Posted on 03/01/2012 2:08:14 PM PST by Joy Angela
Editorial by John Ziegler
The Death of Andrew Breitbart
3/1/2012
Like a lot of people, I was once "close" to Andrew Breitbart. Andrew was a very popular guy and had a ton of "friends," but at one point I thought our relationship was at least somewhat unique.
We appeared to be kindred spirits and fellow Los Angeles-based warriors against media bias and we had worked hand in hand on several big stories. I had him on my old radio many times, he "starred" in my first documentary and I helped him debut his Big Hollywood website with their first big story, the exclusive excerpts of Sarah Palin's only post-2008 election sit down interview. He was one of three people with whom I spent my 40th birthday.
We had a very complex falling out a couple of years ago, the details of which, while interesting and publicly relevant, I will not get into at this time out of respect for his passing.
However, there are several important elements to his death that I wish to eventually address because I am likely the only one in a position to do so. Earlier today, I wrote a long piece (most of which was very positive) about this subject, but have since decided to delay its publication out of respect for his family.
For now, I will just say this:
If there is one tiny bright spot in all of this, the Andrew I knew would have been absolutely thrilled, surprised, touched and amused by all of the attention his death is getting. His hero Rush Limbaugh started his show with a tremendous monologue, his nemesis Glenn Beck devoted much of his show to the story, Drudge (belatedly) prominently led with it, the AP send out over ten different versions of it, and many prominent admirers (including some he really didn't like at all) and detractors tweeted their admiration and, at times, biased disparagement. There has even been some unfounded and irrational conspiracy theories how he may have been targeted for death. Man, he would have loved that.
In death Andrew Breitbart has finally gotten what he truly wanted (but knew he was highly unlikely to ever receive) in life: mainstream media acceptance. Nothing in his career would have ever made him more proud.
I just hope he somehow got a chance to experience it.
I don’t know what went on between Breitbart & John Zeigler..but Zeigler is an ass.
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Yeah, I don’t know who Ziegler is, but concur with what he is - he’s an ass.
Several people that knew him say he was “wound really tight”.
I guess to do all the things he has and fearlessly fight the slings and arrowns from the left, you’d have to be.
Watch for Zeigler to attempt to get another 15 minutes out of this by publishing “truths’ that he and HE only knows about Breibart.
What a turncoat.
What led to the falling out between Breitbart and Beck ?
This author is an Epic Creep.
In a March 2011 interview in The New York Observer Andrew Breitbart accused Glenn Beck taking part in the process to edit and promote the infamous Shirley Sherrod video before being thrown “under the bus” by Beck once the story went bad. According to Breitbart, Beck was part of the plan to discredit Sherrod and then things suddenly changed, “Next thing I know, I’m under complete attack without the support of Glenn Beck, who I thought was somebody I could count on.” Clearly Breitbart and Beck had a sort of “falling out” over the incident. Since the Sherrod story, the two sides have accused the other of not sourcing their material and engaging in unfair editing practices.
Breitbart’s side of the story sharply contradicts what Beck has said about his role in the Sherrod saga. The edited version of Sherrod’s speech, which made it appear as if she had discriminated against a white farmer in her official role, first appeared on Breitbart’s website. Beck never endorsed the video on his show, but his Fox News co-workers did condemn Sherrod based on the edited speech. Sherrod was subsequently exonerated when the full version of her speech, along with interviews of the white farmer, revealed she had not discriminated but actually helped the man keep his farm. Beck claimed he played no part in defaming Sherrod, and that, in fact, he had “taken her side” from the very beginning. Beck also claimed he never planned to show the edited clip of Sherrod’s speech.
I occasionally listened to this guy on KFI. I know that he got into some kind of pissing match with John and Ken in which he ended up on the outside looking in. I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s a mental case.
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That certainly appears to be case based upon the writing style of John Zeigler's article. His use of quote marks around "certain" "words" "seems" a "bit" "much".
My measure of this man largely is based upon his betrayal of Sarah Palin.
Thanks for that and all the detail.
I remember that dust-up, but didn’t realize it got that acrimonious between them. I remember listening to Beck and hearing him apologizing somewhat about the Sherrod incident. Beck was more than gracious today in his eulogy of Breitbart. We only realize what we miss until a person is gone to never return.
Thanks again.
Go away Ziegler, you blew it long ago.
I used to listen to him late nights on KFI 640 in L.A. and then when he moved up to 7pm all in the early 2000s I guess. He blew a good gig.
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