Island Dave's View

CNN reporter Kelli Arena, appearing on Wolf Blitzer, offered the following bit of conservative slander last night:

But there is some speculation that al Qaeda believes it has a better chance of winning in Iraq if John Kerry is in the White House.

Thanks to Atrios for breaking this story, and starting a firestorm of complaints to CNN.

Here is my email, sent to a couple dozen individuals and show accounts at the network:

Kelli Arena was quoted on Wolf Blitzer as saying "But there is some speculation that AL Qaeda believes it has a better chance of winning in Iraq if John Kerry is in the White House."

Where are the journalistic standards that used to be the hallmark of this network? Speculation is not a source for journalists, it is a source for gossip columnists. How dare CNN broadcast such a blatantly biased piece of disinformation?

With such a low standard for your reporters, they could make any number of wild "speculations" part of their everyday dialog. Who is the source of the "speculation?" Why was such a speculation made in the first place? Who are the experts she used to back up her accusations?

Not only is this an amateurish statement, it runs directly contrary to a piece aired by Fox News which put Al Qaeda on record as having endorsed Mr. Bush. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,114489,00.html

Statements such as those made by Arena show a lack of any journalistic integrity. If making such a "speculation," she owes it to the audience to mention that there are many speculations which proclaim the opposite conclusion.

Here is a bit of "speculation" for you:
There is speculation that CNN anchors, editors, and reporters have been forced by White House officials to disseminate disinformation which runs contrary to the public right to know and which is not in the interest of the public good.
Please demand a mea culpa and on-air apology to Mr. Kerry for leading the viewer to wonder if "a vote for Kerry is a victory for Al Qaeda." Such biased accusations are the true Al Qaeda victories because they damage the chance of any honest dialog about issues facing our nation.

I will no longer be watching your network. This is unfortunate for me because I had considered CNN the last bastion of fair media on television. Regrettably, it seems I was wrong.

Disgusted,

Dave