California Reporter Nick Green Says He Is ‘Victim of an Andrew Breitbart Wannabe’

Posted on | August 13, 2010 | 70 Comments

“So imagine my surprise today to find I’m the victim of an Andrew Beitbart wannabe, a blogger with a clear agenda of his own who has decided in his hypocrisy I have one of my own.”
— Nick Green, Torrance (Calif.) Daily Breeze

He’s the victim, you see. Nick Green was just minding his own business, cheerfully ignoring the congressional election that he’s paid to cover, blowing off the Republican challenger’s campaign as too insignificant to merit his attention and then — without notice or warning — somebody called him on it.

Sucks to be you, doesn’t it, Nick?

Let’s begin by clarifying the chronology of Nick’s alleged journalistic victimhood:

Tuesday, Aug. 10 — In a story headlined, “South Bay officials welcome passage of jobs bill,” the Daily Breeze treats the $26 billion legislation as a godsend to the California economy, citing a teachers union estimate that the measure “will provide $15.4 million and save 215 jobs in Rep. Jane Harman’s district.” (Hey, when it comes to economic analysis, nobody can out-estimate the National Education Association.)
Wednesday, Aug. 11 — Campaign consultant John Thomas e-mails Breeze reporters Nick Green and Art Marroquin, asking if they “have a second to chat today about Jane Harman,” to discuss Harman’s statements about the area economy. When Green replies, “No,” Thomas asks, “Tomorrow then?” Green e-mails that he is “busy all week,” and Thomas then replies, “Are you covering this race or is there someone else I should talk to at the breeze?” It is in reply to this query that Green sends the now-infamous “we’re not interested” e-mail. (The entire colloquy was posted as a PDF at Mayor Sam’s blog.)
Thursday, Aug. 12 — Under the headline “Officials hope to extend temp jobs program,” Daily Breeze reporter Douglas Morino quotes Rep. Harman, who is featured in a staff photo showing her “at a press conference to highlight the success of a Los Angeles County employment program.” To say that this article was favorable to Harman and the Democrats is an understatement on the order of saying that Triumph of the Will was pretty good P.R. for a certain German political party.

See the picture? St. Jane of the Blessed Bailout gets adulatory coverage from the Breeze and, when a Republican tries to get some notice for Harman’s GOP challenger, Nick Green is “busy all week” and “not interested.”

Now, sources close to the Fein campaign (nudge, nudge) tell me that the Republican challenger felt like she got reasonably fair treatment from former Breeze political reporter Gene Maddaus (e.g., “Republican Mattie Fein makes run aganst Harman official“). But Maddaus has since departed for L.A. Weekly, and lately the GOP candidate feels like she is being purposely ignored by the Breeze.

Er, sources say.

All of this was unknown to me when, at the behest of my filmmaker friend Ladd Ehlinger Jr., I boarded a flight to LAX expecting to cover Ehlinger’s astonishing ascent as a producer of attention-getting campaign ads. Insofar as I had any interest in California politics, per se, it was to find an answer to the question, “What the #$%* is wrong with the California Republican Party?”

What I’m trying to get across here is that I was utterly unaware of Nick Green’s existence until late Thursday when sources close to the Fein campaign — hey, did you notice my elbow jabbing you in the ribs? — forwarded me Green’s e-mail to John Thomas. Let us now consult Nick Green’s lecture on the subject of “news judgment” :

It’s the job of newspaper reporters and editors to decide what to cover when and how. . . . It’s a matter of news judgment, time and resources.

Indeed. And here, according to my own news judgment, was a great story served up on a silver platter:

California Reporter to Republican
Candidate: ‘We’re Not Interested’

Piece of cake. The story “wrote itself,” as they say. It took me barely an hour Friday morning to compose the original post, which was then extended with a series of updates aggregating the blogospheric reaction.

This was not the only reaction, however. A lady who happens to be a subscriber to the Daily Breeze forwarded me her e-mail correspondence with the newspaper’s editor:

Dear Editor,
Will you be addressing this issue in your newspaper? I’m a subscriber and would appreciate a response.

To which the editor replied:

I just learned of it a little more than an hour ago. I will handle it internally as a personnel matter. And yes, I will be addressing. We don’t tolerate this type of behavior.
Linda Lindus

OK, so now the relevant questions are:

Is Nick Green, as he says, a “victim”?
Am I, as Nick Green says, “an Andrew Breitbart wannabe”?
Has Nick Green heard of Denis Healy’s First Law of Holes?

Let’s start with Nick’s claim to victimhood. Having some direct personal experience with the dangers of hitting the “send” button on e-mails I subsequently had cause to regret sending, I certainly feel Nick’s pain. And my buddy Dave Weigel can probably relate, too. Anybody can have a bad day on the Internet.

Andrew Breitbart is someone I admire and consider a friend but, in point of fact, I was working full-time as a reporter when Andrew was still in high school, so the “wannabe” accusation is kind of ironic. No hidden cameras or young Republicans posing as pimps were employed in this story. The complete e-mail exchange between Nick Green and John Thomas has been online at Mayor Sam’s all day, so there’s no Shirley Sherrod “gotcha” editing involved.

Obviously, however, Nick Green is a stranger to the First Law of Holes: “If you are in one, stop digging.” His attempts to justify and defend his churlish response to John Thomas constitute “digging” in this context.

And allow me to point out something that perhaps Nick Green hasn’t considered: Former Breeze staffer Gene Maddaus (a) treated the Republican candidate with evident fairness and (b) has now moved on to a more prestigious gig.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc?

Call me a “wannabe,” if you like, but if Andrew Breitbart himself decides to take notice of Nick Green . . .

Well, it sucks to be you, doesn’t it, Nick?

UPDATE: In the comments, Thane Eichenauer says liberals are now playing “the Breitbart card.” And in this case, it’s decidedly misplayed. There’s just really no comparison.

When I first met Breitbart — at CPAC 2007 — I sat for hours listening to him talk about his experiences in New Media. The guy is an authentic genius. Some people talk in sound-bites. Andrew talks in paragraphs. If you ever get a chance to catch him when he’s off-the-record, relaxed and in a mood to tell stories, it’s an adventure you don’t want to miss.

Being the guerrilla leader of an epic struggle against liberal bias in media and pop culture, however, is above my pay grade. Oh, I have my moments, but my focus for the past couple of years has been on chronicling (and cheering on) the grassroots insurgency against the GOP Establishment and its defeatist mentality. In a word, “WOLVERINES!”

The problems of the Republican Party are systemic and rooted in what sociologists might call “selection effects.” It’s a matter of organizational dynamics. Personnel is policy, as they say and, in the final analysis, the GOP has a personnel problem.

Over the years, the Republican Party has attracted to itself — at both the operational and managerial levels — certain types of personalities, so that the style and content of Republican politics tends to be predictable. This is a problem that people who’ve lived their lives inside the GOP “bubble” can’t accurately perceive, and so change must come through outsiders who challenge the status quo.

Andrew Breitbart is one such outsider, Dan Riehl is another, and many of the candidates and campaigns I’ve covered — including the “Not One Red Cent” rebellion and the Hoffman campaign in NY-23 last fall — have been outsider/insurgent operations. The fact that Ladd Ehlinger is now working in California is one indicator that some Republicans in this state are adopting that outsider/insurgent stance, and it’s about damned time.

As for media bias, we need not wonder why polls show a declining trust in major news organization, and Mark Goluskin has further thoughts on the Martyrdom of Nick Green.

Category: Andrew Breitbart, California, Media Bias

Comments

70 Responses to “California Reporter Nick Green Says He Is ‘Victim of an Andrew Breitbart Wannabe’”

datechguy
August 14th, 2010 @ 3:33 am

What they apparently need is someone actually willing to talk to the candidate. To Wit:

http://www.examiner.com/tea-party-in-boston/a-tale-of-two-districts-and-two-newspapers

Hey I’m free and I have a phone and it dials all the way to California.
datechguy
August 13th, 2010 @ 11:33 pm

What they apparently need is someone actually willing to talk to the candidate. To Wit:

http://www.examiner.com/tea-party-in-boston/a-tale-of-two-districts-and-two-newspapers

Hey I’m free and I have a phone and it dials all the way to California.
Kojocaro
August 14th, 2010 @ 3:58 am

Victimology is never out of style and btw michelle malkin has an excellent post about section 8………..honestly only those who are truly low income should be able to take advantage of it not peggy the moocher
Kojocaro
August 13th, 2010 @ 11:58 pm

Victimology is never out of style and btw michelle malkin has an excellent post about section 8………..honestly only those who are truly low income should be able to take advantage of it not peggy the moocher
Old One
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:20 am

As a South Bay resident and a conservative I long ago ceased to purchase or subscribe to the Daily Sneeze as locals derogatorily dub the farce it has been for at least forty years.
It was always a rag at best before it went fulltime took to agenda stenography & propaganda peddling. In the last five years it has been sinking ever lower and even more rapidly shrinking in size.
I would love to see its circualtion numbers. Circulation has certainly been cratering. The Sneeze has quit calling our house trying to drum up subscribers some years ago.
Old One
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:20 am

As a South Bay resident and a conservative I long ago ceased to purchase or subscribe to the Daily Sneeze as locals derogatorily dub the farce it has been for at least forty years.
It was always a rag at best before it went fulltime took to agenda stenography & propaganda peddling. In the last five years it has been sinking ever lower and even more rapidly shrinking in size.
I would love to see its circualtion numbers. Circulation has certainly been cratering. The Sneeze has quit calling our house trying to drum up subscribers some years ago.
proof
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:36 am

Sounds like a fine California whine from Nick Green. If you need another headline, how about:

Inexperienced Reporter Green.
proof
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:36 am

Sounds like a fine California whine from Nick Green. If you need another headline, how about:

Inexperienced Reporter Green.
Nick Green meets the new media and cries: Andrew Breitbart Wannabe! « Da Techguy's Blog
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:40 am

[…] Robert Stacy McCain is a reporter who also blogs, he has been a reporter for a very long time. If you were familiar with his work you would know this. I on the other hand am a blogger who writes a few articles on occasion. If you want to call anyone an “Andrew Breitbart wannabe” it would be me not him. Oh an although he is a big boy Robert Stacy is a personal friend of mine so I take it ill if you wish to disparage him for telling the truth. […]
RES
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:54 am

Two minor points occur to me:

1. Does anyone think, given the circumstances as described (a harsh instruction on growing-up from his editor, e.g.) that Green’s coverage will be remotely (forget objective) fair? Does the Daily Breeze think they can now provide credible campaign coverage of Ms Fein?

2. According to my back of an envelope calculations, that $15.4 million to save 215 jobs works out to an average cost of just over $715,000 per teacher. I realize labor costs are high in CA, what with small town city managers pulling down $800,000 per year, but I wonder if paying these kinds of wages is how Mr. Harman built his fortune?
RES
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:54 am

Two minor points occur to me:

1. Does anyone think, given the circumstances as described (a harsh instruction on growing-up from his editor, e.g.) that Green’s coverage will be remotely (forget objective) fair? Does the Daily Breeze think they can now provide credible campaign coverage of Ms Fein?

2. According to my back of an envelope calculations, that $15.4 million to save 215 jobs works out to an average cost of just over $715,000 per teacher. I realize labor costs are high in CA, what with small town city managers pulling down $800,000 per year, but I wonder if paying these kinds of wages is how Mr. Harman built his fortune?
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:12 am

Stacy McCain an Andrew Beitbart wannabe!

Andrew Breitbart is a Stacy McCain wannabe.
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:12 am

Stacy McCain an Andrew Beitbart wannabe!

Andrew Breitbart is a Stacy McCain wannabe.
Estragon
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:21 am

Beat me to it by a couple minutes, Bob Belvedere – nicely done!

It always hurts a bit to lose, must most adults have learned how to accept defeats, especially small ones, and move on.

One day, when Nick Green is all grown up, he will learn this. And perhaps also that when “punching up,” it is better not to chose as a target an old newspaper guy who has already killed more trees than Green could hug in a lifetime.

Still, it leaves me a bit envious of Green for his youth. Though now just a wistful, fleeting memory, I look back on my callow days of youth with a tear for the innocence lost, and for the optimism that was unshakable in those tender years when daily shaving and the pain of bikini waxes were unnecessary . . .
Estragon
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:21 am

Beat me to it by a couple minutes, Bob Belvedere – nicely done!

It always hurts a bit to lose, must most adults have learned how to accept defeats, especially small ones, and move on.

One day, when Nick Green is all grown up, he will learn this. And perhaps also that when “punching up,” it is better not to chose as a target an old newspaper guy who has already killed more trees than Green could hug in a lifetime.

Still, it leaves me a bit envious of Green for his youth. Though now just a wistful, fleeting memory, I look back on my callow days of youth with a tear for the innocence lost, and for the optimism that was unshakable in those tender years when daily shaving and the pain of bikini waxes were unnecessary . . .
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:47 am

well, if we are going to cover this race how about California District 8? Nancy Pelosi versus John Dennis? Now that is a RACE!
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:47 am

well, if we are going to cover this race how about California District 8? Nancy Pelosi versus John Dennis? Now that is a RACE!
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:59 am

Does tact go a long way in journalism?
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:59 am

Does tact go a long way in journalism?
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 6:25 am

GG, are you even following the John Dennis’ campaign? John Dennis has $820k and if polls were done he would probably be polling in the low 40’s-high 30’s. This is an anti-incumbent year and it’s a bad year for Nancy Pelosi not to have a campaign staff when her chief competitor is making waves with the local voters. (Personally, IDK what impact the Tea Party would have in San Francisco but we will find out in November). At minimum, Nancy Pelosi will be scared when the next poll comes out…with Whitman and Fiorina leading in the polls a rising tide helps all boats.

I’m guess you are not from California, GG. Where are you from?
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 2:25 am

GG, are you even following the John Dennis’ campaign? John Dennis has $820k and if polls were done he would probably be polling in the low 40’s-high 30’s. This is an anti-incumbent year and it’s a bad year for Nancy Pelosi not to have a campaign staff when her chief competitor is making waves with the local voters. (Personally, IDK what impact the Tea Party would have in San Francisco but we will find out in November). At minimum, Nancy Pelosi will be scared when the next poll comes out…with Whitman and Fiorina leading in the polls a rising tide helps all boats.

I’m guess you are not from California, GG. Where are you from?
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 6:28 am

Oh GG…I forgot to add….

I believe in miracles! Where you from, you SEXY THING!
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 2:28 am

Oh GG…I forgot to add….

I believe in miracles! Where you from, you SEXY THING!
Thane Eichenauer
August 14th, 2010 @ 8:45 am

I think Mr. Green should be expect some thank you notes from the Democrats. They used to only have two cards, now they have three.

1. Bush card
2. racist card

and now the brand new

3. Breitbart card
Thane Eichenauer
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:45 am

I think Mr. Green should be expect some thank you notes from the Democrats. They used to only have two cards, now they have three.

1. Bush card
2. racist card

and now the brand new

3. Breitbart card
DYSPEPSIA GENERATION » Blog Archive » California Reporter Nick Green Says He Is ‘Victim of an Andrew Breitbart Wannabe’
August 14th, 2010 @ 7:37 am

[…] Read it. He’s the victim, you see. Nick Green was just minding his own business, cheerfully ignoring the congressional election that he’s paid to cover, blowing off the Republican challenger’s campaign as too insignificant to merit his attention and then — without notice or warning — somebody called him on it. […]
pagar
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:26 pm

The problem starts when people refer to these leftists as reporters. They are not reporters, they simply rewrite leftist propaganda. Calling them reporters is an insult to good reporters.
pagar
August 14th, 2010 @ 8:26 am

The problem starts when people refer to these leftists as reporters. They are not reporters, they simply rewrite leftist propaganda. Calling them reporters is an insult to good reporters.
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:40 pm

Estragon: It’s bound to happen because great minds do, indeed, think alike.

Pagar: Spot-on. They’re all, these days, employees of The Ministry Of Truth.

Stacy: WOLVERINES!
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:40 pm

Estragon: It’s bound to happen because great minds do, indeed, think alike.

Pagar: Spot-on. They’re all, these days, employees of The Ministry Of Truth.

Stacy: WOLVERINES!
Thomas L. Knapp
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:44 pm

“I would love to see its circualtion numbers.”

According to Mondo Times, the Daily Breeze has a circulation of 80,000.

If you think it’s hard to get Demorat-leaning papers to cover Repugnican candidates, try getting them to publish anarchist op-eds. I’ve had several replies on par with Green’s (although I’ve had no such reply from the Daily Breeze itself … hmmm).

On the other hand, for every rude “leave me alone” reply I’ve had, I’ve had at least two polite ones, including one that led to subsequent friendly (but brief) correspondence with a Pulitzer-winning editor on the subject of statelessness.
Thomas L. Knapp
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:44 pm

“I would love to see its circualtion numbers.”

According to Mondo Times, the Daily Breeze has a circulation of 80,000.

If you think it’s hard to get Demorat-leaning papers to cover Repugnican candidates, try getting them to publish anarchist op-eds. I’ve had several replies on par with Green’s (although I’ve had no such reply from the Daily Breeze itself … hmmm).

On the other hand, for every rude “leave me alone” reply I’ve had, I’ve had at least two polite ones, including one that led to subsequent friendly (but brief) correspondence with a Pulitzer-winning editor on the subject of statelessness.
ccoffer
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:50 pm

Who is Nick Green?
ccoffer
August 14th, 2010 @ 12:50 pm

Who is Nick Green?
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:17 pm

@gg,
I don’t have a cable, can I come over to your house? 🙂
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:17 pm

@gg,
I don’t have a cable, can I come over to your house? 🙂
Kojocaro
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:33 pm

yeah rob while your at it can you please tell gg that glenn beck is under his bed waiting to steal his soul 😀
Kojocaro
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:33 pm

yeah rob while your at it can you please tell gg that glenn beck is under his bed waiting to steal his soul 😀
Mark J. Goluskin
August 14th, 2010 @ 5:45 pm

GG, really, Fox News helping lower the bar? Look at the graph at the Gallup poll. The decline started WAY before Fox News came along in 1996. Most large cities only have ONE leading newspaper. And YES, it is biased beyond belief by l i b e r a l s. Just so ya’ understand, gg. In reality, I would like if the Obamawhore media would just be honest. Like the old days when newspapers were actually alligned with a politcal party. If Mr. Green is a “independent” journalist, I am a Democrat.
The Spot-On Quote Of The Day… « The Camp Of The Saints
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:45 pm

[…] awarded to Gonzo journalist [ooh, that word] extraordinaire, Robert Stacy McCain for his astute observation of what ails The Stupid […]
Mark J. Goluskin
August 14th, 2010 @ 1:45 pm

GG, really, Fox News helping lower the bar? Look at the graph at the Gallup poll. The decline started WAY before Fox News came along in 1996. Most large cities only have ONE leading newspaper. And YES, it is biased beyond belief by l i b e r a l s. Just so ya’ understand, gg. In reality, I would like if the Obamawhore media would just be honest. Like the old days when newspapers were actually alligned with a politcal party. If Mr. Green is a “independent” journalist, I am a Democrat.
Roxeanne de Luca
August 14th, 2010 @ 6:08 pm

Why aren’t people ashamed to whine like that? Would anyone really want to be caught saying that they are some poor helpless little soul? Have some dignity.
Roxeanne de Luca
August 14th, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

Why aren’t people ashamed to whine like that? Would anyone really want to be caught saying that they are some poor helpless little soul? Have some dignity.
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 6:09 pm

@Kojocaro,
Will do!

@GG
I got $10 bet saying John Dennis will win the CA-8 if he doesn’t I’m bloody amazed. Google Trends shows momentum building, FEC shows momentu building, etc. Pelosi can finally grab her own damn unemployment check.
Rob
August 14th, 2010 @ 2:09 pm

@Kojocaro,
Will do!

@GG
I got $10 bet saying John Dennis will win the CA-8 if he doesn’t I’m bloody amazed. Google Trends shows momentum building, FEC shows momentu building, etc. Pelosi can finally grab her own damn unemployment check.
jefferson101
August 14th, 2010 @ 7:12 pm

People, please!

gg is right. If we could just break through the brainwashing that Fox News has inflicted on us, we could readily see the virtue and rightness that is inherent to income redistribution, Health Care rationing, and Energy rationing.

If we could just throw off the Fox Mind Control, we would understand that it is all for our own good, and that the Progressive Left has only our best interests at heart.

So make the leap, people. Free your minds! I’m going to sell all my firearms and buy a Prius now! I have seeeeen the liiiight!

Or maybe not.
jefferson101
August 14th, 2010 @ 3:12 pm

People, please!

gg is right. If we could just break through the brainwashing that Fox News has inflicted on us, we could readily see the virtue and rightness that is inherent to income redistribution, Health Care rationing, and Energy rationing.

If we could just throw off the Fox Mind Control, we would understand that it is all for our own good, and that the Progressive Left has only our best interests at heart.

So make the leap, people. Free your minds! I’m going to sell all my firearms and buy a Prius now! I have seeeeen the liiiight!

Or maybe not.
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 8:11 pm

Roxeanne: To understand dignity – to possess it – one must believe that there are absolute truths, The Permanent Things. The Left indoctrinates their followers with the belief that truth and, therefore, morality are transient. They cannot undetsand the concept of dignity – or honor.
Bob Belvedere
August 14th, 2010 @ 4:11 pm

Roxeanne: To understand dignity – to possess it – one must believe that there are absolute truths, The Permanent Things. The Left indoctrinates their followers with the belief that truth and, therefore, morality are transient. They cannot undetsand the concept of dignity – or honor.
RES
August 14th, 2010 @ 11:40 pm

GG, I’ve been reading the NY Times for 25 years. It ain’t Fox that’s lowered the bar. Frankly, I blame J-school graduates and those who hire & publish them without bothering to tech them not to wipe their noses on their sleeves.

Pop Quiz for American journalism scandals: What do Jayson Blair, Stephen Glass, Walter Duranty, Gerald Posner, William L. Laurence, Patricia Smith, Christopher Newton, Brian Walski, Jack Kelley, Dan Rather, Mary Mapes, Hassan M. Fattah, Adnan Hajj, Michael Whitney Straight, Janet Cooke and Rick Bragg have in common?

Answer: none of them worked for Fox News, the Washington Times or any other “right-wing” news outlet.