CNN controversies

Infobox Network
network_name = Cable News Network
branding = CNN
headquarters = flagicon|United States Atlanta, Georgia, United Statescountry = flagicon|United States United States, flagicon|Canada Canada
network_type = Cable television network
slogan = "The Most Trusted Name in News"
available = flagicon|United States United States, worldwide (via CNN International), Canada, online (via CNN Pipeline), radio (news reports on the half hour)
owner = Turner Broadcasting (Time Warner)
launch_date = June 1, 1980
founder = Ted Turner
key_people = Reese Schonfeld
website = [http://www.cnn.com/ www.cnn.com]

CNN has been the subject of several controversies. These refer to both the domestic version of CNN and CNN International. The network has come under criticism by conservatives claiming it has a liberal bias and, to a lesser extent, by liberals claiming it has a conservative bias.

Accusations of bias

Some conservative observers have claimed that CNN has liberal bias. Critics, such as Accuracy in Media and MRC, have claimed that CNN's reporting contains liberal editorializing within news stories. Former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and MRC founder Brent Bozell, among others, have referred to CNN as the "Clinton News Network". [ [http://www.mediaresearch.org/press/2003/press20030221.asp "Bozell Rips ABC News for Tapping Clinton Crony to Direct its Already Hostile War Coverage"] , Media Research Center, February 21, 2003] DeLay has also called it the "Communist News Network". [ [http://commondreams.org/headlines01/0805-04.htm CNN Chief Courts GOP] ] In its early days, CNN was sometimes referred to as "Chicken Noodle News". [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3613/is_200103/ai_n8937916 "Chicken noodle news"?" Hickey, Neil, Columbia Journalism Review, Mar/Apr 2001] ]

Some liberal observers have claimed that CNN has a conservative bias. For example, Media Matters for America has documented several hundred separate instances of what it sees as conservative editorializing during CNN broadcasts. [ [http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/outlets/cnn Media Matters for America Results: Tagged with CNN] , Media Matters for America] Eric Alterman has noted that many critics on the left view CNN as no more or less biased than most other corporate-run journalism, supporting business interests of its parent company and sponsors, and refusing to question official sources or present perspectives of leftist critics. [Eric Alterman, What Liberal Media? (New York: Basic Books, 2003)]

Gulf War

During the Gulf War, CNN was criticized for excessively pushing 'human interest' stories and avoiding depictions of violent images; the result of all this being an alleged 'propagandistic' presentation of news. [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_6_25/ai_105777529] A report by FAIR quotes an unnamed CNN reporter as describing "the 'sweet beautiful sight' of bombers taking off from Saudi Arabia." [ [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1518 "Gulf War Coverage"] , Jim Naureckas, FAIR, 1991]

Operation Tailwind

In 1998, CNN, in partnership with corporate sister "Time" magazine, ran a report that Operation Tailwind in 1970 in Vietnam included use of Sarin gas to kill a group of defectors from the United States military. The Pentagon denied the story. Skeptics deemed it improbable that such an extraordinary and risky atrocity could have gone unnoticed at the height of the Vietnam War's unpopularity. CNN, after a two-week inquiry, issued a retraction. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/US/9807/02/tailwind.johnson/ "CNN retracts Tailwind coverage"] , CNN.com, July 2, 1998] . The story's producers, April Oliver and Jack Smith, were summarily fired. April Oliver has been highly critical of CNN's handling of the story, saying that CNN bowed to pressure from high-ranking officials to kill the story. ["Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press", Kristina Borjesson, 2002]

2008 unrest in Tibet

During the 2008 unrest in Tibet, the China Daily newspaper reported that there has been bias in Western media's coverage of the rioting in Tibet, especially in the captioning and cropping of images, and mis-referencing photos from unrelated instances or other countries. The article stated that Chinese netizens were angered by what they saw biased and sometimes dishonest reporting by Western media. [cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-03/22/content_6557738.htm|title=Lhasa riot reports show media bias in West|publisher=China Daily|date=2008-03-22|accessdate=2008-03-23] CNN's John Vause, who reported this story, responded the criticism as "...technically it was impossible to include the crashed car on the left..." [ [http://www.ibnlive.com/news/china-bars-foreign-journalists-tourists-from-tibet/61684-2.html China bars foreign journalists, tourists from Tibet ] ]

Allegations of leniency towards the Bush administration

After 9/11

Amongst the criticisms levied against CNN, as well as the other major US news channels, is the charge that CNN took a lenient approach to the Bush administration, particularly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. At the 2002 Newsworld Asia conference held in Singapore, Rena Golden, the executive vice-president and general manager of CNN International, was quoted as saying: "Anyone who claims the US media didn’t censor itself is kidding you. It wasn’t a matter of government pressure but a reluctance to criticize anything in a war that was obviously supported by the vast majority of the people. And this isn’t just a CNN issue — every journalist who was in any way involved in 9/11 is partly responsible." [http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/cnn-war.htm]

Invasion of Iraq

Critics take particularly strong exception to the handling of the Bush administration's rhetoric leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. CNN’s own veteran reporter Christiane Amanpour characterized the behavior of the news media as "self-muzzling" and as "cheerleaders for the Bush war drive against Iraq". [ [http://www.socialistworker.org/2003-2/470/470_09_MediaMuzzle.shtml "How the media sold Bush’s war"] , Lance Selfa "Socialist Worker Online", October 3, 2003] An editorial in the German publication Süddeutsche Zeitung compared CNN war coverage to "live coverage of the Super Bowl", and the Qatar based Al Jazeera has criticized CNN for portraying US soldiers as heroes. [ [http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/MiddleEast/Iraq/PostWar/Media.asp?p=1 "Media Reporting, Journalism and Propaganda", Anup Shah, August 1, 2007] ]

Paula Zahn "sexy" promo

On the weekend before the premiere of "American Morning" with Paula Zahn in January 2002, CNN aired an advertisement for "American Morning" which called Zahn "sexy" and paired the adjective with a "needle pulled off record" sound effect which some interpreted to be a zipper opening. The ad was quickly pulled after the network received significant criticism for what was considered an undignified and sexist portrayal of a serious journalist. CNN attributed the ad's content to a lack of oversight and apologized to Zahn. [ [http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271%7C72936%7C1%7C,00.html "CNN Pulls Promo Calling Paula Zahn 'Sexy'"] , Zap2It, January 6, 2002]

Jon Stewart accuses "Crossfire" of "partisan hackery"

On Friday October 15, 2004, Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" host and comedian Jon Stewart created controversy when he berated hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala on CNN's political debate show "Crossfire". He accused both commentators of 'partisan hackery' and claimed that their style of discourse had been 'hurting America'.

Jon Stewart made a number of points, major among these include the theater and absurdity of cable news, dishonest 'debate' where eloquence and persuasion are more important than finding the truth, and the use of the media as part of politicians' strategy.

In early 2005 CNN cancelled "Crossfire"; the legitimacy behind Jon Stewart's argument was cited by CNN president Jonathan Klein as one of the reasons behind the cancellation. [http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/242842p-208140c.html] [http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050106-4509.html]

Robert Novak curses and walks off set

On August 4, 2005, CNN contributor Robert Novak walked off the set during a live broadcast of the CNN show Inside Politics, on which he appeared along with Democratic strategist and analyst James Carville and moderator Ed Henry.

During a discussion of Republican representative Katherine Harris's just-announced 2006 campaign for the U.S. Senate and her claim that newspapers tried to tarnish her image by manipulating photos of her, Novak claimed he had experienced the same thing leading to a skeptical response from Carville. Novak responded by saying "don't be too sure she's going to lose...all the establishment's against her and I've seen these Republican – anti-establishment candidates who do pretty well." Novak mentioned Ronald Reagan and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) before seeing Carville preparing to talk. Novak cut into his comments and said "Just let me finish what I'm going to say, James. Please, I know you hate to hear me, but you have..." Carville cut in and said that Novak has "got to show these right-wingers that he's got backbone, you know. It's why The Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching you. Show 'em you're tough."

Novak responded "Well, I think that's bullshit. And I hate that. Just let it go." Novak then removed his microphone and walked off the set.

After the segment ended, Henry apologized to viewers for Novak's leaving the set "a little early,". "I had told him in advance that we were going to ask him about the CIA leak case. He was not here for me to be able to ask him about that. Hopefully, we'll be able to ask him about that in the future."

On December 16, 2005, CNN's main competitor, Fox News Channel announced that Novak had signed a deal to do undisclosed work for the network. Novak stated that he would have left CNN even if his August incident didn't happen. He announced his retirement from CNN a week later saying his tenure at CNN lasted longer than most marriages. He now contributes to Fox News.

=Broadcast of insurgent-made video clip= In October 2006, CNN broadcast excerpts of a video filmed by Iraqi insurgents showing attacks on U.S. soldiers. [cite web | title= Video Shows Snipers' Chilling Work in Iraq | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/10/19/iraq.sniper.video/index.html | accessdate=October 20 | accessyear=2006 ] White House spokesman Tony Snow during a press conference commented on CNN's broadcast, describing the video as being part of insurgent propaganda and noted that "I'm sure the editors are savvy enough to know that when they get a video like this, it's designed less to give you a full and complete view of what's going on in the country than to create a sense of triumphalism for the killers of Americans. That's the intention of that. I think that's hard to dispute." [cite web | title=Press Briefing by Tony Snow : 10/20/2006 | url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061020-5.html | accessdate=October 20 | accessyear=2006 ] Representative Duncan Hunter asked the Pentagon to remove embedded CNN reporters, claiming that "CNN has now served as the publicist for an enemy propaganda film featuring the killing of an American soldier." [cite web | title=House Defense Chair Asks Pentagon to Remove Embedded CNN Reporters | url=http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=5569487 | accessdate=October 21 | accessyear=2006 ]

Jeffrey Dvorkin, executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists called the CNN reporting an "important journalistic job", saying it is important for Americans to have a clear idea of what the military was going through in Iraq. [cite news | title = CNN blasted, praised over sniper video | publisher = San-Diego Union-Tribune | date = 2006-10-21 | first = Steve | last = Schmidt | url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/20061021-9999-1n21tape.html | accessdate = 2007-05-11]

2008 South Ossetian Conflict

During the 2008 South Ossetia War, Russia Today accused CNN of distorting its coverage of the conflict by showing photos of destruction in Tskhinvali (which had been attacked by Georgia) during a segment about Russian attacks on Georgian cities. [cite web | title=CNN use footage of Tskhinvali ruins to cover Georgian report | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVNblG9PJMk | accessdate=August 14 | accessyear=2008 ] CNN defended their general coverage of the war against allegations of bias, but did not address the specific claim." [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990468.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 Russia claims media bias] ," "Variety", 2008-08-12.]

Executives

Eason Jordan

Admits lobbying and minimizing atrocities

In April 2003, Eason Jordan, CNN's chief news executive, wrote an op-ed in the "New York Times" stating that he had lobbied the Iraqi government for 12 years in order to maintain a CNN presence in Iraq. He also admitted to withholding what would be considered newsworthy information of the government's atrocities, citing fears that releasing news would potentially endanger the lives of Iraqis working for CNN in Baghdad, some of whom had already been subject to beatings and torture. [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C16FD3C5F0C728DDDAD0894DB404482]

Resignation after accusations by blogger

In February 2005, Jordan resigned from CNN. The resignation came in response to controversy sparked after bloggers wrote that, at the recent World Economic Forum, Jordan had seemed to accuse the U.S. military of having purposely killed journalists. While Jordan acknowledged his remarks were not sufficiently clear, he denied that this was what he had meant to imply, saying that he had "great admiration and respect for the men and women of the U.S. armed forces." [ [http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/11/easonjordan.cnn/ "CNN executive resigns after controversial remarks"] , CNN.com, February 11, 2005]

=Rick Kaplan=
Rick Kaplan served as president of CNN from 1997 to 2000. He is a personal friend, since 1977, of Bill Clinton, who was President of the United States during Kaplan's tenure. According to the Media Research Center, Kaplan's friendship, and political affinity, with Clinton affected the way the network covered the Monica Lewinsky scandal: "As the Lewinsky scandal broke, Kaplan leapt into action at CNN with two-hour specials attacking any and all Clinton critics. The programs included 'Media Madness,' which asked 'what the hell are you people doing' probing Bill Clinton’s sex life?; and 'Investigating the Investigator,' which described Ken Starr as 'suspect' over his 'religious and Republican roots.'" [ [http://www.mediaresearch.org/realitycheck/2003/fax[phone].asp "Bill Clinton Lapdog Is Now ABC’s Top Dog"] , Tim Graham, Media Research Center, June 10, 2003] Conservative commentator John Fund wrote that "During Mr. Kaplan's CNN tenure, there were no obvious examples of his coming to Mr. Clinton's aid," but that CNN's "executives create a perception problem when they hobnob with politicians." [ [http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=65000200 "Too Close for Comfort"] , John Fund, "John Fund on the Trail", August 31, 2000]

Individual commentators

Christiane Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour, a CNN reporter since 1983, has been accused of "advocacy journalism", or injecting opinion into what should be straight reporting, in her reports from various war zones. During the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a group of veterans calling themselves Americans from World War II placed an advertisement in "The Washington Times" which accused Amanpour of heavily pro-Bosnian reporting, including incorrectly describing a photo of Serbs mutilated by Croatian forces as having been of the victims of Serbs. [ [http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/A3540_0_2_0_C/ More Criticism of CNN] , Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid, Accuracy in Media, August 12, 1998]

In May 2006, Amanpour said, in an interview on "Larry King Live", "the war in Iraq has basically turned out to be a disaster." Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized this statement, saying "reporters are supposed to report, analysts are supposed to analyze." [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183441,00.html "The O'Reilly Factor" transcript, February 1, 2006] ] In August 2007, CNN ran a documentary, "God's Warriors", that Amanpour hosted and produced; the documentary was criticized by some for treating fundamentalist Jews and Christians much more harshly than fundamentalist Muslims. Pro-Israel media watchdog group CAMERA stated that "there was a noticeably gentler and more cordial tone toward Muslim extremists in contrast to the often snide and hectoring tone displayed toward pro-Israel Americans and Israeli settlers." [ [http://camera.org/index.asp?x_context=3&x_outlet=14&x_article=1358 "God's Muslim Warriors — CNN's Double Standard"] , "CAMERA", August 24, 2007] CAMERA president Andrea Levin wrote that the documentary's chapter on fundamentalist and Zionist Jews was "the most poisonously biased and factually shoddy feature to air on mainstream American television in recent memory." [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1188392492676&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull "Poisonously biased"] , Andrea Levin, "The Jerusalem Post", August 29, 2007]

Glenn Beck

In January 2006, Ken Jautz, president of CNN Headline News, hired conservative talk radio host Glenn Beck, giving him a primetime show which premiered May 8, 2006. Jautz stated that Beck was "cordial," and that his radio show was "conversational, not confrontational." [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117936232?categoryid=1238&cs=1&s=h&p=0 "CNN names new headliner"] , "Variety", January 17, 2006] However, Media Matters for America and FAIR have reported that Beck had a history of controversial statements made on his radio show, including calling Jimmy Carter a "waste of skin", [ [http://mediamatters.org/items/200602090005] , February 9, 2006] calling the people who stayed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina "scumbags", [ [http://mediamatters.org/items/200509090003] , September 9, 2005] hoping for the deaths of Dennis Kucinich and Michael Moore, [ [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2803 CNN's "Cordial" Hire] , January 8, 2006] and telling a caller who claimed to have tortured foreign prisoners for the U.S. military, "I appreciate your service". [ [http://mediamatters.org/items/200510070011] , October 7, 2005]

Wolf Blitzer

CNN personality Wolf Blitzer has achieved notoriety for some statements made on air. In September 2005, during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Blitzer said of those remaining in New Orleans, "so many of these people, almost all of them that we see, are so poor and they are so black." [ [http://newsbusters.org/node/841 CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Katrina's Victims: "They Are So Black."] , Dave Pierre, Newsbusters, September 2, 2005]

Jack Cafferty

In March 2004, Jack Cafferty received FAIR's "Outfoxing FOX Prize" for his comment about the soon-to-launch Air America Radio network, which he referred to as a "Communist radio network". [ [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2438 "Announcing the P.U.-litzer Prizes for 2004"] , Norman Solomon, FAIR, December 17, 2004] In May 2006, Media Research Center's Newbusters described an "outraged" Cafferty as "ranting" that Senator Arlen Specter, in standing against government wiretapping, "might be all that’s standing between us and a full-blown dictatorship in this country." [ [http://www.newsbusters.org/node/5323 Jack Cafferty's Words of "Wisdom": Specter Preventing Bush "Dictatorship"] , NewsBusters, May 11, 2006] In November 2006, Newsbusters reported that Cafferty referred to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as a "war criminal", a statement for which he apologized several hours later. According to Newsbusters, Cafferty's comment proved that he had "morphed into a complete Daily Kos/left wing clone." [ [http://newsbusters.org/node/8879 "CNN Host Smears Rumsfeld as ‘an Obnoxious Jerk and a War Criminal’"] , NewsBusters, November 6, 2006]

On the April 9, 2008 edition of CNN's "The Situation Room," Cafferty remarked, "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years" and the United States imported Chinese-made "junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food." China's Foreign Ministry demanded an apology, and lawsuits have been filed against Cafferty in Beijing. [ [http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080424/cnn-time-warner-lawsuit-china-media.htm www.ibtimes.com, CNN Faces $1.3 Bln Lawsuit - $1 per person in China] ] [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSPEK30866720080424 reuters.com, CNN now sued for $1.3 billion - $1 per person in China] ] Hundreds of Chinese-Americans held a protest on April 26, 2008 in front of CNN headquarters in Atlanta. [ [http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/04/26/chinese_0427.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13 Chinese protest CNN comementator's critical comments] ]

Lou Dobbs

In 2000, business news reporter Lou Dobbs left CNN, reportedly due to heated clashes with then-president Rick Kaplan over programming priorities and questions about Kaplan's political objectivity. [ [http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=Nationarchive200009NAT20000830a.html "CNN's Ousted Kaplan Called 'Talented Man' ... But ..."] , Jim Burns, CNSNews.com, August 30, 2000] Dobbs returned the following year at the behest of CNN founder Ted Turner. Since returning, Dobbs has continuously railed against illegal immigration, offshoring, globalization, and free trade in his "War on the Middle Class" and "Broken Borders" segments. Journalist Kurt Andersen criticized CNN for allowing Dobbs' program, "Lou Dobbs Tonight", to become "an amazingly tendentious nightly CNN 'news' program that goes well beyond the line-blurring that Fox pioneered." Andersen wrote, "On CNN.com his show is listed under News, not Interview and Debate... Yet when it comes to his pet issues, which get major play, interlarded among more or less straight stories, he unapologetically slants things." [ [http://nymag.com/news/imperialcity/24761/ "The Lou Dobbs Factor"] , Kurt Andersen, "New York Magazine", December 4, 2006]

Technical issues

Obama/Osama name slip

On January 1, 2007, CNN used the name of US Senator Barack Obama as a caption on a story about Osama Bin Laden. During Wolf Blitzer's "The Situation Room" program, an advertisement for an upcoming news feature on the whereabouts of Bin Laden carried the caption "Where's Obama?" over images of the al-Qaeda leader. CNN later apologized for what they described as "a very bad typographical error." Blitzer himself apologised on the air for the slip. "I'm going to be making a call to him later this morning to offer my personal apology," he said. [cite web | title=CNN apology over Obama name slip | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6229649.stm | accessdate=February 15 | accessyear=2007 ]

Large "X" over Cheney's face

On Monday November 21, 2005, CNN flashed a large "X" over Vice President Dick Cheney's face during a speech that aired live on CNN. CNN apologized and said the X appeared due to a technical glitch and no human error was involved. Conservative writer Michelle Malkin, in response to mail from readers with broadcasting experience, wrote that she was convinced it was just a mistake. [ [http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003970.htm "CNN’S X-MEN…UPDATE: IT WAS JUST A GLITCH…OR NOT?"] , November 22, 2005] According to "The New York Post", CNN later fired one of its switchboard operators over a telephone call during which the operator "lost his temper and expressed his personal views" of the incident to a caller. [ [http://pqarchiver.nypost.com/nypost/access/933544851.html?dids=933544851:933544851&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+29%2C+2005&author=DEBORAH+ORIN+Bureau+Chief&pub=New+York+Post&edition=&startpage=020&desc=RUDE+OPERATOR+AXED+IN+NEW+CNN+%27X%27+FLAP RUDE OPERATOR AXED IN NEW CNN 'X' FLAP] ]

Temporary ban from Iran for mistranslation

In January 2006, CNN was banned in Iran as an expression of condemnation when CNN mistranslated a live broadcast of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the translation, CNN quoted Ahmedinejad as saying "the use of nuclear weapons is Iran's right." According to a release from the Iranian government, the president said "Iran has the right to nuclear energy." and went on to say "a nation that has civilization does not need nuclear weapons and our nation does not need them." The ban was lifted a day later after CNN issued an official apology for the mistranslation. [ [http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2006/01/16/afx2453094.html "CNN 'very disappointed' at being banned from Iran"] , AFX News Limited, January 16, 2006]

WWE

In November 2007, CNN aired "Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling", a one-hour investigative report. The report included footage from an interview with pro wrestler John Cena regarding steroids. According to World Wrestling Entertainment and Cena, CNN edited Cena's responses to make it seem as if he did not deny using steroids, while leaving room open for doubt that he did. His answer to the CNN interviewer's initial query of "Have you ever taken steroids?" was, "Absolutely not." Instead, CNN edited in a more detailed answer Cena had provided several minutes later during the same interview. Cena and the WWE demanded an apology from CNN. In response to their complaint, CNN issued this statement: "CNN felt that Mr. Cena's statement in the interview: "My answer to that question 'have you ever used steroids' is -- the only thing I can say -- I can't tell you that I haven't, but you'll never be able to prove that I have" was a more expansive and complete answer -- and that's why we used it in the first run of the program. And we stand by that decision. But, we added the other quote on the Sunday replay where Mr. Cena first denied using steroids. We did this because of his complaint and the attention it received so that viewers could see how he said it both times." [ [http://www.wwe.com/inside/cenaoncnnvideo/ WWE: Inside WWE > Cena: Steroids? Absolutely not ] ] [ [http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/noapology WWE: Inside WWE > News > CNN to WWE: No Apology ] ]

Keith Kerr

On November 28, 2007, Keith Kerr, a retired US Army Colonel and retired Brigadier General of the California State Military Reserve, was selected by CNN to ask a question at the Republican Presidential "YouTube Debate". Five months earlier, Kerr was listed on a Hillary Clinton press release as a member of the Steering Committee of the "LGBT Americans For Hillary" [ [http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=2196 Clinton Campaign Announces Launch Of LGBT Americans For Hillary Steering Committee - hillaryclinton.com - June 27, 2007] ] Kerr's question generated criticism of CNN for not disclosing Kerr's Clinton ties. CNN said it was unaware of the connection at the time and had paid Kerr's traveling expenses to the debate. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313681,00.html Democratic Backers Question GOP Candidates in YouTube Debate - Foxnews.com - November 29, 2007] ] Kerr said that his appearance was a personal initiative and not coordinated with the Clinton campaign. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/politics/30repubs.html Gay Question Puts CNN on Defensive - New York Times - November 30, 2007] ] .

ee also

*24-hour news cycle

References

* [http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2652831 Jon Stewart on CNN] on ifilm.com.