Egypt Activist Wael Ghonim Tells CNN, Couric: 'You Are Part Of The Revolution' (VIDEO)

Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim, who became one of the chief faces of the Egyptian revolution
after he was released from a 12-day-long detention, praised CNN and the media in an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Friday.

Ghonim said the media had helped save lives by casting a spotlight on what was going on in Egypt.

"You guys have played a great role in saving the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people," Ghonim said. "CNN did a great job. You guys deserve a great recognition from the Egyptian people and we are not going to forget your role. You guys are heroes as well. You are part of the revolution. You should be proud of yourself."

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Ghonim also spoke to Katie Couric, where he repeated the assertion that press cameras had saved "thousands of lives."

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Comments

[secureouramerica]

02:09 PM on 02/24/2011

We only have guts to praise activist Wael Ghonim, but American needs activist like Wael Ghonim
to transform government from deadlock by revolting and forming new third Middleclass party.
Republicans and Democrates are in divorce mode, and we the hard working american people are suffering, and these parents do not care a bit about us, all they need is our labour and hard earned tax money. Cheap labor, so they can enjoy private jets, yacht, womens and party with everything included in it. Demand to bring Swiss money and jobs back from overseas banks and corporations. No tax heavens for them along with Union busting...Both needs to be taken care now.

[macs3rd]

01:36 AM on 02/14/2011

I watched some AlJazeera coverage and some CNN. Andersen Cooper did a great job and very much helped keep our eyes on what he was going on in Egypt. When he was journalists were being rounded up he was "hiding" and " a bit scared", , getting punched and threatened but he brought what news he could. I saw the interview where Ghonim thanks him and Cooper intantly deflected. He should be applauded. Technology played an amazing role in the revolution in Egypt and Cooper made an invaluable contribution.

[vohshka]

09:06 PM on 02/13/2011

my last post ended up on this news article but was a response to Glenn Beck rant on his critics - how did that happen moderator?

[vohshka]

09:04 PM on 02/13/2011

What an embarrassment. How can this guy have a show, this is not newsworthy, entertaining or in the least informative - who watches this insane cr**p. For all those Egyptians who died and fought for democracy I am genuinely sorry not all Americans think like this guy.

[LeftLeanWing]

11:30 AM on 02/13/2011

When Anderson Cooper was attacked...  it was a turning point where many Americans went from an ambigous impression of Mubarak to a Hell No!  ( except the FoxNews Teabaggers that is )

[Kurtiss Jackson]

01:50 AM on 02/13/2011

There is a lot to be covered here on the idea of how the media played a role in this revolution so far. Media outlets would benefit to cover stories like this in depth instead of Lindsay Lohan. From reading just the comments to this post you can see new stories emerging. What is the impact of continued coverage of this event? Did Anderson Cooper's assault in the streets play any role in the media focus? How come Anderson Cooper got "beat up" and Richard Engel didn't? What is the benefit of knowing the language? Does coverage of this event heighten the profile of Al-Jazeera at all? Will continued coverage help or hurt the transition? Does the media embolden people to protest? All interesting topics I wouldn't mind seeing covered in depth somewhere.

[hempster]

02:38 PM on 02/13/2011

I think I can help out with a couple of your inquiries:

1. Knowing the language of the country you're in is always a bonus. It might not stop you from being shot, stabbed, kicked, punched or for that matter kissed. But it's still a bonus. (I've traveled and lived in a lot of places where English is a second language)

2. Al Jazeera's profile here in the United States, no doubt much expanded.

3. Always depends on the coverage but in general the press has the potential of being a messager and the potential to keep everybody honest.

4. Oh the media is capable of many things. Incitement is but one. Depends.

5. Andersons adventure probably an exception but only slightly covered in the news cycle of the day. It would have gone on for a month if events weren't moving so rapidly.

6. Side note: Media Faux Views control, incite oh yea media can be hell.

[MANK]

10:28 PM on 02/12/2011

CNN/MSNBC should get Ghonim and a few other leaders of the revolution and sit them down and run videos of Beck and ask them to comment on his theories.

[LeftLeanWing]

11:22 AM on 02/13/2011

That would be Priceless...

[cybersense]

01:34 PM on 02/13/2011

They probably could use a good laugh.

[hempster]

07:52 PM on 02/12/2011

Marshall McLuhan must have been mandatory reading by those young folks in Egypt. "The Medium is the Message"

Richard Engles pointed out early on in the "revolution", the demonstrators were getting their message to the citizens of the United States and, particularly to, President Obama via the reporters and news agencies there.

Now did this save lives having the press so available? In Egypt maybe, maybe not. Remember a few hundred deaths were tolerated and I sense a limit had been reached and a strategy abandoned. People became martyrs and will live symbolically in marble in Tahrir Square, and their fellows will retire and regroup and, if everybody stays on their toes, the press will be readily available to chart the historic event still in the making. We have the medium lets hear the message, and let the message go both ways.

Egyptianas, I've been told, in general, dislike the peace treaty with Isreal. My message please reconsider it's really in your best interest.

[cybersense]

01:38 PM on 02/13/2011

No, not all. Really to stop that in the middle of what they are trying to do right now isn't what they have implied they want from what I have seen of messages. And the reason the send those messages? So many people in America are talking about it, not so much them. I have seen people in the US trying to tell them not to do it, however - and other weird comments, that seem to try and hijack their goal. Remember - they did this peacefully as possible and thier intent is to bring a democracy for their people. Why would you want to end something that through off that process you worked so hard for to realize?

[hempster]

02:22 PM on 02/13/2011

Hi. Help me with this please. Your last sentence: Why...realize." I just dont know. Sorry

[Alva Mahaffey-Johnson]

10:19 AM on 02/12/2011

I'm assuming he is referring to CNN International and NOT our version of CNN. When I travel internationally I watch CNN International or BBC. But I'm sure our CNN is going to take this compliment to mean them, and of course- Anderson Coooper will assume this means him.

[wm1066]

12:33 PM on 02/12/2011

I have heard at least three Egyptians thank Anderson on the air, and one of them was the Google exec that was detained. He has been brushing these coments off, but their are alot of Egyptian journalists that are thanking him to his face.

[LeftLeanWing]

11:27 AM on 02/13/2011

CNN is CNN...

They got the word out....  with CNN-America giving us the scoop...

[LeftySansPancho]

09:43 AM on 02/12/2011

This article and Ghonim's comment make a huge and important point: this revolution, from start to finish, took place under the eyes of the world. First prize goes to Al Jazeera, which I take tiny pride in having long ago bookmarked and followed on the internet for superior coverage, not only of Middle Eastern events but of other countries like Thailand where popular uprisings have occurred largely outside US view. Second prize to CNN, mainly for the guts to send Anderson Cooper close enough to get beaten up and arrested. Unfortunately, that is what it takes to get some Americans' attention. Third to Richard Engel of NBC for having the background and cultural knowledge to get close to the issues in a different but much-needed way.

When Mubarak unleashed thugs and started violence, these organizations and others kept the world's eyes open. You saw how quickly the government's tactics became peaceful. They say (more than enough, and tritely) "it takes a village to raise a child." Well, it took the Global Village (a phrase from my childhood 60's and 70's) to give birth to this child of democracy in Egypt.

Astonishingly, most in the bitterly-divided USA took their agendas off the table while Egypt boiled. (Krauthammer being the usual exception.) I think this is a tribute, not only to the profound inspiration we take from the steadfast Egyptians, but to the media's general refusal to exploit this into typical false-opposite talking head battles.

[optimist7]

10:58 AM on 02/12/2011

There was something more to it than media coverage, although I'm sure it helped. Coverage did little to help the Iranians who attempted an uprising to protest their election. In a conversation this morning about whether similar uprisings would now prevail in other countries in the Middle East, one of the participants suggested that the reason for the success of the Egyptian uprising was the fact that the military supported the people. In Iran and other countries in question, the military support the leadership. Citizen uprisings would be squelched almost instantaneously, and before they ever saw the light of day. 

[LeftySansPancho]

11:36 AM on 02/12/2011

Oh, I agree entirely, optimist7. These Egyptian people raised themselves up against overwhelming odds, and they did it with utter loyalty to their nation (not its dictator). What I said is not intended to take any credit or honor or admiration away from those incredible people, every single head and hair of every one of them, who had the courage to go and stay in the public eye.

I am just trying to say, we USA as a nation, the media, and individual citizens have a duty too. An important one, and we should not just be distracted by the next "Britney" or "Sarah" or whatever pap the rich overlords decide to feed us.

[myravensong]

11:12 PM on 02/11/2011

Sorry my comment was to someone that responded to my comment ,He called them goat herders. I am in awe of what the egyptian people have done.

[craig asia]

11:04 PM on 02/11/2011

Anderson Cooper has done a great job reporting the "feel" of ths revolution. He and the othert reporters deserve great credit for putting their lives on the line to report this tory. Well done!

[AllenD]

12:31 AM on 02/12/2011

Absolutely. Cooper did some incredible journalism during the whole crisis. You can tell he built up major street cred in Egypt by being there.

[LeftLeanWing]

11:28 AM on 02/13/2011

Emmy Worthy ?

[lcelidon]

10:03 PM on 02/11/2011

If Anderson leaves......They are F...ed

[cybersense]

01:42 PM on 02/13/2011

leaves? He has left Egypt, perhaps he is back there now again, but there are plenty of journalists still there.

[lcelidon]

09:58 PM on 02/11/2011

tell that to the teabaggers.....lol

[CarmenCameron]

09:34 PM on 02/11/2011

Anderson Cooper is the main reason Wael Ghonim could praise CNN, in my opinion. AC single-handedly was the dog who wouldn't let go of the bone when the MSM puppet masters blew the whistle to call the pack off the hunt.

GREAT JOB, ANDERSON - AND HIS WHOLE TEAM!!!

[nana4g]

12:18 AM on 02/12/2011

The whole bunch, including Ben Weidemann, all of them were great.

[CarmenCameron]

03:28 AM on 02/14/2011

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Ben Wedeman was SPECTACULAR! AC's entire teem was, just as you say.

[cybersense]

01:43 PM on 02/13/2011

Don't forget Al Jareeze. They too took hits, and I compend AC for doing good work, I cannot forget Al Jareeza. Right now, they are trying to cover what is happening in Algeria.

[CarmenCameron]

03:26 AM on 02/14/2011

AGREED! I have already requested my local carrier to start carrying AJ. (Prolly put me on a watch list but I don't care anymore.)