Jack Cafferty _Himself _Needs to Apologize to Chinese People As Well, NOT ONLY HIS BOSS!

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/15/content_8178239.htm

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- CNN President Jim Walton

has apologized for the insulting remarks made by CNN commentator Jack

Cafferty on China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said

here on Thursday.

    "On behalf of CNN I'd like to

apologize to the Chinese people for that," said Walton in a letter to

Chinese ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong, according to

Qin.

    Walton also said, "CNN has the

highest respect for Chinese people around the world and we have no

doubt that there was genuine offense felt by them over the Jack

Cafferty commentary."

    In early April, Cafferty said in a

live show that Chinese products were "junk" and the Chinese were

"basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last

50 years."

    As a result of complaints from

China, CNN in April issued a statement saying "it was not Mr.

Cafferty's nor CNN's intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and

CNN would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this

way."

    At that time the network stated

that Cafferty was offering his "strongly held" opinion of the Chinese

government, not China's people.

    China rejected CNN's explanation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry and the embassy in the United States lodged

several solemn representations with CNN and demanded that it make an

apology.

    People and organizations inside and outside China have also criticized Cafferty's "goons and thugs" comments.

    Cafferty's remarks are strongly in

contrast to the professional ethics of the media and the conscience of

humanity, and caused strong indignation and accusations from all

Chinese people both at home and abroad, Qin said.

    "We hope CNN and Cafferty would

learn lessons from this and safeguard their professional reputation to

avoid such things from reoccurring," the spokesman said.

    He also hoped CNN would make

"comprehensive, objective, and balanced reports" on China and Sino-U.S.

relations and do more to help promote the mutual understanding of the

two peoples and the healthy development of Sino-U.S. relations.