The new media is buzzing with reactions to Linda Foley’s comments. Like Eason Jordan, she accuses our miltary of targeting journalists. But unlike Eason Jordan, her remarks were caught on tape. Ms. Foley is noteworthy because she is the president of both the Newspaper Guild and Communication Workers of America (the nation’s largest broadcast and journalism workers union).

[Ed: If you’re not familiar with the Eason Jordan controversy, there’s a great overview here.]

WorldNetDaily has the quote from the 2005 National Conference for Media Reform in St. Louis:

Foley said, “Journalists, by the way, are not just being targeted verbally or … ah, or … ah, politically. They are also being targeted for real, um … in places like Iraq. What outrages me as a representative of journalists is that there’s not more outrage about the number, and the brutality, and the cavalier nature of the U.S. military toward the killing of journalists in Iraq.”

Foley continued, “They target and kill journalists … uh, from other countries, particularly Arab countries like Al -, like Arab news services like al-Jazeera, for example. They actually target them and blow up their studios with impunity. …”

The video of her comments can be found here (mirrored here and streamed here).

Here some reactions from around the blogosphere on the comments of Linda Foley. The big theme is “Eason Jordan Deja Vu.”

Daily Inklings:

Remember Eason Jordan? He made unsubstantiated accusations that US troops targeted journalists for murder, then backpedalled and wouldn’t allow the tapes of his outrageous comments be released? Well right at the heels of Newsweek’s attempt at damage control over a now-retracted story regarding Gitmo personnel and the koran which had caused widespread rioting and the deaths of 16 people, another journalist makes inflammatory Eason Jordan-type statements without proof. Her name is Linda Foley. This time, however, there is a tape of her statements:

Mr. Preston at Junkyard Blog observes the lack of evidence to back up her claim, and says if she can’t back it up, she needs to step down.

Linda Foley had better offer proof of what she said or step down from her jobs. Tossing up unsubstantiated smears of the US military, especially in light of what Newsweek’s smear led to in Afghanistan last week, is unconscionable and unacceptable.

John Cole also wants evidence.

If journalists are being targeted, reasonable people want to know about it. Unfortunately, just like Eason Jordan learned, we want some flipping evidence.

The Word Unheard address Ms. Foley:

Your assault on the honor of the American Military will not stand. We will not allow you to wildly accuse us of murder. Your words may ring pleasant among friends and colleagues, but for us they ring stirringly like the deep toll of a bell.

I. Rony (hah!) thinks the Union members ought to step up to the plate.

If you are a member of TNG or CWA and you are outraged by this, then let your union and your fellow union members know. You are the unions source of money, so you’re voice will be heard above others.

Tran Sient:

How hilarious that she made this comment at a conference on media reform. And then she tries to wiggle out of it, ironically with the same fake but true argument that has become the norm.

Elephant in My Coffee (like I originally was) is speechless.

Just read the article. The extent of her irresponsible behavior has rendered me speechless. The sheer stupidity of this woman is astounding.

The Dusty Attic has transcribed most of the speech, so the reader can judge for themselves the context, and Trey Jackson has put up the extended video.

Andi is on fire:

Twelve years ago, I married a soldier. While there are few subjects that I’m fully qualified to to write about, I do know a little something about soldiers and their character. I also know a little something about why words matter in our current environment.

Ms. Foley, allow me to educate you.

The Political Teen has the O’Reilly video.

Captain Ed is surprised, despite himself.

Perhaps in an era where mainstream journalists appear to be embracing the “fake but accurate” standard for publication stories like this should not surprise us, but one would think that key figures in the communication industry would be more careful in how they express themselves.

USS Neverdock almost calls it treason.

She needs to be made to produce the evidence or be fired. This is just more fodder for the terrorists to use against our troops.

LaShawn is doing more digging with a phone call or two.

I called the Newspaper Guild (202.434.7177) a few minutes ago to speak to Linda Foley and/or someone willing to go on the record, and I got a message saying something like, “Due to the number of calls that we believe are a coordinated effort to tie up the line, we regret that we cannot answer your call. Please leave a message and someone will…”

Euphoric Reality is taking up a collection:

I volunteer to begin a collection to send Ms. Foley to Iraq, where she will be free to wander around without the protection of the “brutal and cavalier” U.S. military.

And there’s already a site called FoleyGate.com.

Scared Monkeys observes some irony.

How come the first reaction when a liberal is caught saying what they really believe is that their words were taken out of context. In this instance, SHE WAS TALKING TO REPORTERS!!! Is she saying that her union members, people who pay her salary, can not report the news accurately.

UPDATE: Powerline has a letter from a soldier to the Newspaper Guild. Check it out.

Goliath Casket Company builds its largest casket ever. Right here in Muncie, Indiana!

Keith and Julane Davis are used to building oversized caskets, but this week the couple’s Randolph County business will finish and ship its largest product ever - a 400-pound casket for a 900-pound man.

First Amendment martyr?

According to Ahmed’s lawyer, William Swor, his client’s political views have barred him from becoming a luggage screener at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. What political views could possibly bar one from such an esteemed position? Did he vote libertarian? Is he a PETA activist? Is he an anarchist?

Nope. Ahmed supports Osama bin Laden.

Bush has a good point, regarding the indignation over the photo of Saddam in his underwear.

“I don’t think a photo inspires murderers. I think they are inspired by an ideology that is so barbaric and backwards that it is hard for many in the western world to comprehend how they think.”

Saddam’s going to sue? I’m speechless.

UPDATE: John Hinderaker isn’t crying for Saddam.

Whatever. Saddam used to have his minions make videos when they would torture, rape and murder his political opponents (or anyone else who happened to run afoul of the ruling gang of criminals). Saddam and his cohorts would watch these videos for fun. (Hitler did the same thing, by the way–one of the rare Hitler analogies that is actually justified.) So do I have a lot of sympathy because Saddam got photographed in his underwear, folding a pair of slacks in what looks, not like a jail cell, but like a hotel room? Um, no. I don’t.

And he makes a great observation here.

Al Jazeera’s reaction was puzzling, to say the least:

Jihad Ballout, a spokesman for the Al-Jazeera network, said his network did not show the pictures because it had ethical and professional concerns.

“The photo is demeaning to Iraqis,” he said, adding that “from the professional side, it is not news.”

It’s nice to know that Al Jazeera has “ethical and professional concerns.” I hadn’t noticed that before, especially when they were showing videos of Westerners having their heads cut off, or photos of captured and dead American soldiers.

Michael Cat:

But to allow these pictures to be taken in the first place let alone leaked to public takes our moral authorithy down a level. These pictures were unnecesary and are PR nightmare for the U.S.

Poynter:

What’s laughable is not the former dictator’s skivvies, but military leaders’ naivety about the media world we now live in. They don’t have to like it, of course, but in a world of small digital cameras, photo cell phones, e-mail, “citizen journalists,” and several million blogs, for any organization to think that they can control photos like this is absurd. The Pentagon should have learned that lesson when it tried and failed to prevent publication of photos of flag-draped caskets of dead American soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Right in Texas isn’t too sympathetic either:

I guess we have invaded his privacy- poor guy.

Kevin made me chuckle with this (Will Franklin appreciated it too)…

Somewhere Michael Isikoff is breathing a sigh of relief…

Malachy Joyce has another suggestion:

So, I say release Saddam immediately into the state of Texas, USA. After all, there is plenty of oil in Texas. The shape of the Texas looks like Iraq and the people there will be very interested to meet him.

Michelle Malkin doesn’t feel bad for him either.

The terribly abused tyrant gets hair dye, example, “to keep his mane youthful-looking.”

He gets three squares a day, a fluffy pillow, and full-air conditioning. Plus, “He can exercise in a 4,300-square-foot back yard while razor wire keeps out would-be attackers. He tends a small garden in a nearby courtyard.”

Wow. I take the day off and the blogosphere breaks loose. If you haven’t noticed the Linda Foley quote story, you must be golfing or taking a nap.

LaShawn has lots of links. If I get time, I’ll post some thoughts later.

Here is the WND article with the full Linda Foley quote.

According to a tape of her remarks, Foley said: “Journalists, by the way, are not just being targeted verbally or … ah, or … ah, politically. They are also being targeted for real, um … in places like Iraq. What outrages me as a representative of journalists is that there’s not more outrage about the number, and the brutality, and the cavalier nature of the U.S. military toward the killing of journalists in Iraq.”

Foley continued, “They target and kill journalists … uh, from other countries, particularly Arab countries like Al -, like Arab news services like al-Jazeera, for example. They actually target them and blow up their studios with impunity. …”