In the uproar in China over western media coverage of events in Tibet, CNN continues to be a target for remarks made by commentator Jack Cafferty. The New York Times reports:
China on Tuesday intensified its criticism of the foreign news media’s coverage of the Tibetan crisis by demanding that CNN apologize for sharply critical remarks made last week about the Chinese government by one of its commentators.
Jiang Yu, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, categorized the remarks as a slander against all Chinese people, though CNN later said the criticism by the commentator, Jack Cafferty, reflected his personal opinion and was focused solely on the government.
Yesterday, CNN offered an apology for the remarks, after Cafferty made an on-air “clarification” on Monday of his remarks. According to the transcript of the Situation Room, Cafferty said:
Before we get to the question, a clarification. Last week, during a discussion of the controversy surrounding China’s hosting of the Olympic Games, I said that the Chinese are basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they have been for the last 50 years. I was referring to the Chinese government, and not to Chinese people or to Chinese-Americans.
