This Might Be Scandalous If Anyone Watched CNN

Remember that massive media orgasm recently about the phone hacking involving some of Rupert Murdoch's news organizations? The feeding frenzy seems have have tempered somewhat since the climate of hate fostered by Murdoch foes resulted in his being physically attacked by some leftwing wacko while testifying before Parliament.

But while the hubbub here in the United States may have died down as we watch Barack Obama melt down over his debt mess, over in the UK it appears the scandal may be spreading to another news organization, which just happens to be the one formerly run by CNN's Piers Morgan.

Piers Morgan is facing questions on both sides of the Atlantic as a former employee claimed that phone hacking had taken place while he was editor of the Daily Mirror.

The CNN presenter has repeatedly denied allegations made in both the British and US media that he presided over a culture of illegal activity during his nine-year stint at the paper.

James Hipwell, a former Daily Mirror journalist, claimed on Saturday that phone hacking was "endemic" under Mr Morgan's editorship and that he would be prepared to testify to the judicial inquiry into the scandal.

"Piers was extremely hands-on as an editor. He was on the [newsroom] floor every day, walking up and down behind journalists, looking over their shoulders. I can't say 100 per cent that he knew about it. But it was inconceivable he didn't," he told the Independent.

Now from what we gleaned from Murdoch's testimony last week it appeared he was unaware of what was going on. From the above it sure looks like Morgan was hip-deep in the hacking.

So why isn't this big news? Well, for one, nobody watches Morgan, or CNN for that matter, so he's pretty much a non-entity here in the States. Yet it's curious how he's still on the air while when the News of the World was implicated in the hacking scandal that paper was shuttered before you could blink. Where are the howls of indignation from the Fox haters in the American media?

A spokeswoman for CNN said that Mr Morgan had been asked about the accusations and had strongly denied them.

Mr Hipwell's claims come in the wake of a New York Times article which quoted five former journalists at the People, the Mirror's Sunday sister paper, who claimed that phone hacking had take place between the late 1990s and early 2000.

The Sunday Mirror was also accused of "routinely" hacking the phones of celebrities in an effort to keep up with the News of the World.

A former employee of the paper told the BBC that the illegal technique was used on almost daily basis to hack the phones of Rio Ferdinand, Liz Hurley and others.

"One afternoon in the newsroom I saw Liz Hurley's phone being hacked and a reporter listen to her mobile phone messages and take a note of what was said.

There's some non-taxpaying outfit funded by George Soros that claims to monitor the media, but they haven't said a peep about this.

Pathetic: Client No. 9 To Get Prime CNN Gig?

You've got to be kidding me. Does CNN really think anyone is going to tune in to see the disgraced Eliot Spitzer? Not only that, Spitzer isn't the only two-bit fraud about to land a prime gig at the low-rated cable outlet.

Ted Turner must be flinging his remote at the wall in despair. CNN, the cable network he founded, is poised to turn its prime-time schedule over to two disgraced public figures, ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer and former British tabloid editor Piers Morgan, in its desperate bid to restore lost ratings.

Hooker-loving Spitzer is thisclose to a deal to co-host an 8 p.m. talk show, sources said. Morgan -- a former editor of Britain's Daily Mirror being groomed to replace Larry King -- was caught up in a scandal in 2000 after he bought shares in a company before his paper touted them as good buys. He quit in 2004 after printing fake photos of Iraqi prisoners being tortured by British soldiers.

A source said, "CNN is so desperate, they're totally abandoning Turner's original vision of impartial reporting. With talent like Spitzer on board, the people hosting the news will be more controversial than any guests they could book."

The Post's Michael Shain reports Spitzer has "all but a done deal" to get a co-host spot at 8 p.m., previously occupied by Campbell Brown, whose ratings had plunged. Spitzer will become half of a talking-head duo on a show fashioned after "Crossfire," which CNN canceled in 2005. CNN is searching for a conservative partner for Spitzer, who'll go head-to-head with Fox's Bill O'Reilly in the time slot, before announcing the new show.

Head-to-head with O'Reilly? Wishful thinking. Spitzer would be lucky to get without shouting distance of Olberdork on MSNBC at that time.

As to Piers Morgan, here's a look at that douchebag after he told everyone what a klutz Bush was for falling off a Segway.

Home Depot co-founder opens wallet to vets' plight

Bernie Marcus (right), who built the Georgia Aquarium, is stepping up to help wounded vets. Susan Johnson (left) of the Shepherd Center talks with Brig. Gen. Donald Bradshaw.

In a move meant to help injured soldiers and send Washington a message, Atlanta businessman Bernie Marcus stepped up Monday to help veterans get top-flight medical care. But he warned there was a limit to his generosity.

I applaud the gesture and I support his intent, I just don't want him to go off into left field with the rhetoric. The health care of veterans is an important issue and something that should be addressed and I support all who support our troops not just with words but deeds.

I profiled Piers Morgan who is on Donald Trump's show Celebrity Apprentice and has so far managed to win close to $100K, I believe, for his charity, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, even though after seeing the man in action and learning about his less then stellar past I don't necessarily like the man.

Marcus offered to underwrite the costs — care, transportation and housing — of any wounded soldier, sailor or Marine whom the Shepherd Center, a renowned Atlanta clinic for brain and spinal injuries, approved for treatment.

At a press conference Monday at the Shepherd Center, Marcus said he wanted to set an example for his fellow philanthropists. He aims to bring financial help and possibly shame the Pentagon and Congress into covering all medical treatment costs for its vets.

Note to Michelle Obama, he is one of those corporate types you wish people would not want to become.

No AP photos were used in the creation of this post.

Arab news and more

I seem to be running across this guy from time to time while researching other stories. That somebody is Piers Morgan. Somebody I have written about before.
I was reading the Arab News online and I found a story in which Mr Morgan is highlighted. At first when I saw the name with this description

Piers Morgan, former editor of the UK’s Daily Mirror, gave the keynote address at the Arabian Business Media and Marketing Conference in Dubai last month. He criticized media outlets in the region when he expressed his concerns over the absence of competitiveness that he expected to be present here.

So I went looking and here is what I found. To say Mr Morgan is an interesting fellow is an understatment. I was shocked to read this

He had previously decided to change the Mirror's focus to serious news after the 11 September attacks, reflected by the paper's broadsheet-style front page on 12 September, 2001.

The Mirror took a strong anti-war stance in the approach to the war in Iraq and won the Newspaper of the Year Award 2001.

Mr Morgan lost his job at the Mirror over an incident whereby he published some pictures allegedly showing British soldiers abusing an Iraqi. The photos were fake. Gee where have we heard something like that before.
In light of how this fellow first came to my attention this was surprising. It doesn't change my first praise of his reasons for participating in Donald Trumps show and the charity he is representing, but it certainly adds a lot to profile of this man.

Oh yeah and the original story I was looking into when I got side tracked was this.

2,200 Palestinian Pilgrims Stranded at Aqaba
Abdul Jalil Mustafa, Arab News

AMMAN, 29 December 2007 — More than 2,200 Palestinian pilgrims, mostly affiliated with the Hamas group, were yesterday stranded at Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba after the Egyptian authorities insisted that they pass through an Israeli-controlled crossing point to the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Jordanian source said.

Wah Wah Wah. Do we hear any outcry about the Egyptians refusing to open the border crossing at Rafah, which these pilgrims want to use and which Egypt shut down after Hamas took control? Of course not. Border controls are fine everywhere but in America and Israel.

This guy definitely has talent (And somebody you should know about)

I am not one to go around plugging tv shows but I felt it important to tell folks about this guy.

Piers Morgan is best known to Americans as the mean judge on "America's Got Talent," but before he was named to the panel for one of NBC's highest ranked shows, Morgan appeared in the UK alongside Simon Cowell as a judge on "Britain's Got Talent" for ITV.

Piers Morgan is not somebody I have heard of before but he is going to be a contestant on Donald Trumps upcoming Celebrity Apprentice show. The celebrities are competing on behalf of different charities. Go see what charity Piers is playing for.
For more information on the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund here is your link.

Rove Still Weaving His Magic

How else can you explain this idiot?

Crack journalist laughs at Bush for falling off a Segway, decides to give it a whirl

I feel your pain.

Also here.