Accusations Of U.N. Correspondent Bias

The United Nations Correspondents Association selected their “citizen of the world” last week, Fox News Watch reported on Saturday. Eric Burns said: “The names on the ballot? Former President Bill Clinton, currently the U.N. Special Envoy for the 2005 Tsunami; Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the very man that this group of reporters covers everyday.”

Jim Pinkerton called it “pretty revealing” of the biases of U.N. correspondents — namely that “they love Kofi Annan.”

Cal Thomas complimented FNC’s Eric Shawn: “While a member of the correspondents association, he abstained on that vote, thereby, I think, making the point that it is, in fact, a conflict of interest.”

The full transcript of the “Quick Take” is after the jump…

BURNS: All right. “Quick Take” headline number three: “Citizen of the World.”

That’s the name of an award that members of the United Nations Correspondents Association voted on this week. The names on the ballot? Former President Bill Clinton, currently the U.N. Special Envoy for the 2005 Tsunami; Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the very man that this group of reporters covers everyday.

Something funny about that, Jim?

PINKERTON: I think it’s pretty revealing of the – of – of two biases on the part of the U.N. correspondents.

One, obviously they love Kofi Annan. And two, there is no such thing as citizen of the world. You can be a citizen of a country. There’s no world to be a citizen of. It shows the mindset that they have over there in Manhattan.

THOMAS: Compliments to Eric Shawn of “FOX News Channel,” who revealed on this network that while a member of the correspondents association, he abstained on that vote, thereby, I think, making the point that it is, in fact, a conflict of interest.

GABLER: Why do I get the feeling that if it were John Bolton, George Bush and Condoleezza Rice, we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now? But this is an opportunity for Jim and Cal to kind of bash Kofi Annan?

BURNS: Real quick, Jim.

PINKERTON: It’s not bashing Kofi Annan. It’s bashing reporters who are betraying their biases.

GABLER: Oh, let me tell you something.

BURNS: All right. I’m sorry.

GABLER: When baseball writers vote on.

BURNS: We have to take.

GABLER: .MVP awards all the time.

BURNS: We have to take another break. We’ll be back with your e-mails and our choice for the biggest bargain in television.