Andrew Breitbart is Dead

Discussion in 'Politics' started by Tiassa, Mar 1, 2012.

  1. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Andrew Breitbart, the controversial political media mogul whose name aspired to household relevance when he deliberately edited a videotape to assassinate the character of an Obama administration employee, has died.

    I, for one, did not see this chapter coming.

    The firebrand blogger was prominently associated with political scandal. His résumé includes helping destroy the civic organization ACORN, tailoring the deliberately dishonest scandal that cost Shirley Sharrod her job in the Department of Agriculture, and continuing support for a criminal named James O'Keefe who liked to pretend he was a journalist. Most recently, his infamy grew when video surfaced of an apparently-intoxicated Breitbart screaming at Occupy protesters, and also, later, muttering delusionally about "shock troops" and conspiracy theories.

    At present, details of Breitbart's death are sketchy, though initial claims through his media company are that he died of natural causes, shortly after midnight this morning.

    Mr. Breitbart is survived by his wife Susannah, and four children. He was forty-three years old.
     
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  3. adoucette Caca Occurs Valued Senior Member

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    I recall reading some time ago that he had previously had heart problems.
     
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  5. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Slouching toward the grave

    Aye.

    One might wonder about his state of mind, in that context. For instance, have you seen the video of him screaming at the Occupy protesters? Olbermann has been mocking him regularly for that one. And it really is striking.

    I raise the question because that episode can't have been good for his heart, and later video of him describing the episode raises questions of intoxication, which also would not do well for a man suffering cardiac trouble.

    The implications, of course, aren't clear, but I do wonder about his recent behavior in the context of, say, Yeats ("slouches towards Bethlehem"), Garcia ("at least I'm enjoying the ride"), or Top Gun ("You're not going to be happy unless you're going Mach 2 with your hair on fire").

    I think one of the long questions that will emerge is how a looming spectre of mortality affected—if at all—Breitbart's decisions to play episodes to the hilt.

    Indeed, there are many of my liberal neighbors who are tempted at this moment to sing, "Ding! Dong! The witch is dead!" But while the political sentiment, that a troublesome opponent has left the playing field, might bring some feelings of relief, it is important to remember that there is a human tragedy here.

    Breitbart's passing does not mean the right wing will suddenly become sane. But Andrew Breitbart was a husband and a father. He had a wife, and four children. Today, hearts have broken, and will not soon heal. My political comrades are best advised to let this one go to peace with dignity. We can argue Andrew Breitbart's role in that drama we call history later.
     
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  7. Grumpy Curmudgeon of Lucidity Valued Senior Member

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    I do feel for his wife and children, but don't expect me to spout insincere platitudes for Breitbart himself, he was a thouroughly dispicable and dishonest hack. I do regret that he could not be a better human being while he had the chance. I would not have wished him to die, nor would I actively seek to harm him(his reputation, yes. His person, no.)and there are many other humans I would have put at the top of the list if someone just had to die such as Mugabe, Putan, Netenyahoo and many others that would make the world a better, safer place. But Andrew was not of that caliber of evil and I would rather he remained alive to face the music for his behavior or to seek redemption for his dishonesty and hatred. It's too late for that in this case and that is sad.

    Grumpy
     
  8. Pandaemoni Valued Senior Member

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    RIP. If he were alive today, he'd be the first to question whether Obama was secretly behind his death.
     
  9. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    The inevitable conspiracy theory

    Aye. There are plenty, though, to carry that banner for him: Buzzfeed lists twenty-five tweets from people who believe that President Obama ordered Andrew Breitbart's assassination. Some are even calling for a congressional investigation into the media trickster's death.

    I would encourage folks to let the mourners continue to deal with their grief. They are hurting, right now, and displacement through ego defense—such as projection—merely marks a transition between denial and anger.
    ____________________

    Notes:

    Stopera, Matt. "25 People Who Think President Obama Killed Andrew Breitbart". BuzzFeed. March 1, 2012. BuzzFeed.com. March 1, 2012. http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/people-who-think-president-obama-killed-andrew-bre
     
  10. Servant_ Registered Senior Member

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  11. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I wouldn't wish this on anyone (except for Limbaugh), but I won't miss him. I wish there was a hell so he could burn in it.
     
  12. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    The family, the childhood friends, like anyone's. But they should be encouraged to have a private funeral, and not push the matter of respect for the dead.

    The acolytes of the public man? They should be treated with contempt for mourning such a figure.

    One of the penalties for being the kind of man Breitbart was is that reasonable people spit on your memory and piss on your grave and despise everyone willing to be voluntarily associated with you, and the acolytes should be presented with that fact for consideration. They've signed on with despicable scum, betrayed their neighbors and their community and their country, and there's no reason to conceal that from them.
     
  13. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    The Associated Press
     
  14. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    Just ran into a reason to regret Breitbart's death - Shirley Sherrod won't get her money, unless the lawsuit against his associates can still proceed and tap into the main stash.

    Brietbart tweeting on the occasion of Ted Kennedy's long drawn out death:
    Lots more where that came from. Maybe some quotes from him about other people's deaths would make a suitable epitaph - somebody could read them at his funeral.
     
  15. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    I saw that.
     
  16. pjdude1219 The biscuit has risen Valued Senior Member

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    its always a trgjedy when someone dies that young
     
  17. bunnyversusworld Registered Member

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    Well, I don't know or much care about professional politicos (who seem genuinely despicable regardless of their politics). But I do wonder whether we should take the opportunity to discourage politics and/or editorialism as a profession.
     
  18. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    If you're a right wing reptile, then yes, don't go into politics, please.
     
  19. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    No, it's just part of life that some people live longer than others due to a myriad of reasons. Remember that over a million babies die everyday and no one says anything about them except their own families.
     
  20. bunnyversusworld Registered Member

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    How about if you're a left wing reptile? Olbermann for one deserves a little prison time for some of the things I heard him say. I heard he was fired from the left uber extremist msnbc. You must be very extremist donkey's derriere to be fired from there.
     
  21. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Extremism and MSNBC

    Indeed. Pat Buchanan was dismissed from MSNBC for lamenting the decline of white supremacy. Keith Olbermann was dismissed for contributing money to the campaigns of Democratic candidates.

    Therein we see the range of extremity that gets one fired from MSNBC.
     
  22. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    And the legacy of Breitbart

    lives on.

    How can we ever thank him enough?
     
  23. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I don't have a problem with Olberman. He's a bit of a dufus, and I don't watch him, but hey, more power to him. If it's not obvious, I have partisan opinions. I've never heard that he said anything worthy of prison.
     

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