| China demands apology from Cafferty - CNN biz and fin anchor | |
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| Apr 27, 2008 14:58 |   |
 | (CNN) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded Tuesday that CNN's Jack Cafferty apologize for remarks he made last week, in which he called the Chinese "goons and thugs" and said products manufactured in China are "junk." "Cafferty used the microphone in his hands to slander China and the Chinese people (and) seriously violated professional ethics of journalism and human conscience," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. She said Cafferty's remarks "reflected his arrogance, ignorance and hostility towards the Chinese people, ignited indignation of Chinese (at) home and abroad and will be condemned by those who safeguard justice around the world." CNN issued a statement Tuesday saying: "We are aware of concerns about Jack Cafferty's comments related to China in the context of the upcoming Olympics, which were broadcast on The Situation Room on April 9, 2008. "CNN would like to clarify that it was not Mr. Cafferty's, nor CNN's, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and [CNN] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way. "CNN is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion. However, as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate. "On this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people --- a point he subsequently clarified on The Situation Room on April 14. "It should be noted that over many years, Jack Cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments, including the U.S. government and its leaders." Cafferty, who appears daily on CNN's "The Situation Room," made the remarks as host Wolf Blitzer was comparing today's China to that of 20 or 30 years ago. "I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different," Cafferty said. "We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We are also running hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. |
| Apr 27, 2008 14:58 | #1 |
| "So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he said. "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." He issued a clarification of his remarks on Monday's "Situation Room," saying that by "goons and thugs," he meant the Chinese government, not the Chinese people. It was unclear whether China's Foreign Ministry was aware of the clarification when it held the Tuesday news conference. In the days following his remarks, however, the Legal Immigrant Association launched an online petition condemning his statements as "racist" and "despicable" and demanding that CNN discipline Cafferty and apologize to the Chinese people. Nearly 45,000 people had signed it as of Tuesday afternoon. In the petition, the association describes itself as "a leading organization of legal immigrants mainly comprised of people from China." According to its Web site, the nonprofit group is based in Santa Clara, California, and was founded in 2007 as an organization "dedicated to the social well-being of employment-based immigrant professionals." The state-run English-language newspaper China Daily also said in an editorial Tuesday that an apology is called for, calling Cafferty "pathetic" and noting, "it is rare for the world audience to hear such a blatant discrimination against an ethnic group of people with such a derogatory connotation." Others angered by Cafferty's remarks were urging a boycott of CNN's advertisers |
| Apr 27, 2008 15:00 | #2 |
| Comments: Mr. Jack Cafferty is a veteran reporter in Biz and Fin with CNN. However, it's high time Mr. Cafferty get his knowledge updated or refreshed. |
| Apr 27, 2008 22:37 | #3 |
| Mr.Jack Cafferty definitely has a mind of his own and says what he thinks. Yes, he was probably "out of bounds" on remarks about China, but we were all educated to have a negative attitude towards Communism in school years (not good for business, you know). Well, now that we're doing business with China, all that has seemed to change(what are we telling the kids in school now?) The power of big business, hell I don't know, which way is the wind blowing? |
| Apr 28, 2008 03:34 | #4 |
| CNN says: "CNN is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion. However, as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate". There is no way that the use of language like "goons and thugs" is objective. Nor is the phrase "We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs ...". (this is highly emotive language designed to create division) though he does go on to give the reason... the Iraq War (and many other such extravagances over the last few decades). Are Chinese products junk? Perhaps some are, but the American system is based on the concept of the 'market rules' and that means if it is not what the buyers want they will stop buying it....and they haven't. far from it they are demanding ever more! Unfortunately, there is plenty of 'gutter press' (I suppose we should change the phrase to 'gutter media' these days. Likewise the 'freedom of the press' is so often abused. CNN says is seeks to stimulate debate, but this is sort of rubbish doesn't do that, it stimulates hatred. CNN should have condemned his approach, but of course it won't as it will increase ratingsa and profit - and that's all such businesses are interested in. China, on the other hand should learn not to be quite so sensitive (over many issues). China is a 'big boy now'. It doesn't need to be indignant about every perceived insult. |
| Apr 28, 2008 21:40 | #5 |
| ((China, on the other hand should learn not to be quite so sensitive (over many issues). China is a 'big boy now'. It doesn't need to be indignant about every perceived insult.)) Since opening the door to the outside world, China has been growing to be a big boy in every aspect. A seriese of incidents triggerred by the coming 2008 Olympics are vexation accompanied by growth. The prerequisites of doing a job with skill and ease is long term learning. |
| Apr 28, 2008 22:25 | #6 |
| I completely agree with Paul’s response to the initial post. I have nothing to add. Dodger. |
| Apr 28, 2008 22:40 | #7 |
| I understand that there are some countries or poeple have hatred or misunderstanding against China. However, as a reporter, he shouldn't use "goons and thugs" to slander China. It seems that he has no professional ethic at all. BTW, the news said that a lawyer has sued CNN and Cafferty for 1.3 billion dollar as compensation for Chinese people and the federal court has accepted this case. Some Chinese netizens said that Chinese people doesn't need one dollar. What they need is other countries or people's respect. |
| Apr 28, 2008 23:24 | #8 |
| The only problem I have with Paul's opinion is that CNN represent the voice of the left wing liberals in America. CNN is the voice of the pink queens, the Elton’s Jones boy friend and lovers, The liberals from San Francisco, the mentally sick people from Washington state; that think that man animal sexual relations are normal and finally China haters and ignorant of what a great nation China it is. As I see it, CNN and Cafferty is a proof of what is wrong with the left wing liberal culture in the world, and not just in America, CNN do not represent and it is not the voice of the people of America. |
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