"Writer and CNN Anchor Have Lively Exchange"

ChronWatch ^ | April 16, 2003 | Marc J. Rauch

[WaterDragon]

As readers of my essay ''Lies, More Lies, and CNN's Lies'' may have noticed, I was slightly disturbed by the cover-up confession made by CNN's senior news executive, Eason Jordan, last Friday in the New York Times. (http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=2248&catcode=10)

Well, late Friday night, as I was writing the essay and screaming invectives at my television set, Richard Quest, CNN's late night anchor from London, asked viewers to email him with any questions they have concerning the Iraq War. Pent up as I was, I sent a short, but to-the-point missive. This set off a little back and forth between Richard and me, which I found amazingly condescending.

I wasn’t really surprised, considering where the comments were coming from, but still I was a bit taken aback by his pompous ''let them eat cake'' attitude. I think the correspondence is worthy of public scrutiny as it provides an invaluable insight into what CNN really thinks about its viewers. The complete correspondence is included below. I left unchanged all of Richard’s typos and spelling errors (if for no other reason than I probably made some as well).

To: Richard Quest - quest@cnn.com

Fri. 11 Apr. 11:30PM PT

Two questions please:

How many atrocities are you responsible for covering up in the Middle East in order to make Hussein and Arafat look good?

Aren't you ashamed of working for Eason Jordan and a news organization that intentionally keeps the truth from the world public?

Marc J. Rauch

From: ''Quest, Richard''

To: ''Marc J. Rauch''

Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:43:56 -0400

I always love these sorts of questions - because they assume that you know so much more than the hundreds of people we employ in the region to cover the news. Now, please, tell me, what are we supposed to be keeping from the public.

We cover death and destruction from both parties in the middle-east conflict as indeed we do from all wars. Once again, this is an example of a viewer having a partisan view that, at some point in time our coverage does not reinforce.

Richard Quest

CNN London

p.s. and no, I am not ashamed of working for CNN - actually I am very proud to be working for a news organisation that spends so much time and money actually getting out there and covering the news.

Sun. 13 Apr. 12:30PM PT

Hi Richard-

Thanks for your reply. I'm glad you loved my letter, because I love responses from teleprompter-readers that presume that they are anything more than just that.

However, I was hoping that you could tell me what you've been keeping from the public; after all you're the one that works for CNN.

Now if the question that you're trying to ask is, 'Why do I think that you've been keeping information from the public?' then I would direct you to Eason Jordan's confession on Friday in the New York Times that he/CNN kept information from the public. I assume that you do know who Eason Jordan is?

And after you remember who Eason Jordan is, then you'll realize that this isn't just ''...an example of a viewer having a partisan view...'' This is an example of a viewer who is furious with your irresponsible journalism, that is predicated merely upon protecting the investment that was made to ''...actually getting out there and covering the news...''

Marc J. Rauch

P.S. The following is my take on the situation:

(I inserted a copy of my essay here- http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=2278&catcode=13)

From: ''Quest, Richard''

To: ''Marc J. Rauch''

Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2003 23:38:58 -0400

At grave risk of continuing this debate just a quick note - I presume my 5 years as a BBC Radio network correspondent and 10 years as the BBC's North America correspondent makes me qualified to be described as a ''teleprompter-readerr'' that ''presumes'' I am more than that.

I see the thousands of wires that pour into our systems, hear the correspondent reports, take part in the editorial meetings - and frankly, I can't see what we are keeping from the public (at least nothing that the public is desperate to knw - those racing results from obscure asian racecourses we tend not to run......nor do we bore the pants of the viewers with the latest Platinum report from the |London market.)....(SNIP)

Click HERE For Complete Article.

[syriacus]

This set off a little back and forth between Richard and me, which I found amazingly condescending.

Good word to describe many who are connected with CNN.

[ClearCase_guy]

I really admire Quest's self-defense. "I'm not a dishonest news flunky who just reads teleprompters for CNN -- I've done it for the BBC for years!"

[Copernicus]

Posted to *CCRM

[Common Tator]

The BBC even calls them news readers.

[ImpotentRage]

The saddest part about the response to Mr. Jordan's "confession" is that there will still be those who watch CNN and believe. Castro must be chuckling.

[The G Man]

The Condescending News Network

NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS!!

[Constitution Day]

If this Richard Quest is who I think he is, he comes off as smarmy & arrogant.

'Condescending' is also applicable.

[BADROTOFINGER]

I REALLY like the end of the article, where Marc compares CNN's 'reporting' to the accounting practices of Enron and Arthur Anderson. I think that 'Enron-style reporting' should possibly earn a place in the FR Lexicon. It is that brilliant of a comparison, in my humble opinion...JFK

[anniegetyourgun]

I can't watch CNN anymore, but if I did, I would only be asking myself, "what did they know, and when did they know it."

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

...I see the thousands of wires that pour into our systems, hear the correspondent reports, take part in the editorial meetings - and frankly, I can't see what we are keeping from the public...

Well we too see the thousands of wires and hear the correspondent's reports. Yet we come to radically different conclusions. Must be something to do with those editorial meetings where they scrub young Richard's tiny brain free of independent thought.

[sarasota]

I no longer watch CNN. Larry King's full hour with Dan Rather did it for me. Elitist and arrogant.

[Kudsman]

I love a good chuckle. Excellent example of how to combat condescending arrogance with sobering candor. I wonder if there was futher response or if Mr. Quest just cut his losses before looking totally goofy?

[syriacus]

Must be something to do with those editorial meetings where they scrub young Richard's tiny brain free of independent thought.

LOL.

[Teacher317]

That tickled my funny bone, too. The writer should ask him what investigative work the teleprompter reader has actually done, and, if he asserts that he has, then ask his methods for such investigative work. He's already showing a condescending attitude and a resistance to views that he does not share... not exactly the "open mind" that honest investigation requires.

[Rockiesrider]

BBC... that says it all. Move alone there's nothing to see here.

[tallhappy]

If this Richard Quest is who I think he is, he comes off as smarmy & arrogant.

Exactly. I was going to use the term defensively smarmy.

And, I saw Eason Jordan on PBS last night and his defense and posture was the exact same as this fellow here. Same smarminess, same arrogance and same talking point spin.

[sauropod]

... And they suffer from a lack of oxygen.

[Exit148]

I don't think Richard Quest realized who he was taking on, when he answered Rauch in such a patronizing way. He bit off more than he could chew!!! LOL!

Peter Collins, the CNN probationer, has added fuel to the outrageous CNN story. I hope more reporters 'out' themselves, and help bring this behavior to the public. CNN's reputation is on the downside -- and it is their own fault.

I hope the negative stories on CNN stay on the front pages and finally get to those supporters who blindly follow them.