses have run on Friday afternoon, CNN has done something quite Bush-ian.
But, the Bush Administration’s timed-information-release committee is a wholly dif…
Trackback by Down with Absolutes! — 02.11.05 @ 11:58 pm
Who Will Provide the Best Coverage of Eason Jordan’s Resignation
Bloggers began their coverage of the Eason Jordan resignation shortly after word spread that he had resigned. Techorati had “61 posts matching Eason Jordan Resigns” when this was posted. However, there are likely many more posts up on the subject….
Trackback by The National Political Observer — 02.12.05 @ 12:10 am
LaShawn,
All props to you for getting it first.
Diligence, perseverance, hard work and, especially, good work, do pay off.
You’ve earned another daily reader in me. I’ll be back!
Comment by Manhattan Reader — 02.12.05 @ 12:13 am
EASON JORDAN QUITS!!
According to ABC News: Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarnished” by the controversy [surounding Jordan’s later retracted statement that U.S. soldiers had “targetted” journalists…
Trackback by PRESTOPUNDIT — 02.12.05 @ 12:14 am
And La Shawn has made Day By Day for Saturday, Feb 12.
Comment by Hal Duston — 02.12.05 @ 1:18 am
Jordan conquered
Jordan’s resignation is a clear indicator that the video would not have absolved him: he slandered the US military in a public forum that was hostile to the US invasion of Iraq, gave credence to lies about US troops and later accepted congratulations …
Trackback by The Key Monk — 02.12.05 @ 1:18 am
Hi, LaShawn:
I check “DayByDay” around 12:30am every day. You are most definitely mentioned in the strip’s last frame.
Congratulations!
Jack.
Comment by Jack Deth — 02.12.05 @ 1:21 am
CNN News Executive Eason Jordan Quits
Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarnished” by the controversy.
During a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (news - web sites) last month, Jordan said he believed that several journalists who were killed by coalit…
Trackback by Pajama Hadin — 02.12.05 @ 2:26 am
I think those of us in the blogosphere should not rejoice so earnestly over the fact that bloggers are now 2-0 up on the likes of Rather and Jordan. Blog swarms seem to have brought down two men who said or did reprehensible things, but I wonder how long it will be before that backfires on us.
I just finished watching the movie Mystic River not more than a couple hours ago (Spoiler Alert!) and I was greatly disturbed by several of the themes in that film in which an innocent man is hounded to death by not only his past, but more importantly, by the unjustified accusations of others. The movie ends with a statement that to me says, “And that’s okay as long as the strong survive.”
It is only a matter of time before a blog swarm attacks someone who is ultimately proven to be innocent. What then? How is that damage undone? Or even worse, what if the blogosphere chooses to target someone because they are perceived to be weak? The same power that brought down Rather and Jordan could be used to take any of us down. A few whispers here and there and someone can be ruined for life.
I don’t think we should be hooting over any of this. A better response would be to be startled at how easily this was done.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not siding with Mr. Jordan. He said something awful. I just wonder how long it will be before a blog swarm ruins an innocent person with innuendo or drives a borderline personality to suicide.
Has anyone ever considered this?
Comment by DLE — 02.12.05 @ 2:27 am
Thad, I totally agree. Watching the misadventures of Detroit Mayor Kwame’s little rad navigator saga has been unwinding for too long. What a hip-hop thugocracy, with one embarassment after another, day after day. Recall anyone?
I’m beginning to wonder if Gill Hill (Axel Foley’s boss in the “Beverly Hills Cop” movie) wouldn’t have been better. At least I would’ve voted for him, but I had just moved to Detroit too late to register.
Comment by Andy — 02.12.05 @ 3:02 am
Massa Julian Bond better watch out, Day by Day has started a new meme; La Shawn as head of NAACP. That comic was too funny.
La Sahwn, your hard work is paying off. Amazing what one can do when they set their mind to it. You go girl!!!
Comment by Andy — 02.12.05 @ 3:04 am
DLE, I’ve considered that angle. Simply put, the blogosphere is a cookie crumbler. IOW the truth will out. It doesn’t matter if there is a campaign to sabotage someone’s reputation, there will always be plenty of other bloggers to debunk the lies. It’d be different if someone or an elite group controlled the propaganda machine.
That’s not the case with the blogosphere. It is a decentralized memory bank, where any cog is free to engage, disengage or even spin idly within the “machine”. Hence the swarm analogy.
This is the problem that the leftists have with their pitiful Gannon/hume-gate. For the leftists, it’s all about me, myself and I; rather than the collective good typically found in conservative blogs.
How ironic; conservatives=debating culture/politics/etc on the merits, progressives=my way or the highway. And who’s accusing who of intolerance again?
The proof is found in the blogrolls and the moonbats really don’t get it. Leftists hardly deign to acknowledge and link to other leftist bloggers, since their blog is really an ego trip. To wit, Kos has a blogroll of what 30, mebbe 35 and he’s been around how long? Must have been a real ego buster to find out that Dean hired him for shilling, not for his savviness, yet repeatedly failed miserably to persuade enough minds to win one for the cause.
Speaking of memory holes, why is it that many lefty sites have options to exclude comments from people you don’t want to read, or just outright delete?
Then you have the looney tunes fringe that seem to be operating in a vacuum. Anyone remember the Master of Syncopated Drivel-n-Snivel Prose, Tae Diggs? Yeah, what about him/her/it? Merely the ghost of coversations past, relegated to a footnote.
One suggestion I do have for Wordpress, Typepad and other Blog programs to help the cream rise to the top, is to incorporate a ranking tool, a la the ZDNet talkback system. This is where readers can rate each post/comment on a scale of 1-5, or a thumbs up/thumbs down, for others to see. One added benefit is that eventually some trolls will go away of their own accord when they consistently rate low scores.
Comment by Andy — 02.12.05 @ 4:33 am
LaShawn
Yes I am in London - where we suffer the endless drip-drip-drip of BBC anti-coalition bias, with no counter-balance from a vigorous blog culture or from talk radio.
My concern now is that a lot of what Eason Jordan said should be flashed back to Nik Gowing at the BBC who has been sliming the US military for a long time.
Comment by JohninLondon — 02.12.05 @ 6:08 am
La Shawn
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
Rub it in - rub it in - rub it in.
Send CNN and CBS a photo of you and Michelle and the other “Easongate Bloggers” in pajamas.
Comment by Frank Zavisca — 02.12.05 @ 6:45 am
Cry me a River, Jordan
CNN now has to report to its audience that the Big Boss of its News Department has resigned over a story that CNN didn’t even report!. Cap’n Ed over at pointed out this interesting angle, as well as a number…
Trackback by cerdipity — 02.12.05 @ 7:26 am
Okay, La Shawn. You have your scalp. Wear it proudly. A man’s career destroyed over an offhand remark.
Do, however, take note of how easily fate can turn against anyone at any time. If you do you will have finally learned a real religious lesson.
Comment by Joseph Marshall — 02.12.05 @ 8:12 am
Joseph, Jordan deserved what he got, giving an international audience of America-haters fodder to feed on and slandering the fighting forces of his own country! Why is it, in this screwed-up world, that calling a thing by its name is worse than being the thing? There are more than enough mealy-mouthed people on this planet. I am not among their number.
I don’t have Jordan’s scalp, nor do I want it, but we all face consequences, and I don’t feel bad in any way for contributing to the demise of an arrogant leftist journalist who’s probably gotten away with more than this.
One day I may be called to account in a big way, but running a public blog makes me accountable daily. And one fine Judgment Day, everyone will have to account to God for every one of their sins. That is man’s condition. I didn’t start the fire.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.12.05 @ 8:26 am
The Schmuck Quits
Eason Jordan resigns from CNN
Trackback by Isaac Schrödinger — 02.12.05 @ 8:34 am
THE EASON JORDAN RESIGNATION is making news
around the world. UPDATE: La Shawn Barber has updated linkage to the latest blogosphere reactions, just scroll down — Pajama Hadin also has a large roundup of blogosphere links….
Trackback by PRESTOPUNDIT — 02.12.05 @ 9:32 am
Hey, La Shawn
Thanks for the bone!!
But, honestly, I’m not kidding. I’m glad to see Jordan out of there. I graduated with a journalism degree and some of these fools are seriously tainting my craft.
But, my jab at Bush was just a bit of my liberalism poking through. I couldn’t resist.
Comment by Mike M. — 02.12.05 @ 9:37 am
Ah, Joseph, how short your memory is! The “offhand” remark was merely a repetition of his assertion in Lisbon last November, and the flip side of his admission that CNN spiked stories of Hussein’s atrocities to maintain its access.
Truthfully, but that Jordan fed the sweet, if poisoned, Kool-Aid to the left side of blogosphere, I would express surprise that they didn’t join in taking him out. Imagine the proper spin for the Petulant Left: “CNN executive admits to knowledge that Bushitler war machine murdered and tortured journalists, tries to remain complicit in cover-up!”
Comment by John "Akatsukami" Braue — 02.12.05 @ 10:02 am
Kurtz Still Doesn’t Cover The Whole Story
Kurtz reacts to Jordan’s exit with yet another “misunderstanding” over the Davos forum effort, this time enlisting David Gergen to carry his water (via Michelle Malkin and La Shawn Barber):
Trackback by Captain's Quarters — 02.12.05 @ 10:48 am
Salt in the Wound
NOTE: A special salute needs to be given to La Shawn Barber, who not only worked this story, tirelessly, but also was one of the first bloggers, if not the first, who picked up on Jordan’s unceremonious departure.
Trackback by PoliPundit — 02.12.05 @ 10:51 am
Media Ecology
Over the last hundred years the press has done a fair job of exposing lies, hypocrisy, and injustice in the high places it has found them. Not a perfect job of course, but a decent job. The potential …
Trackback by Spartac.us — 02.12.05 @ 11:09 am
Awesome. That guy was letting his bias get in the way of his reporting, and Americans aren’t going to put up with it any longer!
Comment by RepJ — 02.12.05 @ 11:09 am
La Shawn,
Concerns that blog swarms will engulf the innocent leading to cyberphalctic shock (see Mr. Marshall and DLE above) have been admirably squelched by Andy and yourself.
As an example of the Blogoshere’s self correcting nature, let me point to your prompt and gracious acknowledgement of Black Five’s role as first to post news of Jordan’s crossing over. That doesn’t take anything away from the job you did as one of the points on this patrol. Good job.
Comment by Billy Hank — 02.12.05 @ 11:23 am
Eason Jordan Resigns!
Perhaps after being named the Judge Elihu Smails “Buffoon of the Week” CNN’s Chief News Executive Eason Jordan knew he had reached the pinnacle of his professional life.
Trackback by Ankle Biting Pundits — 02.12.05 @ 11:25 am
A final few words on the Eason Jordan affair and Jordan's subsequent resignation
My guess is that in the cold, clarifying light of morning, how Jordan's remarks played on that Davos tape was even worse than we'd been led to expect -- and that, recognizing this, Jordan didn't so much resign as he was coached b…
Trackback by protein wisdom — 02.12.05 @ 11:56 am
Eason Jordan’s Resigned! One Down — One to Go!
Boy, I take yesterday afternoon off from reading and blogging to celebrate my birthday and miss the big story — Eason Jordan quits! I caught up with it this AM in the LATimes, way back on page 9 of the “A” section, guess the Tribune Co. doesn’t fe…
Trackback by OKIE on the LAM - In LA — 02.12.05 @ 12:09 pm
La Shawn Barber’s Informative Easongate Archives
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to keep up much on the Easongate scandal, I refer you to my friend La Shawn Barber’s blog and an archive she has developed on this issue. She’s been on the cutting edge. Great stuff from La Shawn, as usual….
Trackback by David Limbaugh — 02.12.05 @ 1:04 pm
Eason Jordan Resigns (UPDATED)
AP: CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amid a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq. Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being “unfairly tarnished”…
Trackback by INDC Journal — 02.12.05 @ 1:07 pm
“All IN All It’s Just Another Brick In The Wall.”
Comment by ratso ferrari — 02.12.05 @ 1:25 pm
Billy Hank,
There is no real self-correcting of the blogosphere since the Left does not listen to the correction of the Right and vice versa.
While your admiration for human nature to go down the path of “The Truth will out,” is nice, I believe that faith to be misplaced. Very little was learned from the media assassination of Richard Jewell and I suspect that Mr. Jewell’s life since then has not been peaches and cream.
Again, we should all be very careful that we do not use this new media form to do to others what the MSM did to Richard Jewell.
Comment by DLE — 02.12.05 @ 1:43 pm
We need balance around here, DLE, and I’m glad you’re commenting on this topic.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.12.05 @ 1:46 pm
Eason Jordan Taken Down by Bloggers
The past week or so has seen an amazing amount of blog activity over a man by the name of Eason Jordan. I won’t get into the details…La Shawn has plenty…but what amazes me is that bloggers have struck again. Unreal.
Jordan could have avoided …
Trackback by The MUSC Tiger — 02.12.05 @ 1:53 pm
Great job, La Shawn.
What is the Org structure of CNN — who did Jordan work for (his boss), and who did THAT guy work for?
If shareholders were complaining, or advertisers (like General Mills, to whom I complained), who would they have talked to?
Good luck on converage.
The Blog Swarm will be most powerful when combined with an advertising ban assault.
Comment by Tom Grey - Liberty Dad — 02.12.05 @ 5:57 pm
what eason did was nasty
what “gannon” did was nasty
when will journalists/newspersons be unbiased and HONEST?? when will our politicians, democrats AND republicans, represent us honestly? we vote for someone who we think represents our views then he/she turns around and does whatever he/she wants–or maybe succumbs to some inside pressure instead of standing up for their beliefs….
ps, pray for our troops!
Comment by a reader — 02.12.05 @ 6:28 pm
Everything on Eason Jordan
So, in case you’d like to see a good wrapup, Instapundit has everthing you need to know.
Sisyphean Musings says we might get to see the video sooner…or later. I think Tim might be on to something with his analysis. Be sure to check out his site….
Trackback by Much of a Which of a Wind — 02.12.05 @ 7:19 pm
DLE, your point about Jewell is interesting.
Guess what? That was the FBI leaking Jewell’s name to MSM in order to hang him by public opinion since what they had was pure conjecture, and very little circumstantial evidence. This was the FBI run by Freeh, who with Janet Reno and Gorelicker did much to undermine truth & justice to advance the Clintonista cause.
Now if the blogosphere was around then and say 5 - 10% of Americans ar familiar to one degree or another with blogs, I wonder, when one extrapolates that ratio to the throngs in attendance how differently that whole story might had been spun? For every eyewitness that the FBI ignored or tried to shout down, how many would have turned to the net to out the truth?
I remember back in the Fall of ‘87 when a black co-worker was killed by a white Dallas cop. It’s been so long that the finer details are fogged, but here goes to the best of my recollection:
Allegedly because the cop thot the dude was going to pull a gun on him, over a dispute about expired tags on his parked car at an apartment complex.
The car wasn’t even being driven because of needing repairs and hence the expired tags. At the time, tags weren’t based on birthdays and the guy figured why register it when it would take a while to get it back on the road.
Anyway, in spite of what witnesses had to say, the poor guy’s — I can’t even recall his name now — motives and character was smeared and the cop “vindicated”.
However, the background truth was ignored totally and the MSM refused to give credence to the naysayers.
That same cop, while off-duty had attended a keg-party the weekend before, and became involved in an altercation with the victim over a girl that they were both interested in. I wasn’t there, but the party was hosted by another co-worker, and a bunch of my colleagues were there to witness the chest-thumping and shoving. It seemed like things cooled off and everyone forgot about it until later.
I’d like to think justice would have been served had the blogosphere been around then. As far as I know, that cop is still on the force and literally got away with murder. And he did so because those who knew the background didn’t have a voice.
Comment by Andy — 02.12.05 @ 7:45 pm
This comment by JorgXMcKie over at Polipundit is just too amusing.
“Sheeez. Let’s see. 1) Big media exec makes some kind of remarks at big meeting of intl poobahs. 2) attendee of poobah meeting blogs his memory of remarks as inflammatory and mentions US Congressman challenging big media exec. 3) Other blogs take up the charge, wanting to know if BME actually slandered the military and/or if BME had any evidence or proof to back up charges.
4) Inflammatory charges determined to have been videotaped. Blogs suggest showing of tape to determine truth.
5) BME pays no attention. 6) Blog swarm ensues. 7) BME finally comes out of hole [part-way] and claims doesn’t see shadow. Claims: a) didn’t make inflammatory remarks; or b) retracted inflammatory remarks; or c) was taken out of context; or d) was misunderstood; or e) didn’t mean inflammatory remarks; or f)all of the above. Tape Of Truth not released. No explanation.
12) MSM grudgingly, in most instances, barely takes up story. REALLY BIG MSM ignores story entirely with exception of Kurtz boot-licking, (oops) fawning, (oops) cautious explanatory piece.
13) Blog swarm approaches Category 6. MSM advised to run down to Home Depot to buy plywood for windows, etc.
14 (hypothesis) BME bosses get to see Tape Of Truth. Portable CPR machines put to heavy use. Light Dawns.
15) BME resigns “for good of corporarion.”
16) Sliming of Blogs begins for falsely driving out Misunderstood Man Of Distinguished Career for blindly partisan reasons. Questions arise at DailyKos, MyDD, and DU why no blog swarm on practically unknown journalist Gannon.
Yep. Story line seems about right.”
Comment by Jim R — 02.12.05 @ 10:42 pm
Don’t let this one squeak by (I am sorry to have only found it the night of his resignation):
Eason Jordan won the Charles Weltner Freedom of Information Award in 2001.
That’s right, boys and girls. The man who can have the tape released but refuses won a Freedom of Information Award. Who knew there even was such a thing. Comical that Eason Jordan won the first one, no?
Joseph Marshall:
Make a small note of this, please: When making offhand remarks, DO NOT accuse the American military of murdering journalists without evidence. But then, it wouldn’t be much of an ‘off hand’ remark.
La Shawn:
My first message, but have read for a long time. You have rocked for a long time.
Comment by USMC_Vet — 02.12.05 @ 10:52 pm
Andy,
You have a good point that the blogosphere can be a tool for good. I don’t want to seem too enamored with pop culture, but the key line in a certain superhero series is, “…With great power there must come great responsibility.”
The problem is that not everyone out there blogging is a “superhero” who understands this. God gives good gifts to us, but isn’t it sad that His greatest gifts are the one so thoroughly corrupted by fallen men?
We in the blogosphere are not all pure as the driven snow. We can hope that we will always understand the power of a blog swarm and what it can do to the focus of that swarm, but I am not so sure that fallen men will not use that power for their own craven purposes. We all think how great Google is, but even now people are using Google as a way of discriminating against other people. The Christian blogger who espouses a biblical ideal not admired by people who do not understand Christianity can find the very words of his blog coming back against him as a job dismissal (for hazy reasons, of course) or forced career stagnation. That this form of “Google persecution” exists now should warn us of how easily a blog swarm in the future can be organized to take good people down.
Comment by DLE — 02.14.05 @ 2:35 am
Eason Jordan Admits Guilt
Well, that’s how I interpret his resignation. So, what’s next? As I’m sure you know by now, Faithful Reader, CNN’s…
Trackback by The Blog from the Core — 02.14.05 @ 7:31 am
DLE, we’ll have to see how it shakes out.
But like all new “pair o’ dimes”, it’ll take a while for people to get used to the currency. Now anyone who has something to say, can say it to one and all. They can do so with relative ease and for next to nothing, other than the time and effort to slap one together.
It’s plain to see that the fear & loathing is beginning to set in with the establishment, in that blogs are not a fad, least of all a digital pet rock. Sure lots of people will take a swing at it, and many will drop out — giving up at least the hope of making it to the big time. But the rest will maintain one, either professionally or as a hobby of sorts.
Nevertheless, the simple fact is that the blogosphere has a long tail which wields its weight on an order of magnitude that the MSM could never ever compete against. The MSM is being eclisped and there’s no turning back.
If you haven’t heard of the Power law distributions, Clay Shirky has a post as it relates to the blogosphere. If it’s true that thousands of blogs are being started everyday, well… http://www.shirky.com/writings/powerlaw_weblog.html
As for the blogs that will gain any measure of standing, it will be the writers who exercise intellectual honesty who will prevail - that’s not to say they are right/correct all of the time. What I said about sites like Kos and Atrios stand.
See http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2003/03/Intellectualhonesty.shtml
The old cliche about the Guttenberg Press is very apt. It won’t be long before there are more webpages than all of the printed material in the history of man. And yes we’re all in for a ride like never before. So put on your brave face
Comment by Andy — 02.15.05 @ 1:26 am
Bloggers Ushering In The Age of Accountability
Mark Twain once said that “a lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” Guess what Mark, the truth is catching up. Accountability has slowly increased with each new form of media…
Trackback by Proverbs Daily — 02.16.05 @ 2:05 pm