The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Andrew Breitbart, Genius

Posted on | June 28, 2010 | 23 Comments

Hmmmm. Why is he publishing David Weigel’s explanation?

Rep. Ron Paul (R, Tex.) knew that I liked him, and that I was voting for him — although that didn’t stop me from co-writing a story about the history of racist comments in newsletters he published. Bob Barr knew that I liked him, and trusted me enough to tell me, off-the-record, what he thought of people. I kept that trust with people, and people kept it with me. In this business you have to keep that trust or no one will talk to you, and then you can only learn what people want you to know. . . .

Yeah. It’s all about access. But . . . access to what?

Category: Andrew Breitbart, Blogging, Neutral Objective Journalism

Comments

23 Responses to “Andrew Breitbart, Genius”

  1. Thrasymachus
    June 28th, 2010 @ 3:52 pm

    A few years ago I was sitting in my favorite coffee place, reading the San Diego Tribune editorial page. There were two columns, one above the other, by Jim Hoagland and Robert Novak. They were both pretty obviously based on leaks from sources with axes to grind.

    Now I’ve got nothing against ax-grinding. I’ve got a few axes to grind myself. But I don’t think newspaper writers should be in the business of helping politicians and their minions grind theirs. What more does “journalism? based on “access” amount to?

  2. Thrasymachus
    June 28th, 2010 @ 11:52 am

    A few years ago I was sitting in my favorite coffee place, reading the San Diego Tribune editorial page. There were two columns, one above the other, by Jim Hoagland and Robert Novak. They were both pretty obviously based on leaks from sources with axes to grind.

    Now I’ve got nothing against ax-grinding. I’ve got a few axes to grind myself. But I don’t think newspaper writers should be in the business of helping politicians and their minions grind theirs. What more does “journalism? based on “access” amount to?

  3. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 3:53 pm

    I’ve been mulling it over why Wiegel quitting his job at the WaPo was a bad thing.

    Beyond friendships.

    Was it because the WaPo finally acknowledged that there was an opposing viewpoint and, however skewered, trying to report on it?

    Then maybe, some fence sitter would see both sides and judge accordingly?

  4. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 11:53 am

    I’ve been mulling it over why Wiegel quitting his job at the WaPo was a bad thing.

    Beyond friendships.

    Was it because the WaPo finally acknowledged that there was an opposing viewpoint and, however skewered, trying to report on it?

    Then maybe, some fence sitter would see both sides and judge accordingly?

  5. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 4:40 pm

    Do you detect a younger Hunter S. Thompson in him?

  6. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 12:40 pm

    Do you detect a younger Hunter S. Thompson in him?

  7. blaster
    June 28th, 2010 @ 4:52 pm

    Breitbart was smart to put it up because it brings big traffic. But what better exposition on Professor Reynolds theory that the “press” is no longer in business to inform the public, but to decide what information the public should have (paraphrastialy).

  8. blaster
    June 28th, 2010 @ 12:52 pm

    Breitbart was smart to put it up because it brings big traffic. But what better exposition on Professor Reynolds theory that the “press” is no longer in business to inform the public, but to decide what information the public should have (paraphrastialy).

  9. blaster
    June 28th, 2010 @ 4:55 pm

    Oh, and Weigel, not surprisingly, not so genius. The taunt there, those of you who are happy I got canned, well I’ll still get work, suckers – I don’t think it will go well for him. He hasn’t learned yet how not to be cocky. He’s gonna eff up again, and the whole world is watching, and waiting.

  10. blaster
    June 28th, 2010 @ 12:55 pm

    Oh, and Weigel, not surprisingly, not so genius. The taunt there, those of you who are happy I got canned, well I’ll still get work, suckers – I don’t think it will go well for him. He hasn’t learned yet how not to be cocky. He’s gonna eff up again, and the whole world is watching, and waiting.

  11. Joe
    June 28th, 2010 @ 5:10 pm

    But what better exposition on Professor Reynolds theory that the “press” is no longer in business to inform the public, but to decide what information the public should have (paraphrastialy).

    That is nothing new. The fictional character of Dutton Peabody in The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance (and granted that was written in 1962) summed up the press and its attitude about itself and now. The difference being that many members of the 4th Estate now are downright hostile to concepts like American exceptionalism, individual freedom and liberty.

  12. Joe
    June 28th, 2010 @ 1:10 pm

    But what better exposition on Professor Reynolds theory that the “press” is no longer in business to inform the public, but to decide what information the public should have (paraphrastialy).

    That is nothing new. The fictional character of Dutton Peabody in The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance (and granted that was written in 1962) summed up the press and its attitude about itself and now. The difference being that many members of the 4th Estate now are downright hostile to concepts like American exceptionalism, individual freedom and liberty.

  13. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 5:50 pm

    The difference being that many members of the 4th Estate now are downright hostile to concepts like American exceptionalism, individual freedom and liberty.

    A friend of mine put is this way: The 4th Estate is now the 5th Column.

  14. Dave C
    June 28th, 2010 @ 1:50 pm

    The difference being that many members of the 4th Estate now are downright hostile to concepts like American exceptionalism, individual freedom and liberty.

    A friend of mine put is this way: The 4th Estate is now the 5th Column.

  15. Joe
    June 28th, 2010 @ 6:01 pm

    DaveC, that is well stated!

  16. Joe
    June 28th, 2010 @ 2:01 pm

    DaveC, that is well stated!

  17. Steve in TN
    June 28th, 2010 @ 8:17 pm

    I’m trying to get over the laughable notion that Weigel and others blogging at old media web sites are new media. Nope.

    The average conservative in the street and in the neighborhood doesn’t know who Weigel is, nor do we care.

    You, Reihl, and the others so proudly proclaiming to be the new media and decrying the echo chambers of the old media don’t seem to realize that what y’all are doing is leading to much the same thing. Tell me that the current scrape, and previous ones like this one, aren’t new versions of the “echo chambers” and closed insider circles…

    You guys are so close to becoming entrenched establishment that many of *us* can’t see the difference.

  18. Steve in TN
    June 28th, 2010 @ 4:17 pm

    I’m trying to get over the laughable notion that Weigel and others blogging at old media web sites are new media. Nope.

    The average conservative in the street and in the neighborhood doesn’t know who Weigel is, nor do we care.

    You, Reihl, and the others so proudly proclaiming to be the new media and decrying the echo chambers of the old media don’t seem to realize that what y’all are doing is leading to much the same thing. Tell me that the current scrape, and previous ones like this one, aren’t new versions of the “echo chambers” and closed insider circles…

    You guys are so close to becoming entrenched establishment that many of *us* can’t see the difference.

  19. cm
    June 28th, 2010 @ 8:35 pm

    I have a two word comment about Mr. Weigel: Who cares?

  20. cm
    June 28th, 2010 @ 4:35 pm

    I have a two word comment about Mr. Weigel: Who cares?

  21. JadedByPolitics
    June 29th, 2010 @ 9:19 am

    Breitbart is brilliant enough to left idiots hang themselves! I see your boy is heading to Olbermanns Obama channel. I guess you can do lunch and he can fill you in the crazies at MSDNC!

  22. JadedByPolitics
    June 29th, 2010 @ 5:19 am

    Breitbart is brilliant enough to left idiots hang themselves! I see your boy is heading to Olbermanns Obama channel. I guess you can do lunch and he can fill you in the crazies at MSDNC!

  23. Brietbart understands how the game works better than anyone « DaTechguy's Blog
    June 29th, 2010 @ 10:04 pm

    […] impressed the hell out of Stacy McCain who interviewed him for the Spectator: Especially after the 2004 election, Breitbart said, […]