My Letter to CNN for Monday's Protest - Regarding SB Liars

[PopSixSquish]

Comments, suggestions, criticsms....

Dear CNN,

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I have been a regular CNN viewer since the First Gulf War in 1991. I have relied on you for news and analysis of many of the major events our country has experienced. I had come to view you as a trusted friend.

So it is with some sadness, that I write this letter. As of today, I no longer watch CNN or any of your affiliates nor do I have your website bookmarked. The reason for this is quite simple.

It has become apparent that CNN now functions solely as a propaganda tool for the White House, the Republican National Committee and the George W. Bush re-election campaign. Your recent biased coverage of John O’Neill and the inappropriately named “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” was the last straw.

Your reporters simply did not do their jobs. I’m a private citizen armed with nothing more than a computer and internet access and I found the following:

• None, I repeat none of the men in the ad or the group served with John Kerry. Some were in Vietnam at the same time and served on the Swift Boats, but again none were on Senator Kerry’s boat
• Louis Letson was not, I repeat, not the doctor who signed Kerry’s Sick Call Sheet
• The public relations firm of Spaeth Communications in Dallas, TX is giving PR help to this group. Spaeth Communications should sound familiar to a political reporter for they participated in 2000 Republican primaries with another inappropriately named group called "Republicans for Clean Air" produced television ads falsely attacking the environmental record of Sen. John McCain in California, New York and Ohio.
• Robert J. Perry who contributed $100,000 to this group has contributed large sums of money to Republican candidates over the years and worked for Karl Rove in Texas.
• And finally John O’Neill himself is veteran of Republican dirty tricks having learned at the feet of President Richard Nixon’s henchman, Charles Colson.

That a “respected” news organization such as CNN would give one minute of airtime to these people denigrates the journalistic profession and more importantly the sacrifice and courage of every Vietnam Veteran and those who names are listed on the Wall.

Now you will certainly read this letter and say, but Lou Dobbs did a piece debunking this group and Aaron Brown refused to even cover the story. Unfortunately, that is not enough

Where are the endless stories, headlines, debating panels of pundits and teasers regarding George W. Bush’s service in the Texas and Alabama Air National Guards? You are aware that not one person can even recall seeing George Bush at that time at the Alabama base. Not one.

If I wanted to watch endless partisan attacks on Democratic candidates and cheerleading for the President, I’d be a Fox News Viewer. However, I am not and as I said now no longer a CNN News viewer either.

Regards,

[Generic Other]

1. This is a great letter

CNN has done such an about face. It seems like it was so much better under Ted Turner's leadership.

[still_one]

2. good for you

I did a similar thing about a week ago. I do not think it will do much good until the fourth estate is not beholding to corporate interests

[Meshuga]

5. I also wrote them...

But I'm affraid it is going to deaf ears. I will do my part. I will have no reason to criticize CNN since I'm not watching their station again.

[Mr_Spock]

3. Excellent letter. I wish I had the control or patience to write to CNN

Unfortunately, I simply don't watch any more at all. I used to watch Aaron and Lou, but I am just so fed up with the intellectual laziness of these cable channels that I just don't bother any more. I get ALL of my news from DU "Latest Breaking News" and Boston.com. All the rest have given in to the tabloid temptation and are susceptible therefor to suggestion by Rove-Co.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. That is a fine letter--

literate, studded with specific points, and very clear. I suggest you re-work it into a letter to the editor of your nearest big paper, and maybe even send it out to a bunch of them.

[benddem]

6. I sent a similar one

directly to Chris Matthews. You can get all the newspeoples email or mail addresses at <http://capwiz.com/congressorg/dbq/media/>
I'm not letting these people get away with this junk anymore. I write to all of them.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. bigannie, that site is a goldmine!!! Just type in the last name...

of any media person, and their email comes up! Also, officials! That should appear on the DU homepage, IMO. Maybe I'll try to suggest if to admins. Wow! Thank you!

[molly]

8. Awesome letter - to the point and strong.

:yourock:

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Excellent letter!

[zuzu98]

10. Nice letter. n/t

[Karenina]

11. Great letter!

I fully support the "blitz" on Monday. However, bits and bytes over cables and satellites do not have the gravitas of thousands of human beings standing in front of *corporate media offices carrying signs that say "LIARS!" or hundreds of patriots who make it their business, every time the trucks roll out to report on a treed cat, to challenge the hairbrushed, botoxed pod people masquerading as "reporters."