The story behind... the ACORN story

[Danno 1,228]

The Story Behind the ACORN Story

By Andrew Breitbart

Everything you needed to know about the unorthodox roll out of the now-notorious ACORN sting videos was hidden in plain sight in my Sept. 7 column, Katie Couric, Look in the Mirror. ACORN was not the only target of those videos; so were Katie, Brian, Charlie and every other mainstream media pooh-bah.

They were not going to report this blockbuster unless they were forced to. And they were. What's more, it ain't over yet. Not every hint I dropped in that piece about what was to come has played itself out yet.Stay tuned.

When filmmaker and provocateur James O'Keefe came to my office to show me the video of him and his friend, Hannah Giles, going to the Baltimore offices of ACORN - the nation's foremost "community organizers" - dressed as a pimp and a prostitute and asking for - and getting - help for various illegal activities, he sought my advice. In the past, Mr. O'Keefe created brilliant social satire that rocked his college campus and even made its way on to the talk-radio and cable-news shows, but the magnitude of his latest adventure had the potential to rock the political establishment.

I was awed by Mr. O'Keefe's guts and amazed by the footage, but explained that the mainstream media would try to kill this important and illuminating expose about a corrupt and criminal political racket, and that the well-funded political left would go into "war room" mode, with 25-year-old Mr. O'Keefe and 20-year-old cohort Miss Giles in the cross hairs. I felt I had a moral obligation to protect these young muckrakers from the left and from the media, and to devise a strategy that would force the media's hand.

Once the American public saw with its own eyes the grotesque, common practices of ACORN's housing offices, Mr. O'Keefe and Miss Giles could no longer be a legitimate focus of media scrutiny. Kill the messenger doesn't work with the American people when they realize that the message is so devastating and honest. I think the video exposed the misuse of public funds and systemic manipulation of the tax code in the name of "helping the poor."

If Mr. O'Keefe dumped the videos on YouTube, the political powers would have killed the expose before it got traction. I half-joked that he should secretly tape pitching the major television networks exclusive use of his videos for their nightly news broadcasts. But a simpler, less controversial method proved as fruitful.

I told him that in addition to launching his compelling and stylized Web videos, we needed to offer the full transcripts and audio to the public in the name of transparency, and to offer Fox News the full footage of each video before each was released.We had to devise a plan that would force the media to see the evidence before they had enough time to destroy these two idealistic 20-something truth seekers. Mr. O'Keefe agreed to post the full audio and full transcript of his video experiences at BigGovernment.com.

Thus was born a multimedia, multiplatform strategy designed to force the reluctant hands of ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post.

Videos of five different ACORN offices in five separate cities would be released on five consecutive weekdays over a full week - Baltimore, Washington, New York, San Bernadino and San Diego. By dripping the videos out, we exposed to anyone paying attention that ACORN was lying through its teeth and that the media would look imbecilic continuing to trot out their hapless spokespeople.

If the media, as expected, pretended that the story didn't exist, they'd have another debacle on their hands comparable to the failure to report the shocking views of the White House's "green jobs czar," Van Jones. If they invested in the story, I told Mr. O'Keefe, they would do ACORN's defense work. I told him the focus needed to be on the message, not the messenger. Otherwise, the mainstream media would attempt to direct attention away from the damaging video evidence.

The best example of this came from ABC's anchor, Charlie Gibson. "I don't even know about it. So you've got me at a loss," he told WLS radio when asked about it. "But my goodness, if it's got everything, including sleaziness in it, we should talk about it in the morning." But he also said that what was seen on these videos was best left for the "cables."

Is this not malevolent arrogance?

That evening, Katie Couric and "The CBS Evening News" cried uncle and did a story. Six days into an underground media sensation that caused the White House to force the Commerce Department to delink ACORN from the census on day two, CBS knew it could sit on the sidelines no longer. Especially since ACORN spokespeople were issuing what to me was clearly lie after lie, and CBS could only assume that more videos were coming.

CNN made the most sustained effort to blame the messenger and make the videos the issue. Producers aggressively called Miss Giles, Mr. O'Keefe and me, imploring us to explain our journalistic tactics. I told them repeatedly that if they offered the videos a fair airing and let their audience decide, we'd agree to a Time Warner grilling. I also said we could have the debate on journalistic ethics after this story played out at a journalism school of their choice.

Instead, the media repeated ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis' growing body of lies, never holding her accountable for her shameless hackery. Jonathan Klein, CNN's president, is emerging as symbol of the mainstream media's last depressing days.

No wonder Jon Stewart delivered a stinging and hilarious rebuke of the real newspeople on his "Daily Show" parodies every night: "Where were the real reporters on this story? ... Where the hell were you?"

High praise to you, Mr. Stewart. It's nice to see there's someone out there in liberal media-land who would recognize there's something terribly wrong on these videos. And yes, there are more to come.

At the very least, filmmaker James O'Keefe and actress Hannah Giles deserve a Pulitzer Prize for their expose of deep corruption and unspeakable immorality at the ACORN housing division. But more important, I won't rest until they receive a grant to continue their partisan artistry from the National Endowment for the Arts.

That's this week's mission.

[rebeccajo 14]

Danno -

Haliburton?

[Pooky 3,844]

Danno -

Haliburton?

The major question for me here isn't the politics, it's the journalism (or lack of it).

Smellyburton and Duck Cheney were (kind of) covered by the mainstream media. If I recall correctly, it was more a case of politicians (OK, politician) making sure his business buds were well looked after. The major networks did their piece, then forgot about it, when the next new, shiny story came along.

ACORN is a smaller scale story, without an impact beyond its finances because of its political traction. As an organisation, it had a noticeable affect on the last Presidential election. Changing the face of government has a bigger impact for a greater number of people than the dodgy dealings of those already in power. It's like once they're in power, the people can't do anything about them for 4 years. But if sh*t happens to get them into power, then people get mad. People don't like to feel they've been cheated.

In the case of ACORN, it's outsized effects and yes, it's links to the current POTUS, made it a target. The reaction of the ACORN leadership in their denials and the refusal of any mainstream media outlet other than Murdoch Inc. to carry the story gave the story its legs. The sordid and corrupt details made it interesting to the masses. And the drip-feed idea was pretty smart, giving everyone denying the problem enough rope to hang themselves with. Hell, if Jon Stewart has a go at the mainstream media, it has got to hurt.

At the end of the day, if this prompts all of the networks to get back to journalism for the news, and leaving opinion for the opinion shows, then everyone in this country will be better informed.

[Danno 1,228]

At the end of the day, if this prompts all of the networks to get back to journalism for the news, and leaving opinion for the opinion shows, then everyone in this country will be better informed.

MY friend, I admire a Positive Thinker.

The Main-stream-media will not.... can not change. they are even now being less and less relevant as news-sources as the drum beat of technology and time overtake them.

we rapidly went from 3 stations to 30 channels to 3000 locations to get not only the news... but the kind of news you want.

This could be dangerous ... but a certainty none-the-less.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

I didnt know Haliburton imported performing artists!

[HYENA 4]

I didnt know Haliburton imported performing artists!

haliburton, blackwater...bad stuff

[zqt3344 21]

And do you believe Ovomit told Stephanolous on ABC sunday morning that he did not know anything about ACORN and that he had not been keeping up with it at all, then suddenly referred to the video of the ACORN workers telling the pimp and hooker how to break the USA laws?????? Ovomit LIES, he is a liar!

I didnt know Haliburton imported performing artists!

haliburton, blackwater...bad stuff

[HYENA 4]

And do you believe Ovomit told Stephanolous on ABC sunday morning that he did not know anything about ACORN and that he had not been keeping up with it at all, then suddenly referred to the video of the ACORN workers telling the pimp and hooker how to break the USA laws?????? Ovomit LIES, he is a liar!

I didnt know Haliburton imported performing artists!

haliburton, blackwater...bad stuff

What's acorn? Never heard of them!

[Danno 1,228]

I didnt know Haliburton imported performing artists!

haliburton, blackwater...bad stuff

What is bad about them and what does it have to do with ACORN's Scandal?

[alienlovechild 75]

ACORN probably had a hand in the disputed Afghan elections.

[HYENA 4]

blackwater is held by no legal authority; free to murder outside NATO and Warsaw pact rules. You didn't see the video where they were on the Afghan highways shooting people for fun? THey killed about 30...for the fun of it! ...some lawyer who was working, a female doctor off for a lunch break and on and on...

Both parties are horribly corrupt

[alienlovechild 75]

blackwater is held by no legal authority; free to murder outside NATO and Warsaw pact rules. You didn't see the video where they were on the Afghan highways shooting people for fun? THey killed about 30...for the fun of it! ...some lawyer who was working, a female doctor off for a lunch break and on and on...

Your info is a little old as Blackwater changed its name to Xe. The Warsaw Pact! How old are you?

Edited September 23, 2009 by alienlovechild

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

blackwater is held by no legal authority; free to murder outside NATO and Warsaw pact rules. You didn't see the video where they were on the Afghan highways shooting people for fun? THey killed about 30...for the fun of it! ...some lawyer who was working, a female doctor off for a lunch break and on and on...

Both parties are horribly corrupt

Your last sentence makes sense. ACORN has been or will be soon, cut off the government teat. Good. Our Senators in Vermont voted not to and NOW it is finally getting some coverage in the local Bolshevik newspapers as the both come under heat from the much more Libertarian than Liberal Vermont populace. Even Vermonters do not like to see their money going to this garbage. And yes, you can cut off the conservative organizations also...fine by me.

If these people have popular support, they will get donations and do just fine with donations and memberships. Like, for example, the NRA. If they need subsidies or OUR money to survive, donations of our money without our consent, then they do not need to survive. who needs them? I'd rather their employees go back on welfare.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

blackwater is held by no legal authority; free to murder outside NATO and Warsaw pact rules. You didn't see the video where they were on the Afghan highways shooting people for fun? THey killed about 30...for the fun of it! ...some lawyer who was working, a female doctor off for a lunch break and on and on...

Your info is a little old as Blackwater changed its name to Xe. The Warsaw Pact! How old are you?

Most of the Warsaw Pact is now NATO

[nowhereman 1]

ACORN is a disgrace but Danno's extremely biased coverage of the "news" comes in a close second.