CNN To Miles, Soledad -- Bye Bye O'Briens

76. CNN had it right when they brought smart, funny Miles O'Brien on board. The problem is that they thought that he could fix all their other problems. Taking such a brilliant reporter off as your "face man" just shows that they're grabbing at straws!
Miles and Soledad really warmed up to be a fun, smart team, i'm going to miss them. Don't know where I'll go next, NOT CNN!

Posted at 6:23PM on Apr 30th 2007 by Miles' Fan club

77. Best News Robert Cobert.. I glad there makeing the change.. I felt they both werent worth listening to.

Posted at 11:18PM on Apr 3rd 2007 by just goofy

78. I saw this coming another Canada news anchor. CNN big mistake was taking Bill Hemmer away and sending him to fox....

Posted at 11:44PM on Apr 3rd 2007 by my heart

79. CNN is not making sense. Pairing John Robers and Kiran Chetry is like mixing oil and vinegar. It is almost as bad as Heidi Collins and Tony Harris.They practically hate one another. The morning show has not been the same since Bill Hemmer Carol Costello and crew left. John Klein is the one that has to go. Ted help us will you??

Posted at 12:48AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Dr. Princetta

80. Miles is a hottie!!

Posted at 2:44AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Diana

81. ":...Their replacements will be John Roberts and Kiran Chetry. CNN recently hired Chetry after she got the ax from FOX News Channel..."

I don't quite know what's worse about this sentence-- the fact that she got HIRED by Fox News Channel, or the fact that she got FIRED by them?

Posted at 3:44AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Jacob Kasza (jacobkasza)

82. I knew for a long time they did not get along. I switched over to GMA because I could not stand Soledad. She is revolting. I feel bad for Miles, he was awesome but I have to give him credit because he put up with that Bi*tch for so long. Don't worry Miles, you will get a better job offer, you are terrific. Soledad, go hide in a ditch, hope you never return to television. Hmmmm, wait I retract that.....apply to the cartoon network!

Posted at 6:52AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Miles Supporter

83. LOVE Miles- but if CNN really wants to fire someone then fire paula Zhan. THE most annoying woman on tv - she can't do ONE show without a flub. OUTRAGE- ever count how many times she says it?? Get rid of HER and keep Miles please!

Posted at 6:58AM on Apr 4th 2007 by TL

84. Will be sad to see Miles go, really do like John Roberts but I can't stand Kiran Chetry, this will not last.

I too have noticed lately they both Soledad and Miles have been taking quite a bit of time off, may out job hunting.

I was always sad when Bill Hemmer left, but he found himself on Fox.

Posted at 7:03AM on Apr 8th 2007 by Judy

85. With Soledad gone, I'll go back to watching CNN in the morning. I'm just surprised that Soledad will be staying with CNN, instead of showing up at Faux News!

Posted at 7:35AM on Apr 4th 2007 by USNorm

86. I'm bumbed that Soledad O'Brien isn't going to be on "American Morning" anymore. I hope she stays with CNN. I've followed her career since her days at NBC, and she is one damn good reporter. I think the network can greatly benefit from her talent & extensive experience. As for Miles O'Brien? GOOD RIDDENCE!!! It's what he deserves after the crap he's pulled over the last couple of years!!! I'll get to that later.

First, some background...

**********

Over two years ago, then "American Morning" co-host Bill Hemmer, gets a call from one of his buddies, journalist Howard Kurtz (of the Washington Post), about this story that was going to come out about how, supposedly, Hemmer was going to step down from his current gig to take a glorified correspondent's position in CNN's Washington, D.C. bureau...which didn't make sense to him at all. Hemmer, you see, had started out doing that type of stuff for CNN when he first joined the 24/7 news network over 10 years before. Taking something like this Washington D.C. gig would put him back where he started. It'd be a downgrade, and a big one.

Hemmer, naturally, was curious just where this story came from, and found out from Kurtz that the story originated from this subscription-only web site that was popular with journalists. Soon afterwards, he discovered that the story was purposefully fed to them by CNN's president, Jim Walton, as a way to let Hemmer know that he didn't want him around anymore. Walton, you see, didn't have the balls to fire the guy to his face, and chose this "unique" way (which, by this time, had been used twice before to get rid of other CNN employees) to do it.

In short, the story gets leaked, Hemmer sees it, gets the hint, then "voluntarily" quits, giving Walton the opportunity to act surprised, like he had no idea it was going to happen. And if Hemmer didn't "get with the program?" He'd be run through the mud and get the figurative sledgehammer slammed into his skull. Walton expected Hemmer to simply bend over and, willingly, get it up the ass.

Hemmer, though, wasn't a pussy, and he sure as HELL wasn't going to let that prick Walton treat him like some goddamned doormat. So, through the Post's Kurtz, he told the entire world what was going on, let Walton know that he wasn't going to let this guy pull this crap behind closed doors, and forced everything out into the public domain. Naturally, Walton retaliated by launching a PR smear campaign against him, which ended up blowing up in his face. But, at the end of the day, Hemmer was forced out of CNN and ended up going over to Fox News Channel, causing CNN to lose one its most talented journalists.

**********

Now how does Miles O'Brien fit into all of this? O'Brien played a major role in Hemmer getting stabbed in the back like he did (Lots of people, in fact, say that he was the one who actually did it). Walton, you see, had decided, for whatever reason, that Hemmer just wasn't hip enough anymore, and that he wanted to dump the guy for O'Brien, someone who he thought (at the time) was becoming one of CNN's rising stars. And guess when this was? The year before!!

Yes, folks, Hemmer had actually been fired by Walton an entire year before he actually found out about it, and Miles couldn't wait to help the guy. He couldn't wait to make sure he got everything that he desired, including an expensive penthouse apartment near CNN's headquarters in New York (with a great view of Central Park). He also couldn't wait to keep Hemmer in the dark about all of this until the last possible moment, and the guy had a smile on his face the whole time!!

In any case, how ironic is it that, barely two years later, Miles O'Brien ends up getting kicked off "American Morning" himself, and replaced by somebody else? And by the same guy, Jim Walton? BAW HAW HAW!!! Talk about a case of karmic justice!!! ;-) The guy's nothing more than a geeky science dude masquerading as a credible journalist, and I hope CNN gets rid of that guy. The man's a hack!!!

BTW: Payback's a bitch, isnt' it Miles? ;-)

Posted at 7:38AM on Apr 4th 2007 by DeepFreeze3

87. GOOD RIDDANCE MILES! I could NEVER understand why they replaced sweet Araon Brown with this complete and utter MORON! He has like 2 hours in a cessna one prop plane and thinks he's the world's foremost aviation expert. He makes a FOOL out of himself whenvever there is an aviation-related story, and he turns my stomach on ALL occasions. I do feel bad for Soledad, but perhaps she was slacking at her job because she has so many kids now? Who know...just glad to see Miles gone..KEEP HIM OFF THE AIR COMPLETELY...he is appallingly nauseating.

Posted at 8:13AM on Apr 4th 2007 by MilesThe SELFappointedAviationIdiot

88. I know Soledad O'Brien.

Soledad O'Brien is a freind of mine.

Kiran Chetry, you are no Soledad O'Brien!

(I seriously DO know Soledad; not well, but I've met her 5+ times!)

Posted at 8:40AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Gary Coleman

89. Soledad O'Brien is the perfect morning anchor, but maybe she wanted to spend the mornings with her children. I guess I'll pop in on Robin Meade more.

I can't believe that CNN thinks that picking up Kiran Chetry will be a good idea & John Roberts is nothing to get excited over.

I enjoy watching Fox News, but Fox & Friends is just way too silly.

Posted at 9:00AM on Apr 4th 2007 by Hello Kitty

90. #78: You have to be kidding about Paula Zahn. I think Paula is one of the best news anchors on T.V., and she is gorgeous to boot.

As for Soledad, I hate she's leaving; I really liked her. She seemed real.

As for Miles, I was never too impressed with him--no charisma and boring.

John Roberts may be okay, but I will have to wait to see about Kiran Chetry. I've never seen or heard of her.

Posted at 9:09AM on Apr 4th 2007 by The Rose