Larry Kudlow [1] makes note of how strong Blogdom has become, and uses the Jordan story as a point of proof. He apparently had three Senators on K&C last week.
The senators were simply furious at the story, with each expressing anger at Jordan’s liberal anti-U.S.-military bias. Sessions pointed out that episodes like this show why the mainstream media has lost so much credibility in recent years. Coleman was not ready to open up an investigation, but he indicated the matter was worth looking into. Allen was strong in the defense of both the moral character and visionary mission of our troops in Iraq.
Importantly, each was aware of the story.
This tawdry tale has been reported, for the most part, only on the blogosphere, again pointing out just how strong this alternative Internet medium has become. The blogosphere is relentless: It rightfully hammered Eason Jordan and CNN from day one and refuses to stop. We’ve seen this before, of course. Easongate comes only a few months after Rathergate, the blogosphere-led campaign that ensured the dismissal of producer Mary Mapes from CBS and Dan Rather’s hasty departure.
The blogosphere has gained near immediate influence and credibility with its ability to widely disseminate alternative media coverage. (These days, “alternative” more often than not means “true.”) Powerhouse bloggers such as John Hinderaker, Glenn Reynolds, and Hugh Hewitt, among many others, have flexed their muscles and badly bruised CNN on this story.
Besides the obvious anti-military bias, Jordan’s comments were incredibly arrogant and cynical. And, yes, I believe his remarks border on wartime treason, since they so clearly give aid and comfort to our terrorist enemies as well as anti-American Arab militants throughout the Middle East. Remember, this is the same Eason Jordan of CNN who made a deal with Saddam Hussein and his regime to not report atrocities in Iraq in exchange for keeping a CNN news base in Baghdad.
He’s right of course… the MSM tried to bury the story and instead coughed up Jeff Gannon.
That the Jordan story wouldn’t die, despite CNN’s desperate efforts to kill it off and obscure it… by such nonsense as Gannon, for example… and in fact that Washngton insiders knew about it, again, in spite of those MSM efforts to get it out of the sunshine, shows clearly the weight that the Pajama People already carred at that point. And the public’s perception of the prevailing attitude within the MSM, are in fact bolstered by elements of the Eason comments and the remainder of the MSM springing to his defense.
All of which makes the Bloggers more powerful, yet.
The odd part is, the MSM dug their own grave on this.