CNN's Jeanne Meserve gets full marks

[ClusterFreak]

I'll tell ya what....if you've caught any of Jeanne Meserve's conversation with Aaron "I'm-A-Pompous-Ponderous-Narcissist" Brown, I have a newfound respect for her. She's been reporting all day about this poor neighbourhood (9th ward?) in New Orleans, where homes and streets are completely flooded out. Tonight with Aaron, she talked about hearing people trapped in homes crying out for help, where none was really possible, and she was clearly deeply affected. Her voice broke several times. She wasn't playing it up either, like a Bernie Shaw would, or an Aaron Brown would, or a **gulp** Geraldo Rivera would. The other reporters, like Zarella, Marciano and Cooper haven't seen what she's seen down there. She's been hit pretty hard by it, and has done a great job I think.

[Spazito]

1. I agree, her report was heartbreaking

She is one of the very few on CNN I have always had respect for and that respect has grown even more after hearing her report, her compassion and sadness coming through very clearly.

[Bobbie47]

2. I heard it

to sad.

:cry:

[tjdee]

3. I hope someone can get us a clip....

Papa Brown was waxing too poetically for me, I had to turn it.

Turned it at the worst time! :(

[jonnyblitz]

4. aaron brown is quite smug. i remember hearing amy goodman

rip into him once on "democracy now". i forget the topic, probably war coverage or something war related. he didn't appreciate her scathing and probing questions/comments and got all pissy.

so yeah i can see why you turned the channel.

[lostnfound]

19. Intellectually he's missing some key plots --a big view of the empire--but

but personally I think he shows a genuine heart, especially compared to many of the other "personalities". Compare him to Blitzer for example, who is a complete empty suit, and is more likely to talk about how to make money in the stock market off of the hurricane.

Tonight Aaron Brown commented 'people stayed behind for their own reasons; we certainly don't need to try to judge their reasons'..Many of the other anchors would be busy blaming the victims as idiots for not evacuating.

[rocktivity]

12. DING DING DING! Tjdee, you're our grand prize winner!

Papa Brown was waxing too poetically for me...

Your remark reminds me of when Brown was discussing Gannongate with John Arivosis of Americablog. I had never thought of him as a "great white father" type of anchorman a la Dan Rather or Ted Koppel. But that night, he really disappointed me by sounding like he'd caught his teenaged son sneaking in after curfew!

:headbang:
rocknation

[tjdee]

16. I'm stealing people's ideas all night tonight, LOL....

I called him Papa Brown because there's already a thread called "Aaron Brown/Ernest Hemingway".

But he really does just wander there....geez!

[riverwalker]

5. Amen.

I've been listening to all reports all day, to the phoney bravado of dorks like Anderson Cooper in the parking lot, and Miles O'Brien "live" from his hotel patio.
Jeanne Meserve has been the first real human reporting all day. She was incredible.

[WillyT]

6. Yep... She Was Devastating In Her Own Wonderful Way !!!

My mom and I both immediately teared up.

Powerful stuff!

Good on ya Jeanne!!!

:toast:

[fearnobush]

7. My God, she was in tears, she explained quite graphically what has -

is happening to those trapped people in NOLA, mostly poor folks, poor neighborhoods with the water still rising. God bless them. Incredible destruction in NOLA being aired on Aaron Brown tonight.

[silverweb]

8. She brought me to tears.

And she made me reach for the credit card to make a donation here: http://www.redcross.org

Not that I can afford much, but I'm safe and snug in my own home, and I'll find a few dollars to spare. They'll need blood, too, so a trip to the Red Cross Blood Bank is in order. Join me.

Tears, thoughts, and prayers for all those caught in Katrina's devastation....

[wiley]

9. Wnat an incredible tragedy

People in their attics trying to hack their way out before they drown. Mark Biello is following up on Jeanne. Gas is pouring out from broken lines?

[rsmith6621]

10. Be Nice to Aaron....

I have personally known Aaron for 20+ years,back when he was in Seattle at KING and KIRO TV he is the best contemporary anchor out their....people like Matthews and Oberman could learn something from him.

CNN has the best when it comes to Aaron.

[berner59]

11. I like Aaron...

He seems to be genuinely intelligent and doesn't have to stick to a script like most anchors... I thought he was great with Jeanne - keeping her calm, yet getting the story...which was important.

[Auntie Bush]

18. I've always been a big fan of Aaron too!

I think he tries to be fair.

[lostnfound]

20. He seems to have kept his heart intact.

No one's perfect, I get a little irritated with his treatment of dissent, on occasion..wish he would read some Chomsky and maybe Confessions of an Economic Hitman..but that might be counterproductive for his career, if he took them seriously.

But he's a real, whole person, and there are many times where he shows real empathy and respect for ordinary people. Not just the elites. And that is very important.

[Garbo 2004]

21. Please don't put Olbermann in with Matthews. Tweety isn't a journalist of

any kind.

Aaron's a bit of the old school with a bit of quirk. (I suspect CNN deepsixed the accordion guy singing about the news. I recall him from the ABC late night news program.)

[Auntie Bush]

13. I've NEVER heard a reporter so upset!!! NEVER!!! I thought she

was going to totally lose it. It was nice of Aaron to explain that he has known Jeanne for 15 years and she was a really strong woman. He fought back tears also.

[rsmith6621]

15. What Reporter Lost it

When Regan was shot?????

[markus]

14. It was hear wrenching

Yes, the area is the Ninth Ward. The boats would have been launced off of Interstate 10 as it leaves downtown heading east. The railroad embankement would have been the L&N line (or who ever owns it now).

This area flooding badly in Betsy, but this sounds much, much worse.

The flyover video was of St. Bernard Parish from the Violet Canal (I think, area with anchored barges at the beginning?) to the Arabi Barracks (that I'm sure of).

Total innudation and devestation.

[Cha]

17. Jeez, I remember her during the

2000 selection race and haven't seen her since I stopped all fascist news outlets.

I think she travelled with Gore and I always liked her..surprised they still have real people there.

[Janice325]

22. I lived in New Orleans for most of my life.

I now reside in Atlanta.
I was flicking from cable station to cable station this evening after work, watching coverage of Katrina, and it all seemed so unreal.
Then I happened to catch Jeanne Meserve's conversation with Aaron Brown. I almost started bawling. She was the only one I heard tonight that sounded at all moved by what has happened.
Listening to her just about broke my heart.
Kudos to Ms. Meserve for her honesty.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. I heard her report earlier..it was a nice contast to Haley Barbour's

feigned concern

[LeahD]

24. Just heard the repeat.

It's so heartbreaking, and we've only just begun to hear the details.

[VolcanoJen]

25. I'll defend Aaron Brown.

I think Aaron Brown is good. I like his emotion, I like the way he composes himself, I like the way he loses himself.

I like the fact that he has a sense of historical reference, of tragedy, and of hope. I like the way he conveys that.

I've had issues with his reporting in the past, but I admit that time and time again, in times of national and worldwide crisis, I turn to Aaron Brown before any other anchor.

That segment with Jeanne Meserve was top-notch, memorable, and brave. I commend her.