Who Can Really Say?

Eason Jordan Catchup

If it isn't obvious, I like to read blogs much more than I like to write this one. So I'm generally not one of the blogs at the front of the pack when a new meme starts flowing about. If my two many readers look to me to fill them in on the breaking stuff, I couldn't give a rat's ass deeply apologize.

In the last ten days, one of the Big Stories has been about the comments made by Eason Jordan, President of CNN News, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. First (I think) reported by Rony at the Forum's own blog, here's what how it started:

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 [Barney Frank] and a U.S. Senator [Chris Dodd] in the middle of some very serious accusations about the U.S. military.

To be fair (and balanced), Eason did backpedal and make a number of statements claiming that he really did not know if what he said was true, and that he did not himself believe it. But when pressed by others, he seemed to waver back and forth between what might have been his beliefs and the realization that he had created a kind of public mess. His statements, his reaction, and the reaction of all in attendance left me perplexed and confused. Many in the crowd, especially those from Arab nations, applauded what he said and called him a "very brave man" for speaking up against the U.S. in a public way amongst a crowd ready to hear anti-US sentiments. I am quite sure that somewhere in the Middle East, right now, his remarks are being printed up in Arab language newspapers as proof that the U.S. is an evil and corrupt nation. That is a real nightmare, because the Arab world is taking something said by a credible leader of the media (CNN!) as the gospel, or koranic truth. What is worse is that I am not really sure what Eason really meant to communicate to us, but I do know that he was quite passionate about it. Members of the audience took away what they wanted to hear, and now they will use it in every vile and twisted way imaginable.

Reports of interviews or statements with or from Barney Frank, David Gergen, and Chris Dodd are here. Rony updates his original post, given further developments, here.

The initial criticism of Jordan is that he can't have it either way. If troops have been deliberately targeting journalists because they are journalists, then why hasn't CNN been on the story which, all the great pictures aside, would still dwarf Abu Ghraib? And if they haven't been doing that, then what's the fuss? Ah, but there's the rub, because those asking where's the fuss don't believe for a second that Jordan knows what he's talking about, but deeply resent the fact that, well, he's talking out his ass. And frankly, if that's all there is to it then I'm with them.

Ah, but I used the big "if". Is that all there is to it? One of the stronger bits in the overall story is how silent the MSM has been -- you know -- doing the "protecting their own" thing and all. So today, Howard Kurtz, WaPo media critic acknowledges that the story exists, but Mickey Kaus says he's just doing "damage control" for CNN. And meanwhile, although four days ago the folks at Davos told Sysyphean Musings that they'd forward a tape, they've since backed off.

One would think, I suppose in the abstract anyway, that Jordan would want the video released. But the way these things almost always play out, it seems, is that the Jordan's of the world are too close to the controversy to understand that. Or shit, maybe he's got something to hide? I'm just, you know, wondering.

Posted by Peter at February 8, 2005 09:18 PM