Easongate
Hew Hewitt
Posted at 12:30 AM, EST
SisypheanMusings still hasn't gotten a firm recommitment from the Davos staff to release the tape. I think if Davos stonewalls, the appropriate response will be for American participation to cease as American bashing is one thing and to be expected, but manipulation of the record to prevent an American audience from learning about American military bashing by an American is another thing altogether. Now Eason Jordan's remarks may end up hurting the Davos brand as well as the CNN brand and other MSM brands caught flatfooted as the story breaks out.
Another account of the remarks, this from a French blogger, via This Isn't Writing, It's Typing. Wait until MEMRI finds commentary on Jordan's speech in the Arab press.
writingcompany.blogs.com
Now, here's the story that Howard Kurtz wrote for today's Washington Post. It gets a C-.
washingtonpost.com
Incredibly, there is no mention of the Eason Jordan quote in the November 19, 2004 Guardian:
guardian.co.uk
<<<
"Actions speak louder than words. The reality is that at least 10 journalists have been killed by the US military, and according to reports I believe to be true journalists have been arrested and tortured by US forces," Mr Jordan told an audience of news executives at the News Xchange conference in Portugal."
>>>
Kurtz quotes Jordan this way:
"In the interview last night, Jordan said he and a group of other news executives have discussed with a top Pentagon official allegations by Iraqi employees of NBC, Reuters and al-Jazeera 'who claimed to have been detained and tortured by the U.S. military. They all came out with horrific statements about what had been done to them.'"
>>>
Jordan told the Portugal audience that he believed accounts of torture. If so, why no CNN story? Why does he believe them? Kurtz ought to have asked those questions.
And the weight of evidence shows that Jordan is either lying or very, very confused about whether he brought up "targeting" in response to Barney Frank's comments, or on his own initiative: "Jordan denied that last night, saying he had been responding to Frank's comment that the 63 journalists who have been killed in Iraq were "collateral damage" in the war." No fair weighing of the various accounts can lead to accepting Jordan's recollection here. If he wants this version to stand, Jordan ought to be demanding the tape be released by Davos.
Which leads me to another key objection: Why didn't Kurtz ask if Jordan objected to the release of the video? When by virtue of your privileged position you get an exclusive --Jordan has not talked to any other journalist to my knowledge-- you have to ask the money question. And that question is about getting the tape. It would also have been extremely useful to ask whether Jordan or CNN had been in contact with Davos over the tape.
Further, why didn't Kurtz inquire about the video of the Davos people? My producer spoke with the fellow with the tape a week ago. I'd be happy to give out the number to any journalist following on the "disappearing" video.
The Kurtz story is a small start, but far from the sort of comprehensive reporting that ought to have followed a ten day delay.
hughhewitt.com |
