We have a pretty substantial file built up on liberal Mediaite blogger Tommy Christopher, who has put in a lot of hours attempting to damage the Breitbart brand. But today he writes one of the best pieces we’ve seen recapping ABC News’s attempt at credibility suicide. And when you’ve lost Tommy Christopher…:
Under pressure from groups like Media Matters and Color of Change, ABC News first scaled back, and then canceled, Andrew Breitbart‘s planned participation in its Election Day coverage. Rather than admit they were responding to pressure, however, they decided to blame Breitbart, claiming that he had exaggerated his role in their coverage, essentially firing him for promoting their broadcast.
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However, in his first conversation with [ABC Executive Producer Andrew Morse] Morse, Breitbart says he was calm. “Do you understand that you invited me to be a participant in this, and because of pressure from the predictable (George) Soros, Huffington, Talking Points Memo, John Podesta activist left, to shut up other voices that they disagree with, a la Juan Williams, of course you would have to react.”
“But to react by throwing your invitee under the bus, and humiliating him in the process? Do you think that that sends the right message to your audience, and to the people out there who think that I am a credible news source, that I offer a valuable opinion as the primary defender of the Tea Party movement against merciless attacks by this very same mainstream media?”
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Breitbart recounted the moment he saw the handwriting on the wall. With a bitter edge in his voice, he said “I knew my fate was sealed the moment George Stephanopoulos tweeted, and he’s not a frequenteur of the Twitter realm, ‘Breitbart NOT part of broadcast,’ putting his imprimatur on the situation, essentially saying ‘I ain’t having that guy on the broadcast,’ it was at that point, even though I decided to go to Phoenix, and try to take the high road every step of the way.”
I asked Breitbart what happens next. Is he considering legal action against ABC? “I will be looking into all possible ways to remedy this injustice.”
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Finally, Breitbart congratulated CNN for not bowing to similar pressure. “They tried (to pressure CNN) when I was on CNN, but CNN did not capitulate when I was invited to be on Parker/Spitzer.”
Whatever you think of the merits of Media Matters’ complaints against Andrew Breitbart, it is a breathtaking irony that they would do such a thorough job of documenting ABC’s hypocrisy, then congratulate them for using it to protect their journalistic brand. If fairness is to mean anything, it ought to apply to everyone.
Full article here.
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