X MARKS THE SPOT

The MSM weighs in on CNN's "glitch"

"Red-faced CNN officials yesterday were forced to run an on-air report defending the network against charges of political bias over a big black "X' that flashed over Vice President Dick Cheney's face.

The network insisted the "X" — which appeared twice as Cheney delivered a speech blasting Iraq war critics on Monday — was a "technical malfunction."

Bloggers fumed that the network, founded by super-liberal Ted Turner was showing it leans left. CNN said it was an "unfortunate but very brief graphic" and expressed regret in a statement — but no one from CNN called Cheney's office to apologize, said the vice president's spokeswoman, Jennifer Mayfield.
In CNN's on-air report, anchor Daryn Kagan blamed the problem on a mechanical "switcher," and said the "X" was meant to cue up a CNN logo that was supposed to come on at the end of Cheney's speech.

But a skeptical Republican strategist said, "If it's a glitch, then, by definition, it's something that happens with some frequency. Let's see them [CNN] document some other occasions."
CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said the "X" glitch has happened a few other times — but couldn't give any specific examples.

Republican strategist Mary Matalin, who worked for Cheney, said it's odd that CNN didn't call the vice president, adding, "If it was an accident, they're not sufficiently apologizing."

It'd kill them to make a quick call to the VP's office and say, oops? You know, one big shot exec to another. Laugh it off, apologize and be on your way. Even kids know to say they're sorry when they goof, but apparently not CNN.