CNN Chief Kline Touts Unbiased Coverage

Apparently CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein has gotten a little too close to the problem at CNN to realize that there is one. In an internal memo that was picked up by the TVNewser blog, Klein touts CNN’s unbiased coverage of the news. “CNN is proving that with innovation, execution, and passion, the sky’s the limit,” Klein wrote. “Our deep-seated commitment to independent coverage that is unbiased – without an agenda – is more powerful and popular than the partisan rants that permeate the airwaves.”

As readers of the media watchdog sites will remember, many conservative bloggers including myself, exposed one such time that CNN did not appear so unbiased.

Recall the CNN/YouTube debate on Wednesday, November 28 of last year. During the Anderson Cooper-moderated debate, YouTube user-created video questions were asked for the Republican candidates to respond to. Nearing the end of the debate, one question came from a retired Colonel from the U.S. Army.

Keith Kerr, retired Colonel., U.S. Army; retired Brigadier General, California National Reserve, listed his credentials in his video clip then stated, “And I’m an openly gay man”.

He then asked his question to the candidates, “I want to know why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians.”

Cooper then pointed out that Kerr was actually attending the debate in the audience. “I want to point out the Brigadier General Keith Kerr is here with us tonight,” Cooper said. “I’m glad you’re here.”

What CNN did not report was that Kerr is a member of the LGBT Americans For Hillary Steering Committee Members as reported in a June 27, 2007 press release on Clinton’s campaign page.

Following the conclusion of the debate, Bill Bennett of CNN and Cooper began to hear from viewers that Kerr was indeed affiliated with Clinton. Bennett said, “I’m getting a ton of e-mails saying that this guy who asked the question was part of Hillary Clinton’s gay steering committee. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but if he is, that certainly should have been disclosed…” (Balan, Newsbusters)

Cooper then responded, “Yeah, well no, it’s something we should follow up on, because certainly I had not heard that and had no knowledge of, nor do I think anyone here (did).”

It is intriguing that neither CNN host knew anything about Kerr because he has appeared on CNN criticizing the U.S. Army’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in 2003. On the December 11, 2003 edition of cnn.com, Kerr’s name appears in the very first sentence on a story titled, “Men denounce military’s ‘don’t tell’ policy. The story was based on a television appearance that Kerr made on CNN’s The Flipside show hosted by Kathleen Hays earlier in the day.

Thanks for the read!
Sources: NewsBusters.org, TVNewser, CNN.com