Andrew Breitbart, blogger and publisher of such salacious sites as “Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Hollywood,” “Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Journalism,” and “Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Peace,” (sensing a theme here?) is currently in the hot seat for his “Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Government” “exposé” that has since turned into an embarrassment for the Obama White House, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the NAACP, and, now, for Andrew Breitbart himself.
You already know the story. In “Video Proof: The NAACP Awards Racism–2010,” Breitbart published a highly-edited video of Shirley Sherrod, the USDA’s director of Rural Development in Georgia, which supposedly was Breitbart’s “proof,” showing racism in the Obama administration and, what he claimed was his true goal, showing that the NAACP supported racism.
In fact, as we all know now, the entire, unedited video showed everything but (and Breitbart had to place a “correction” at the top of the piece.)
It actually shows Sherrod relaying a personal experience that happened twenty-four years ago, and what the media is collectively calling a “transformation” in Sherrod’s feelings about race and race relations.
In the past 48 hours, now that the full facts have been discovered, Sherrod, who was fired by Secretary Vilsack, has been offered another job by the Secretary, the Obama White House has had to spend hours explaining where they went wrong, and the NAACP had to retract their statement condemning Sherrod.
But the story seems to be ending here, and there is oh so much more.
Breitbart has yet to pay any price for his false and blatantly erroneous “reporting.” And he must pay a very steep price, for this is not his first transgression.
Of course, you’ve heard of Acorn, the “Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now,” which, thanks in large part to Andrew Breitbart, his protegé James O’Keefe, and his right-wing media friends at Fox News and their subordinates, the GOP, is now defunct.
Media Matters calls the practices of the Andrew Breitbart – James O’Keefe partnership “dishonest and illegal,” and writes, “Breitbart’s “strategy”: Withhold evidence and “deprive” people of “information.”
But wait — there’s more!
Calling Breitbart a “smear merchant,” the L.A. Times today reports,
“In September, NEA communications director Yosi Sergant was forced to resign the position following since-discredited reports on Breitbart’s Big Hollywood blog claiming Sergant was using the NEA as a White House propaganda tool. The misleading NEA claim was made using a fragmentary, unauthorized telephone recording.”
But wait — there’s more!
The L.A. Times also writes,
“In December [Breitbart’s] Big Government blog claimed the White House Christmas tree was adorned with the likeness of Chinese Communist dictator Mao Zedong. The decoration turned out to be an ornament that included a famous painting by Pop artist Andy Warhol.”
With America truly in crisis, can we afford to allow the “dishonest and illegal practices” of Andrew Breitbart to waste our time and cloud the judgment of ordinary citizens? Of course not!
It’s time to make Andrew Breitbart pay a price, the only price a right-wing hack understands: one that affects his wallet.
I’m asking you to join me and let Andrew Breitbart’s advertisers know that they are funding lies that are truly harming America. Yes, Andrew Breitbart has a right to publish what he wants. Those who feel defamed, libeled, or otherwise vilified have the right to sue him as they wish, but we, as Americans, have the right to hit him where it hurts.