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CNN's Jack Cafferty's Situation Room is SRO with angry Chinese

By M&C Smallscreen Apr 19, 2008, 22:51 GMT

"CNN Liar" EPA/SEAN MASTERSON

CNN is having an eventful weekend, with reporter Richard Quest caught at 3 in the morning in a park with meth in his pocket, and now Jack Cafferty, the network's curmudgeonly commentator has landed in hot water too.

Cafferty, who normally flanks Wolf Blitzer in The Situation Room, was in a discussion with Wolf about China, said that goods from that country were "junk," and referred to the Chinese government  as "a bunch of goons and thugs."

Now American Chinese are up in arms, protesting at the LA CNN offices to call for dismissal of Jack Cafferty over his comments about goods from China.

Cafferty's recent remarks about Chinese goods and the Beijing government was gasoline on a smoldering fire already stoked by worldwide international condemnations for the upcoming China Olympics.

The Chinese are bristling at the constant criticism over their human rights violations and a vocal nation of angry Americans who blame them for the poison pet food crisis, toxic toys and other inferior consumer goods.

The moment happened on the April 9 airing of "The Situation Room," Cafferty, discussing China, said that goods from that country were "junk," and referred to the Chinese government as "a bunch of goons and thugs."

CNN later reiterated Cafferty's comments were directed at the Beijing government, not the people themselves.

"In this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people," a CNN spokesman said in a statement. "It should be noted that over many years, Jack Cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments, including the U.S. government and its leaders."