Lots of protests the past few weekends at CNN locations all over the US. Thousands have protested Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta (CNN headquarters) over statements made by Jack Cafferty that were broadcast on “The Situation Room” back on April 9, 2008. Here’s the quote in question:

“We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we’re buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years.”

Listen the the controversial statements by Jack Cafferty:

CNN Protest in Atlanta (CNN headquarters)

CNN Protest in San Francisco

CNN Protest in Los Angeles

CNN Protest in Chicago

Although CNN had offered an apology, the Chinese government rejected it as inadequate. CNN Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz was summoned to a meeting at the Chinese Foreign Ministry with with Liu Jianchao, director general of the Foreign Ministry information department. The situation looks bad for CNN and Jack Cafferty. Looks like a lot less coverage for the Beijing Olympics for CNN.

Also a Beijing-based primary school teacher Li Lilan and a New York-based beauty therapist Liang Shubing are filing in a law suit for $1.3 billion against CNN for slander. The $1.3 billion equates to $1 per person in China.