As we've been documenting extensively, based on what appears to be heavily edited video, Andrew Breitbart and the conservative noise machine have smeared now-former USDA official Shirley Sherrod as a “racist” for supposedly “abusing power” and discriminating against a white farmer.

As usual for Breitbart's “scoops,” the story doesn't hold up to basic scrutiny. The events discussed by Sherrod happened 24 years ago -- long before she was an administration official -- and she said the video “completely misconstrued” her comments because she was discussing “getting beyond the issue of race.” TPM posted confirmation from the video producer that “the full speech is exactly as Sherrod described.” The wife of the farmer who Sherrod supposedly discriminated against says that Sherrod actually “helped” “save our farm,” and that she considers Sherrod a “friend for life.” Additionally, Hot Air's Ed Morrissey indicated in a post today that Breitbart smeared Sherrod as a racist without having seen the full tape.

Despite all of this information being publicly available for several hours, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell just sent out an embarrassing press release, wherein he “demanded the media cover” this story:

Media Research Center President Brent Bozell has demanded the media cover the explosive video footage of an NAACP banquet speaker admitting her racist views and abuse of power that led to her resignation as a Department of Agriculture official yesterday:

“The liberal media are deliberately spiking the shocking video that reveals an NAACP banquet speaker admitting her racist views and actions. We've waited a full 24 hours to see if any coverage of this exposé would surface. So far, nothing but crickets. The ABC, CBS and NBC evening and morning 'news' shows have all failed to even mention the damning video admission that is dripping with disdain for white people and that caused the official to tender her resignation.

”Worse yet, it comes from the NAACP, the same organization that has feverishly accused the Tea Parties of racism. The thoroughly untrue accusation against the Tea Parties has been propped up and propelled by the incessant reporting of these same networks. Yet they decide to thwart this story about the NAACP.

“The only thing more newsworthy than the charges of racism are the hypocritical charges of racism. The media must report this scandal.”

First, a point of agreement with Bozell: I wholeheartedly agree that the “media must report this scandal.” However, Bozell and I differ on what part of this story constitutes the “scandal.” The actual scandal here is, once again, the shameless dishonesty from Andrew Breitbart and the conservative echo chamber.

Bozell and the Media Research Center are apparently upset that not enough media outlets rushed to condemn Sherrod -- as the Obama administration apparently did -- before all of the facts came out. And even though the story has collapsed, Bozell is undeterred, “demanding” that the media report how Sherrod -- again, a “lifelong friend” with the supposed targets of her discrimination -- was “dripping with disdain for white people.” He also falsely insinuates that the supposed “abuse of power” came during her time as a USDA official, which is a blatant falsehood.

Though we didn't need another reminder of this, the next time you see Andrew Breitbart, Brent Bozell, or any of the Media Research Center crew lecturing about the evil “liberal bias” in the media, just remember that they are always more interested in scoring political points than the actual practice of journalism.

Not to harp on the point, but it bears repeating: Brent Bozell, the top conservative media critic in the country, just sent out a press release demanding that media outlets repeat falsehoods and adopt dishonest framing of a story before all of the facts are clear.

That's not journalism, Brent. That's partisan political hackery.