CNN stops pulling its punches

September 2, 2005

It’s not often CNN drops its niceties on the air, so when it does, it’s noteworthy.

CNN anchor Jack Cafferty, for example, expressed his disgust with what he’s seen as a widespread governmental failure in response to Hurricane Katrina.

“I got to tell you something. We got five or six hundred letters before the show even went on the air. No one, no one says the federal government is doing a good job in handling one of the most atrocious and embarrassing and far reaching and calamitous things that has come along in this country in my lifetime. I’m 62. I don’t remember — I remember the riots in Watts. I remember the earthquake in San Francisco. I remember a lot of things.

“I have never ever seen anything as badly bungled and poorly handled as this situation in New Orleans. Where the hell is the water for these people? Why can’t sandwiches be dropped to those people that are in that Superdome down there? I mean what is going — this is Thursday. This is Thursday. This storm happened five days ago. It’s a disgrace. And don’t think the world isn’t watching. This is the government the taxpayers are paying for, and it’s fallen right flat on its face, as far as I can see, in the way it’s handled this thing.”

It wasn’t just Cafferty. A few hours later, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) was on, thanking various government officials for their efforts in dealing with the crisis. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who’s been reporting from the scene this week, practically snapped.

“Senator, I’m sorry…for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other — I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. Do you understand that anger? […]

“[T]here are a lot of people here who are kind of ashamed of what is happening in this country right now, what is — ashamed of what is happening in your state. And that’s not to blame the people that are there, it is a terrible situation, but you know, who — no one seems to be taking responsibility. I know you say there’s a time and a place for kind of, you know, looking back, but this seems to be the time and the place. There are people that want answers, and people want someone to stand up and say: we should have done more.”

I suspect some will say this wasn’t objective journalism, but at its best, journalists serve as public advocates. They ask questions and make demands of public officials when the public can’t. Kudos to Cafferty and Cooper for realizing that.

One would have thought that this would have been said in Iraq as well, where the “New Orleans” situation has now been going on for almost two years with no relief in sight. One can only hope that New Orleans will recover somewhat faster, but then I remember that it’s the Bush team in charge.

Anyway, what we’re seeing here now is the difference between reporting from a safe Green Zone where you’re spoonfed news by partisan sources and actual, real reporting based on what one sees with one’s own eyes and asking the obvious question that viewers must be asking: on what planet are these politicians praising themselves on?

  • Keith Olbermann on Countdown on MSNBC last night was very pointed in his comments – he particularly made reference to Condi Rice finally quitting her vacation after enjoying a comedy at the theater in NYC.

  • I understand that Dr. Rice managed to drop a couple grand on some new shoes (for herself not to give to the victims of the flood) before she went back to work. She had to do her part for the economy too.

    In respopnse to CB’s original post I felt compelled to email CNN and support Anderson Cooper and Jack Cafferty for actually doing what is right. I think this is an opportunity to show CNN that real American Patriots appreciate a free and fair journalist doing their jobs.

    Email CNN re: Anderson Cooper: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4.html?5

    Email CNN re: Jack Cafferty: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4a.html?1

  • Hey, not to worry everyone. Prez Bush is finally taking the lead. Urgent CNN Breaking news email:
    “– “The results are not acceptable,” President Bush says of Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts.”

    Whew – people in Louisiana, Miss, Alabama, etc. are going to get the relief that they need.

  • the wankers at nro took cooper to task because he couldn’t recognize that landrieu was being calm and professional, when in fact they wouldn’t recognize that she was being unctious and grandstanding. then again, one has to think of her unique position: having beaten a republican in a heavily-contested fight, i imagine she’s terrified that the republican administration will just hang her out to dry if she doesn’t publically suck up to them. her performance was really appalling: oh thank you mr. president for helping us. thank you thank you. i’m so impressed.

  • She’s the absolute worst. An utter incompetent. I just wonder how many of the good Senator’s constituents are going to be affected NOW by the new bankruptcy laws. You know, the one she voted for.

  • I had a little Chief Executive fantasy on the way to work this morning:

    “General so-and-so, I want Chinook helicopters full of medics, water, food, and soldiers with their unloaded weapons slung. When they land at the Convention Center the soldiers will exit with food and water in their hands, and officers will start ID’ing healthy civilians to lead medical teams to the sick.

    “General, for every 15 minutes that I don’t see choppers being loaded on CNN, you lose a star. If you staff this out to some Colonel, he gets your stars. Move like you’ve got a purpose. When that’s underway, come back here and I’ll give you something else.”

    In a time of crisis, THAT is the behavior I’d want from a serious leader.

    I know that there are huge logistical issues involved here, but if CNN and MSNBC can get reporters with cameras and clean clothes in and out, how come the government can’t get food and water in?

  • A truly objective journalist would ALSO have someone there who would tell us the many benefits that RATS provide to society.

    We need the other side, dammit! Where’s the pro-rat representative?

    Oh, I forgot about the GOP…

  • Finally, journalism as I want to see it! The benefit of a free press is that it can be a strong voice challenging political spin and bulldookey. Now, why does it take a disaster to make it happen?

  • Now, why does it take a disaster to make it happen?

    Of course you mean a domestic disaster. Right? ‘Cause Iraq sure doesn’t look good from where I sit.

  • Keep an eye on MSNBC and Fox, as well. Scarborough seemed royally pissed off with the lack of response from the federal government.

  • just heard a speach by some guy in san diego. could have sworn it was the president of mexico from what was being spit out. but by God it was george bush. dont know why i was surprised. why doest he stay at home and quit wasting the peoples time and gas.

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