The Idiotic Lumping of Rather, Jordan, Gannon

I'm really, really sick of the way the corporate media is lumping together the cases of Dan Rather, Eason Jordan, and Jeff Gannon/Guckert. It's yet another example of fake "balance" for the sake of appearing "unbiased."

Let's recap:

Dan Rather. Tarred and feathered for exercising bad judgement after a long, respectable career. (Not to mention the high likelihood that he was set up.)

Eason Jordan. Tarred and feathered for one ill-advised, politically-incorrect statement after a long, respectable career.

Jeff Gannon/Guckert. Exposed as a complete fraud with a sordid (and criminal) past. Possibly connected with people in the Whitehouse; possibly has information about or was involved in the outing of Valerie Plame.

Now tell me: Which of these doesn't fit the pattern?

Back to Eason Jordan. Supposedly he said that US troops had targeted journalists. Does anyone else remember when an embedded reporter filmed a US soldier shooting an unarmed Iraqi who was lieing on the floor? Do you remember that freepers were going nuts and saying that reporter deserved to be shot? (And can anyone help me find links to that stuff?)

•  Seriously,

  that freeper stuff needs to brought out.

  by Omar on Tue Feb 15, 2005 at 08:16:00 AM PDT

•  There Were Some Incidents

  During the days of "Major Combat Operations" where it was alleged that America troops had targeted reporters.  One I remember distinctly was when an American tank fired a shell into the Hotel Palestine in Baghdad, killing two European reporters.  IIRC, there were also incidents where it was alleged we had fired on the building that Al-Jazeera had its Baghdad office.

  Were these incidents accidental, or intentional?  Who knows?  What I do know is we'll never find out if journalists and news executives who discuss it are simply fired for daring to bring the topic up.  A nation that conducts torture on the scale we have at this point is capable of anything.

  "L'enfer, c'est le GOP!" - JJB, from an idea by oratorio

  by JJB on Tue Feb 15, 2005 at 08:25:20 AM PDT

  •  Agree

    absolutely with what you're saying.  I e-mailed PBS' "Newshour" yesterday evening after they did that in a segment, and basically said the same thing (wonder how journalists did on the analogy section of their SAT's).

    by bibble on Tue Feb 15, 2005 at 09:58:03 AM PDT