On Fox, Breitbart bashes CNN's ACORN coverage: "The behavior of Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN, has been despicable during this"
From the September 18 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom:
MEGYN KELLY (co-host): Joining me now is Andrew Breitbart. He's the founder of the website the video first appeared on. It's called BigGovernment.com, and the videos are still there. Andrew, good morning to you.
BREITBART: Good morning, Megyn.
KELLY: You were with us the morning that the story broke -- the morning that the first video aired on BigGovernment.com. And now in a week's time, the congressional action, the response by the Feds, has been really stunning. I mean, for years, the Democrats in Congress have not wanted to sign on to anything that would cut back funding from ACORN, and now we see these huge majorities coming out of the Senate and the House to cut down the group -- to cut off the group's funding. What's your reaction, a week into this?
BREITBART: Well, I'm grateful that the American public has realized that there's a serious problem here, and that their elected representatives are taking their concerns seriously. A new Rasmussen poll came out this morning that says America's overwhelmingly disturbed by what they've seen on these videos.
But, predictably, and why we rolled the videos out one by one by one by one, we set traps for ACORN to lie; each and every time they lied. They went to the mainstream media, continued to tell those lies. The next day, the previous day's lies were exposed. And CNN in particular has kept going back to ACORN and taking their line.
The behavior of Jonathan Klein, the president of CNN, has been despicable during this. They continue to impugn [filmmakers] James [O'Keefe] and Hannah [Giles], and they are continuing to tell falsehoods -- that they were kicked out of ACORN offices. And that's the current line that some at ACORN, including Bertha Lewis, continue to push. There are more videos to come, and some -- and in towns that they continue to say that they were kicked out of.
KELLY: It's not -- I mean, Bertha Lewis is the person behind that charge. She's the CEO of ACORN -- they call her the chief organizer -- but, essentially, that's the CEO. And she's been all over the map on responding to this, Andrew. First she came out and said, you know, this is defamatory. They threatened lawsuits against James and Hannah, against you, against Fox -- for anybody who would touch the story is going to get sued for touching the story. Then they came out and said, oh, they tried this stunt at a bunch of offices and failed. Then tape after tape we kept seeing that, well, actually, they tried it at a bunch of offices and succeeded at a bunch of offices as well. Are there more tapes to come?
BREITBART: Oh, absolutely. And I've -- they -- CNN in particular, I have spoken to their producers, who have been impugning the motivations of Hannah and James and trying to find aspects of their story that are false, when ACORN has been false. I have said to them James and Hannah will appear on your network, even for a hit job, if you show the American people -- or the small segment of their audience that still goes to that network -- if you show them those tapes and let them decide, just like Congress did, just like Al Franken did -- he voted against it.
He -- very early on, before the mainstream media started to pick up on it, what did Al Franken know about this that CNN didn't know about this? On these videos you see truth.
KELLY: Well, you know, it hasn't -- in CNN's defense, at least they've covered it. It hasn't been covered by virtually any media -- in particular, the big three. I mean, I was stunned this week --
BREITBART: Well, I will credit --
KELLY: -- when Charlie Gibson said he didn't even know about the story.
BREITBART: Yeah, I will credit Katie Couric and the CBS Evening News; on Tuesday evening they did it. And more importantly, it's already cycled through the Jon Stewart Daily Show and Jay Leno's Tonight Show. So when they're making jokes at the expense of ACORN, and ABC and NBC have refused to cover it, there is something desperately wrong with the mainstream media. And that's why we did the rollout the way that we did, because we wanted to not just expose ACORN for being corrupt, we wanted to expose that the mainstream media would treat this exactly like they treated the Van Jones story. And that's ignored until the consequences got too great for them to ignore.
Previously:
Police report filed by ACORN exposes false claims by individuals behind videos
Network news largely silent on Fox News' role in hyping, distorting ACORN story
Fox News runs with San Bernardino ACORN video without needed fact check
Beck relies heavily on Drudge protégé Andrew Breitbart in recent attacks on NEA, Jones, and ACORN
The other right-wing media mogul you should worry about
Palin's book and Obama's bow: a media week to forget
Media Matters: The Palin chronicles
You got THAT right!
I have a feeling that by the time this is over, there's going to be some serious backlash against the RIGHT over some aspect of these films or the filmakers. There's more to this story than what's been revealed so far. These guys aren't just concerned citizens. I don't buy that for a minute.
So you would rather put down someone that found people acting either illegally or fraudulently just because it shows up on Fox News? Are you kidding me? Do you have ANY values?
Oh and pleased do keep on the scrutiny issue - that they dont want the scrutiny...... It will just raise the ratings even higher. As Jon Stewart said: "I'm a fake journalist, and I'm embarrassed these guys scooped me. Let's get to work people."
Lets see how your backlash pans out for you... *chuckle*
You think so?
This flies in the face of the core values ACORN claims to be based on. How can you help low and middle income people by teaching them to cheat on their taxes? Get ahead by getting over?
With the stories of Charlie Rangel and Tim Geithner in the news recently, maybe that is just the liberal way?
I think you're more optimistic than I am. I don't think there will be anything more than a minor backlash because I think that the people we're hearing from are wingnuts, many of whom (not all, but many) are bigoted knuckledraggers that will never forgive Obama for being President. That particular segment of the Republican party has become their base and they will continue to do anything they can to get in the news and try to prevent Obama's voice from being heard. They are beyond all logic and reason, deliberately ignore facts in favor of talking points, and are so habitually dishonest that I think they no longer know when they are lying and when they're telling the truth. It's impossible to have a conversation with anybody who thinks that Breitbert (or Hannity, or Beck, or Coulter, or O'Reilly, etc.) makes sense because they have already decided to ignore reality. They're deliberately catering to the lowest of the low.
Come on, what does more harm?
A handful of employees breaking the law (really enabling others to break the law) and SOME tax money being spent in what they feel is an "inefficent" manner...
-OR-
The number of of law abiding people that will now never be home owners. That will not be registered to vote. That will not benefit from all the various community improvements organized and funded by Acorn?
For every corrupt Acorn employee that these foxes root out, how many people in comminites accross the country will be harmed? Hundereds?
If it's more that ONE (for each) then BY DEFINITION they've done more harm than good. (Of course they also see electing Democrats as 'doing harm' and elecing Republicans as 'doing good.')
But to conservtaives, collateral damage (done by THEM) doesn't matter at all...
-----------------------------------------------------------
...if it helps them WIN.
ROFLMAO. Wow either you work for ACORN or you're clueless. Even before these tapes came out ACORN had a dozen indictments against them for fraud stemming from the General Election.
And it doesn't stop there - two prominent HOLLYWOOD democrats shot a documentary on the hundreds of fraudulent practices that both ACORN and high ranking members of the DNC engaged in during the PRIMARIES.
Enlighten yourself with the truth, Eddie Check out www.wewillnotbesilenced2008.com .
ACORN has done far more harm than good and taxpayers should NOT have to provided them with funds to them for doing so.
And the other point to remember - It is Barack Obama who USED ACORN to work on HIS behalf during the primaries...and offered them something in return for doing so. Obama is directly connected to ACORN --- which is why he has NOW chosen to throw them under the bus along with Van Jones, and a long list of people/organizations that have embarrassed him. He uses them - then loses them once they prove to "dirty" to be associated with.
ACORN have ONLY themselves to blame for their demise . If they thought Obama would stand by them...no matter what horrendous acts they engaged in.. even acts he encouraged... they were wrong.
What WHOLE thing? Just get the people or organization that is not acting legally. But like typical liberals... if it is liberal it MUST be good and keep it running no matter if 13 year old illegal immigrants are being promoted as prostitutes.
So if a few CEOs receive compensation disproportionate to their accomplishments and responsibilities, should we set limits for ALL CEO compensation?
If a corporation makes (in your opinion) too much money, even though they employee hundreds of employees and stimulate economies, should their profits be controlled?
For every tax increase imposed on evil big business, how many people across the country will be harmed through job losses?
I think your point is correct. Take the bad with the good on BOTH SIDES!!!
However the Liberal "mental illness" can only focus one narrow-minded view. Do you approve of tax breaks and incentives to big corporations to provide incentive to grow, expand AND HIRE MORE PEOPLE?
Or should YOUR VERSION of the government just control everything?
Hmm. That's kind of what's happening. On account of a couple audacious kids.
Hmm. That wouldn't have happened, if not for a couple audacious kids.
I know, I know! Let's go after the kids! :-\
And earlier DellDolly sums up the whole liberal experience by using rapier wit against someone who feels differently than he/ she with a well though out and shockingly well played "shut up". Unfortunately this is the sum total of the argument against all who disagree with ACORN or anyone like them. Well I, for one will not shut up and for that matter I will not tell anyone else to shut up. If I cannot craft an argument that is both well spoken and concise then I will go back to school and learn how, I suggest DellDolly do the same.
Wait, by that logic doesn't that mean we can now get rid of the entire Republican party? Ensign, Sanford, Craig and there were others, definitely did bad things as Republicans. Right?
Oh, and if you make the criteria that they had to do bad things officially, Scooter Libby, the whole Iran-Contra thing - that oughta be enough to do away with the wole party using their own standards as set forth in the ACORN thing.
voices be heard?
OH, The HUGE MANATEE!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/us/09embezzle.html
ACORN is supposed to be the voice for the poor and works to increase the living wage, but time after time they have used union busting techniques on their own employees. They fight for increases in minimum wage, yet don't want to pay their own employees minimum wage.
http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/06/acorn-report-5/
http://www.rottenacorn.com/downloads/060728_badSeed.pdf
This orginization uses the poor as their shield to accumlate money and power. They need to be exposed for who they are. If you can't see beyond that because of your love for one party over another, then there is no hope for this country. Corruption will continue. I believe corruption on both sides needs to be exposed and we need to stop being pawns in this game.
Just amazing when you think of how FoxNews Channel kept their "power" even with a majority of Democrats in both Houses and as President. Wow, no wonder why Republicans "LOVE" FoxNews Channel. LOL
The part you miss... more than just Republicans watch Fox. Why? Because the present news that others just ignore.
As Jon Stewart said: "I'm a fake journalist, and I'm embarrassed these guys scooped me. Let's get to work people."
THATS why people are watching Fox. But your head is so wrapped wround the axle that Fox News is BAAAAD. Better wake up!
All the posts on this site focus on the people reporting the information, not the people or the organizations that performed the acts. Typical.
Oh, ACORN has no accountability in these incidents that have led to their own demise? Poor ACORN was a victim of evil Fox?? If ever there was an irresponsible and unethical organization run amuck, it's ACORN. Thankfully, as the Koolaid begins to wear off, we'll see these thugs and crooks for what they really are, and we'll see that interloper currently infesting the White House for who he really is: someone unworthy of the presidency.
It's either "main-stream media". (Implies a very broad base.)
Or, it's the extreme, or biased, media.
Since Fox is proud of the fact that they aren't "main stream", then by their own admission, their reporting is extreme or biased.
Getting the logic here anyone?
Statistical example: Think of a bell-shaped curve. The "main stream" would be most of the area under the curve. The opposite of "main stream" are the extremes on the left and right sides (the tails of the curve and outliers). So my guess is that would put Fox on the extreme right.
Even you have to admit that this has been Fox's self-described position, compared to other media outlets. If the other media outlets are "main-stream", that only leaves one other choice.
Of course, most Fox viewers would never catch that type of logic, now wouldn't they, "thumbs-down" guy?
Your inaccurate opinion of media bias definition completely renders the remainder of your post worthless.
It must be wonderful to be you. /sarc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PR_and_NCE.gif
Different applications, but still a good point.
One point demonstrates the extremes compared to the "main stream", the other one demonstrates their relative IQs. ;-)
This isn't about left or right it is about corruption that must be addressed. Not doing so and blaming Fox or Republicans is absurd. Really think about what you are saying. Look at NBC ABC and CBS. Look closely at what they chose NOT to cover. Then, ask yourself if this was a republican organization what would you want them to cover? Ask yourself if the media is doing its job correctly. Ask if they are hiding this then what else could they be hiding?
De-Nial ain't just a river in Egypt as the saying goes.
But O'Keefe and Giles aren't? How come?
ACORN has had a number of major problems-the founder's brother embezzled nearly a million $$, and yet, was never prosecuted. ACORN tried to pay its employees less than minimum wage in California. And then there's the voter fraud.
ACORN charges families $60 to join, and where's the proof that these families actually benefit? ACORN isn't the only organization that helps people get housing, tax advice, etc., so it's specious to think poor people will greatly suffer if this corrupt organization closes down.
Umm, because there's a difference between North Korea and an American organization that tries to help people get back on their feet? I know righties like to pretend there is no difference between the two, but there is.
So, you're saying that an organization that promotes tax evasion, child prostitution is NOT evil?
I love how Koolaid drinking obamababies love to cast everything in pure good v. evil black and white.
Can you please provide the convicted cases of ACORN voter fraud to prove your point?
We get it, you hate ACORN. You drink the conservative Kool-Aid. Good for you.
Now how about a little proof to backup your accusations.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124182750646102435.html
In the state of Missouri in 1986, 12 ACORN members were convicted of voter fraud.
In 2007, in Kansas City, Missouri, four ACORN employees were indicted for fraud. In April of 2008 eight ACORN employees in St. Louis city and county pleaded guilty to federal election fraud for submitting bogus voter registrations.
voter registration forms with the same names over and over again. The forms were turned in by ACORN. Officials sent about 30 applications to the state Board of Elections for possible fraud investigation.
Ohio — The New York Post reported that a Cleveland man said he was given cash and cigarettes by aggressive ACORN activists in exchange for registering an astonishing 72 times. The complaints have sparked an investigation by election officials into the organization, whose political wing has supported Barack Obama. Witnesses have already been subpoenaed to testify against the organization.
Nevada — Authorities raided the headquarters of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now on Tuesday October 7, 2008, after a month-long investigation. The fraudulent voter registrations included the Dallas Cowboys starting line-up.
Indiana — More than 2,000 voter registration forms filed in northern Indiana’s Lake County filled out by ACORN employees turned out to be bogus. Officials also stopped processing a stack of about 5,000 applications delivered just before the October 6 registration deadline after the first 2,100 turned out to be phony.
Connecticut — Officials are looking into a complaint alleging ACORN submitted fraudulent voter registration cards in Bridgeport. In one instance, an official said a card was filled out for a 7-year-old girl, whose age was listed as 27. 8,000 cards were submitted in Bridgeport.
Missouri — The Kansas City election board is reporting 100 duplicate applications and 280 with fake information. Acorn officials agreed that at least 4% of their registrations were bogus. Governor Matt Blunt condemned the attempts by ACORN to commit voter fraud.
Pennsylvania — Officials are investigating suspicious or incomplete registration forms submitted by ACORN. 252,595 voter registrations were submitted in Philadelphia. Remarkably, 57,435 were rejected — most of them submitted by ACORN.
Wisconsin — In Milwaukee ACORN improperly used felons as registration workers. Additionally, its workers are among 49 cases of bad registrations sent to authorities for possible charges, as first reported by the Journal Sentinel.
Florida — The Pinellas County Elections supervisor says his office has received around 35 voter registrations that appear to be bogus. There is also a question of 30,000 felons who are registered illegally to vote. Their connections with ACORN are not yet clear.
Texas — Of the 30,000 registration cards ACORN turned in, Harris County tax assessor Paul Bettencourt says just more than 20,000 are valid. And just look at some of the places ACORN was finding those voters. A church just next door is the address for around 150 people. More than 250 people claim a homeless outreach center as their home address. Some listed a county mental health facility as their home and one person even wrote down the Harris County jail at the sheriff’s office.
Michigan — ACORN in Detroit is being investigated after several municipal clerks reported fraudulent and duplicate voter registration applications coming through. The clerk interviewed said the fraud appears to be widespread.
New Mexico – The Bernalillo County clerk has notified prosecutors that some 1,100 fraudulent voter registration cards were turned in by ACORN.
Now.....only one party has been under a court ordered consent decree since the 80's for voter supression against minorities.
Hmmmmm.......wonder which party that is ?? Republicans
DNC v. RNC Consent Decree
http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/dnc_v_rnc_consent_decree
Yes or No.
Check one.
federal election fraud for submitting bogus voter registrations.
The forms were turned in by ACORN. Officials sent about 30 applications to the state Board of Elections for possible fraud investigation.
Cleveland man said he was given cash and cigarettes by aggressive ACORN activists in exchange for registering an astonishing 72 times.
fraudulent voter registrations included the Dallas Cowboys starting line-up
voter registration forms filed in northern Indiana's Lake County filled out by ACORN employees turned out to be bogus.
alleging ACORN submitted fraudulent voter registration cards in Bridgeport.
100 duplicate applications and 280 with fake information. Acorn officials agreed that at least 4% of their registrations were bogus.
investigating suspicious or incomplete registration forms submitted by ACORN.
49 cases of bad registrations sent to authorities for possible charges,
around 35 voter registrations that appear to be bogus.
30,000 registration cards ACORN turned in, Harris County tax assessor Paul Bettencourt says just more than 20,000 are valid.
several municipal clerks reported fraudulent and duplicate voter registration applications coming through.
some 1,100 fraudulent voter registration cards were turned in by ACORN.
Congratulations, you have just proven that there was no Voter Fraud... faked registrations are not voter fraud, and are required to be turned in along with legitimate registrations, with notification of officials that the registrations are questionable.
No wonder you guys are losing all the political debates today.
The sad part is you are just plain defending fraud.
Voter fraud is what Ann Coulter did. Twice. And surprisingly, not one reichpublican ever denounced her and demanded she be arrested for committing the crime.
In recent years, ACORN employees have been investigated multiple times for voter registration fraud. ACORN workers have been convicted of submitting false voter registration forms in Colorado Springs in 2005, Kansas City, Mo., in 2006 and King County, Wash., in 2007. ACORN's Las Vegas office was raided by a state criminal investigator on Oct. 7, 2008. ACORN workers are also the subjects of ongoing investigations in Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. The Indiana investigation started in early October and may involve thousands of fraudulent registration forms.
On Oct. 16 The Associated Press quoted two "senior law enforcement" officials as saying that the FBI is investigating ACORN seeking "any evidence of a coordinated national scam."
Any questions?
You are really seriously asking this question? O'Keefe and Giles lied about what they did. Reporters don't lie about their work. The film makers deceptively edited at least one video to give a false impression. Real journalists don't do that.
O'Keefe and Giles were taken in by their target, who deliberately gave them false information because she realized the film makers were acting. The film makers never bothered to check the person's claim. Real journalists don't do this. Remember, when Rather used a poorly sourced story, there were calls to fire him. Rathers did a poor job checking his source, but at least he tried. The film makers didn't put any effort in at all.
Didn't Contessa Brewer recently "deceptively edit at least one video to give a false impression?"
The video she ran showed the mid-section of a man with a couple of guns. She immediately started yapping about "white men showing up armed at Obama speeches." All this while cleverly editing out the man's arms (black) and face (coincidently, also black.) Media deception from both sides is wrong. Why can't RIGHT and WRONG be bi-partison. I just don't get it.
so, it's your opinion that the founder's brother embezzeled money. after all there have been no charges and no trial to prove he did anything. just some right wingers saying that they think it looks like that.
you do know that just because you want something to be true does not make it so right?
The fact that FOX aired the video without vetting it and without question is one more piece of proof that they are not a news organization at all. FOX 'News'? The title itself is false advertising. FOX Propaganda, however, is exactly right. (Right. Get it? I felt compelled to point this out, due your staggering lack of intellect, Mr. Breitbart.)
Proof?
Likewise the story behind the two who shot this video. Either they checked out the story told, for instance about not going to any ACORN offices where they were turned away, and decided that even though they were lying it was okay to run the clip, or, they didn't check it out because they were too interested in smearing ACORN.
Remember Dan Rather? His story was factually accurate. George Bush failed to meet his service requirements with TANG, and was therefore a deserter. Now, he had documents later proven to be faked, and he lost his job over that, partly for not making sure his source and the documents were in fact what they purported to be. There have already been enough holes poked in this story to suggest that either FOX Propaganda didn't want to know, or didn't care.
How do you call a network who chooses to report a story a propaganda network while other networks selectively keep silent on the story are not branded as propagandists?
ACORN isn't being smeared, it is being exposed for what it really is. If they are such a positive asset to society who conducts themselves ethically, why can't they submit to an audit that is not done by in-house colluders?
If you can somehow convince the world that the employees were coerced against their will, you may have a valid point. Maybe Giles had a small pistol out of camera range pointed at the subjects.
Your same logic then renders every police sting illegal.
The film makers went to other offices and were turned down? Okay, where's the proof? Oh, an ACORN PR flack says so? Of course, whatever they say must be assumed to be true, for some reason that escapes me even though ACORN claimed they were turned down at locations the filmakers later revealed damning footage from.
The person in the video claimed she killed her husband. Her husband and ex-husband are alive.
When has ANY news outlet EVER shown complete raw footage from their ENG? They didn't do a 60 Minutes style hack job where different questions are inserted in front of answers to manipulate outcome. These two showed plenty of camera-rolling footage that allowed the ACORN people to hang themselves.
And stop it with the cry baby rants about Fox propaganda. You are showing your own staggering void of intellect.
I would love to hear SOMETHING, ANYTHING that is unbiased and which would shed light upon the underlying issues of this little media circus. I'm not seeing anything on this comments section except the same old tiresome liberal whining, which is getting so old. Just because you mobilize a bunch of like-minded people to spread as much one-sided opinion as far and wide as possible does not make it factual or truthful.
I will predict right now they will not sue...but I can dream. Would all you Liberal enablers of folks that endorse child sex trading please go to ACORN's web site and demand they sue Fox. Please.
And what's with all the complaints about using hidden cameras? Do we forget history that quickly? Hidden camera reports have been a staple in TV news for years. CBS's "60 Minutes" has used them to uncover waste and fraud in the government, ABC's "Primetime Live" used them to reveal health problems in the food industry and abuse in nursing homes and "Dateline NBC" recently used them to accost sexual predators. Local news stations use them all the time.
This is such a lame argument.
The more you justify such corruption in your minds and statements, the more you profess your ignorance, bias and irrelevance. It’s so laughable – you reinforce our contentions of indignity and blatant stupidity by your outright flagrant prejudice and misjudgments! My fellow Rightful Conservatives; we must kick them while they are down, pound them till they bleed, break their legs and bones till they can not get up, hold their heads under water till they breathe no more.
Do any of you have any shame or decency?? Don't any of you give a damn about what ACORN is doing?? Are you so insane with hate for republicans that you would prefer to see 2 young people that exposed this criminal behavior prosecuted instead of thos that advocate child rape??
You people are disguting....