China Demands Apology From CNN

(AP)  China demanded an apology from CNN on Tuesday after network commentator Jack Cafferty called the country's leaders a "bunch of goons and thugs" and said its products were "junk."

It was the latest flare-up after Beijing accused Western media of bias in its reporting following violent protests in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa last month. U.S.-based CNN has been singled out by Chinese who say overseas news outlets are smearing China.

The comments reflect Cafferty's "ignorance and ... hostility" toward China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

"We are shocked and strongly condemn the vicious remarks by Cafferty," ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said. "We solemnly request CNN and Cafferty himself take back the malicious remarks and apologize to the Chinese people."

The famously curmudgeonly Cafferty made the remarks during an appearance on "The Situation Room" that aired April 9, according to a transcript posted on the CNN Web site.

He was speaking about the U.S. trade deficit with China when he said, according to the transcript, "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."

"So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he continued. "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

Network spokeswoman Edie Emery at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, responded to a request for comment by pointing out a clarification Cafferty made Monday on "The Situation Room."

On his comment about the goons and thugs, "I was referring to the Chinese government, and not to Chinese people or to Chinese-Americans," he said on the program.

A CNN spokesman in Hong Kong said in an e-mail he did not have immediate comment on the Foreign Ministry's demand for an apology.

Chinese at home and abroad have denounced Western media for what it said was slanted reports about the unrest in Tibet. They say the news outlets have unjustly criticized Beijing in its crackdown, ignoring the region's history of feudalism under the Dalai Lama and its economic development under communist rule.

Numerous Web postings, YouTube videos and Facebook groups have criticized the Tibet news coverage, including a Web site called anti-cnn.com, which was set up especially to point out alleged media bias.

[sophists]

wake up americans..you and your government have displayed nothing but ignorance and hypocrisy..where do you think your CIA agents are busy working these days? They are engaged in instigating and sustaining the Tibetain riots through bribes and threats as they did in Iran in the fifties, Panama when they wanted to establish the canal zone, Guatemala when they overthrew Arbenz...you think your government really gives a *** about the plight of poor Tibetans? where were they before the Olympics? Did Pelosi even know who the Dalai Lama is until a few months ago? Everything the American government does is driven by ulterior motives, it is threatened by the surging of the Chinese economy and perceives it as the new "Cold War" enemy...Don''t talk about human rights and freedom and liberty when Guantanamo Bay remains, when colored people still strive for the same rights in the "country of freedom", when Iraqis are kept in the heist of war so that their oil among other natural resources can be usurped by the greedy american corporatocracy..

[jjyyww]

Why don''''t you just tell me what FACTS you have that the Dalai Lama has harmed anything? I''''m not buying ANY PROPAGANDA you are selling. You TELL me, What has he done wrong? So far, nothing but Communist propaganda.

Posted by leftyintexas at 03:36 PM : Apr 17, 2008

Why everything you said are true, everything you disagreed are propaganda? You act liking a real communist.

[jjyyww]

Communism is dying. Its days are numbered.

Posted by Keithle1 at 04:45 AM : Ap

Communism has deaded. China is a capitalism, Even the the Communist Party Leaders do not talk about communism anymore. Everybody talks about money and the social welfare system is even worse than USA''s. The number of times I heard the name "Communism" one day in US media are more than one month in Chinese media.

[leftyintexas]

I am sorry to shake your illusion again. Watch the 3 part video clip "Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden" on youtube, and you will know why people say "His smiles charm and his actions harm".

Posted by MoonFace6 at 05:40 PM : Apr 16, 2008

Why don''t you just tell me what FACTS you have that the Dalai Lama has harmed anything? I''m not buying ANY PROPAGANDA you are selling. You TELL me, What has he done wrong? So far, nothing but Communist propaganda.

[keithle1]

If they''re not "goons and thugs" then anyone who wants to protest will be allowed to do so during the Olympics. Chinese people are free to say anything to anyone? Police won''t care? No one will get beaten up or locked up in the basement somewhere?

No one is moving to China to live. USA has to put up huge fences to stop people getting in. We must be doing something right.

Communism is dying. Its days are numbered. There is no future in Communism. No one with a brain takes it seriously.

[fjinnw]

You country in a stupid mess and you blame China for it.

[mybfw]

To MoonFace6,

"Don''''t give groundless ***. Give facts!!!"

-- Give up man. They do not need it at all.
-- Here is why (take it as a joke):

Human right fighters are just like some well designed but incomplete colons of other good human beings (droids). Their program is not complete (it never meant be) and they only react to the magic phrase, human rights. They are only programmed to one function, i.e., to hate "human right offenders" without the need to understand the complete meaning of "human rights". When their operator (the media specifically) tells them somebody is the worst human right offender (no solid prove needed), they react as what they are programmed for. The first step would be bashing and smearing. The second step, when their operator tells them it is time, would be really going in and help at all costs (at the others of course). The good example is Iraq where they helped 500,000 civilians (a lot of them children) to gain freedom by sending them to the heaven with bombs. Of course, they do not mind being rewarded modestly with the whole Iraqi oil reserve as a compansation to their heroic "sacrifices". As for Tibet, time is not now yet though the cost of 14 people''s lives is already spent.

No offence, Americans. If you are offended, it certainly was not my intention hurt you. By the way, I learnt this from CNN.

[thomas22ee]

To the IOC: How much was the kick-back for awarding the olympic games to China? Is anyone in the Free world really interested in the venue? Will the chinese win any medals?

[mybfw]

To cultusdeus:

"Your government kills people who believe in something different than they do. And you and your government wonder why people around the world are upset and dislike you? Please, honestly is murdering people who think differently the best way to win friends?"

--- I was not preparing to post but I have to say I can not refrain myself from doing so after seeing your comments. I lived in China for the first 30 years and lived in Canada for 12 years. I did see the Chinese government opressing people (myself and my family a victim too). But I have yet to see a single instance when it committed the kind of killing you said, except when the 1950 violent uprising of course. I guess your exile Tibetan friends told you many cases. But I have yet to see a single picture or video compared to the 4 young girls who were burnt to death publicly. And I have yet to see you even show some sympathy to them. So this is a good way to make friends?

[mybfw]

"Everything the america did, was for themselves. They did for their own good, and they will tell the world they are saving the world. They go to war for what, money, oil, others countries land. China has been here for how many thousand year, you think " there would be no China today." that easy?"
--- It might got you by surprise. We actually did thank the Americans for their support in WWII even though you are not the biggest supporter (I will give this to the Soviet Union). If you go to China and asking people like my age, 35+, almost everybody knows General "Chan Nade" (unfortunately, I do not know his Enlish name) of the US airforce and General Stevey. We are all actually gratefull for their help. As the part, there would be no China, I simply can not agree with you. I may say that without China holding off 1 million Janpanese Army, the outcome of the war might not be what it is today. I may also say that without the Soviet Union, there is probably no Europe and maybe not even a USA. The American''s problem is that they only remembers two things: 1. They did somebody a favor, they remember it all the time and they think they have the right to demand the helped be permanently gratfull to them no matter what the the USA do to them. 2. Somebody (like Al Quada) hurt them, they then play as the most innocent victims and demand the whole world to side with them. Anything they do to hurt others they just easily forget about it. Sadly.