David Gergen, who moderated the Davos panel on which CNN exec Eason Jordan appeared, spoke with me by phone this afternoon about the controversy.

First, Gergen confirmed that Eason Jordan did in fact initially assert that journalists in Iraq had been targeted by military “on both sides.” Gergen, who has known Jordan for some 20 years, told me Jordan “realized as soon as the words had left his mouth that he had gone too far” and “walked himself back.” Gergen said as soon as he heard the assertion that journalists had been deliberately targeted, “I was startled. It’s contrary to history, which is so far the other way. Our troops have gone out of their way to protect and rescue journalists.”

Gergen mentioned that Jordan had just returned from Iraq and was “caught up in the tension of what was happening there. It’s a raw, emotional wound for him.”

Gergen said he asked Jordan point blank whether he believed the policy of the U.S. military was to sanction the targeting of journalists. Gergen said Jordan answered no, but then proceeded to speculate about a few incidents involving journalists killed in the Middle East–a discussion which Gergen decided to close down because “the military and the government weren’t there to defend themselves.”

Gergen also echoed Rep. Frank’s recollection that Jordan asserted that there were cases involving journalist deaths where “not enough care was taken by U.S. troops.” (Gerard Van der Leun takes a closer look at this spin here.) Gergen said he was approached after the session by European journalists who expressed the belief that American troops were “roughing up” journalists and Iraqi nationals. He also said people left the event “concerned and wanting to know more.”

I’ll say.

A few more interesting tidbits. Gergen says he has been contacted by four mainstream media outlets, including the Washington Post, about the controversy. He noted that the Post was going to run a story last week but did not.

Gergen also told me that he was under the impression that the panel was off the record (Rebecca MacKinnon has more on this), but that he would have no problem if a transcript was released.

What say you, Mr. Jordan?

Update: Rebecca MacKinnon has compiled an extremely useful list of Easongate bookmarks over at del.icio.us