Breitbart, Fox and Their Rush To Judgement

[traveler52]

As the dust settles on the fake racist story surrounding Ms. Shirley Sherrod, the one thing that must be remembered is that both Andrew Breitbart and Fox News failed to proper journalistic prodcedures and in doing so showed a clear lack of ethics.

The big push now, on Fox of course is that "Breitbart was set up." Poor Andrew is now the victim. Not true

Breitbart had an obligation to insure that the video clips he used gave a full, complete and accurate portrayal of the events as they transpired in the meeting that Ms. Sherrod was addressing and he FAILED TO DO SO.

Breitbart claims that he asked "The relevent clips." The adress by Ms. Sherrod to the N.A.A.C.P. lasted 40-Minutes, yet only the clip made available lasted at best 2-minutes, and was heavily edited. The clip of Ms. Sherrod attempted to show that she was addressing a very recent meeting of the N.A.A.C.P., when in fact the clip shown dated back to at least 1986. In 1986 Ms. Sherrod WAS NOT an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture. In fact, Ms. Sherrod did not join the federal work force until 2009. At no time did Breitbart make any attempt to let people who would view the tape know that the meeting was over 20 years old, nor did Breitbart attempt demonstrate that Ms. Sherrod, at the time of vid, was NOT employed by the Federal Government.

Breitbart, who claims to be a journalist/blogger failed to do the most basic of research on this story, and instead used a doctored tape in an attempt to show an African-American Woman, a State Employee telling an audience that she had engaged in discrimination against a Caucasian Farmer.

Fox News, who claims to be "Fair and Balanced" did not check the validity of the tape, nor did Fox attempt to proper research on the meeting, where the meeting was held or when (1986) the meeting was held. Instead of doing basic source checking, Fox ran story after story of how Ms. Sherrod, a Government Official had engaged racial discrimination against a poor White Farmer. Never mind the fact that the Farmer, who has since come forward to say that Ms. Sherrod treated him fairly and did the very best she could for him and did in fact save his farm, has said he considers Ms. Sherrod a friend.

In the past both Breitbart and Fox have been caught using heavily edited tapes to create stories that in the end have proven not to be true. The "A.C.O.R.N." scandle comes to mind. Where some wanna be right-wing tool, dressed as a pimp and a woman wearing a skirt that went all the way up to glory, taped (without permission) staff of A.C.O.R.N. offices giving "Advice" on how to bring in under age girls to work as prostitutes. Fox played this footage day after day, calling A.C.O.R.N. out for helping a pimp and hooker to bring young girls to work for them.

Well, it turns out that the tape(s) used in that story were in fact edited for content and in no way actually, honestly, or factually showed what transpired.

In fact, "Pimp" boy is now facing criminal prosecution in California, because under California State Law, it is IN FACT AGAINST THE LAW TO TAPE AN INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS UNKNOWN WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION!!!

Fox and Breitbart have shown time and again that rather than attempting to discern fact from fiction, they are about sensational stories that have little or nothing to do with reality.

Breitbart is once again proven to a liar. Fox is hardly fair and balanced.

Anyone who uses them as a source should remember this. Unless of course your more interested in posting lies than the truth.

 

[VaYank5150]

I would love to know how anyone could feel that Breitbart was set up? Wasn't HE the one who started this whole charade?

 

[Claudette]

Kinda leaves one wondering about the NAACP, the USDA and the WH rush to judgment.

But, whatever floats your boat ther Traveler.

 

[Foxfyre]

O'Reilly last night apologized for his 'rush to judgment' which was in fact taking the first half of the story at face value and not doing his homework which required the offensive comments to be put within their full context. Within their full context, the comments were not offensive. O'Reilly admitted his error due to laziness in research and made no excuses for it.

However, Ms. Sherrod was fired BEFORE Beck, O'Reilly, Hannity, or Sustern had broadcast a single syllable. The White House hadn't done any homework either, but then it rarely does.

There is plenty of other ammunition to use against Ms. Sherrod which is no doubt why she refused to go onto any of those shows who all gave her opportunity to do so last night, but she was not guilty of the initial accusation.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBRuENwBCs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksBRuENwBCs[/ame]

 

[Samson]

Kinda leaves one wondering about the NAACP, the USDA and the WH rush to judgment.

But, whatever floats your boat ther Traveler.

Just one more in a list

Democrats/Mainstream Media: Let's Ignore The Real Crime.

Firing Sharrod
Chapaquiddic
Blago
JFK/Vietnam
Congress/Iraq
The A to Z Guide of Clinton Scandals

 

[Foxfyre]

Well it is typical of the leftwing media to focus on the sins of Breitbart and Fox while ignoring that the Obama administration fired the woman before any of it was out on the airways or into the mainstream.

So where was the real rush to judgment?

 

[VaYank5150]

Kinda leaves one wondering about the NAACP, the USDA and the WH rush to judgment.

But, whatever floats your boat ther Traveler.

Just one more in a list

Democrats/Mainstream Media: Let's Ignore The Real Crime.

Firing Sharrod
Chapaquiddic
Blago
JFK/Vietnam
Congress/Iraq
The A to Z Guide of Clinton Scandals

The WH and everyone associated with this story, minus Breitbart and Faux News has apologized profusley for putting Sharrod through the ringer. How are they ignoring it again?

 

[VaYank5150]

Well it is typical of the leftwing media to focus on the sins of Breitbart and Fox while ignoring that the Obama administration fired the woman before any of it was out on the airways or into the mainstream.

So where was the real rush to judgment?

The real rush to judegment was made by this administration and by the guy who fired Sharrod. Both have come out and explained as much and apologized for same. What more do you want?

 

[Jarhead]

I would love to know how anyone could feel that Breitbart was set up? Wasn't HE the one who started this whole charade?

I dont think he was set up. I think he screwed up...and bad.
He lost my confidence. I will never believe what comes off his site without further investigation.

But I heard rumor yet to be able to confiurm it that Jealous was in the audience when she spoke. If he was, why did HE rush to judgement?

 

[Gatekeeper]

This is why now more than ever, regardless of how 'sensational' a "Breaking News" story is, one must take it with a grain of salt until all the facts are in. I have fallen for this nonsense too many times in the past and posted a 'gut reaction' comments to something that turned out to be total nonsense and misrepresentations, distortions and flat out lies.

The bad part is that for those who are the 'target' or the recipient of such stories suffer substantial damage to their credibility, even when they stories are retracted or 'corrected'. Like statements made in court before a jury and the judge orders them to disregard the testimony, the statements are already placed in the minds of the jury. Someone should be held liable for these 'errors in judgement'.

What do we do to correct this, 'tool', used by many, to force changes in public opinions which enhance agendas at the expense of the subject(s) or organization(s)?

 

[Foxfyre]

Well it is typical of the leftwing media to focus on the sins of Breitbart and Fox while ignoring that the Obama administration fired the woman before any of it was out on the airways or into the mainstream.

So where was the real rush to judgment?

The real rush to judegment was made by this administration and by the guy who fired Sharrod. Both have come out and explained as much and apologized for same. What more do you want?

I want acknowledgment that Breitbart and Fox news have apologized for failure to put Ms. Sherrod's comments into their full context.

And I want the Administration and its surrogate media held to that same standard just as they hold Fox to that standard.

 

[Jarhead]

Well it is typical of the leftwing media to focus on the sins of Breitbart and Fox while ignoring that the Obama administration fired the woman before any of it was out on the airways or into the mainstream.

So where was the real rush to judgment?

The real rush to judegment was made by this administration and by the guy who fired Sharrod. Both have come out and explained as much and apologized for same. What more do you want?

You know, an apology is one thing. An explanation for the error is another.

I never understood why people so quickly accept an "I screwed up" explanation. I dont mind when someone errs....but I would like to know what their thought process was when they erred. It is not like they made a left turn instead of a right. They made a conscious decision wiuthout all of the facts. What promted them to do it?

Do you feel good having the man the oval office one that now has made TWO rush to judegement calls that have to do with racism?

 

[blastoff]

Sorry, traveler, the only rush to judgment was by this incredibly inept administration. As is now a known fact, they forced Sherrod's resignation before Fox aired any video. So you're barking up the wrong tree. Direct your anger at the rookie in chief and the clowns he's surrounded himself with.

 

[Foxfyre]

I would love to know how anyone could feel that Breitbart was set up? Wasn't HE the one who started this whole charade?

I dont think he was set up. I think he screwed up...and bad.
He lost my confidence. I will never believe what comes off his site without further investigation.

But I heard rumor yet to be able to confiurm it that Jealous was in the audience when she spoke. If he was, why did HE rush to judgement?

Why is it that anybody on the left can be forgiven and forgiven and forgiven again because they are human, they made an honest mistake, yadda yadda yadda.

But Breitbart, who is one of the best researchers out there and has been shown to have it right time and again after years of reporting and miles of column inches must be discredited because of a single error?

But the NAACP does have a tougher time excusing themselves for not including Ms. Sharrod's remarks into their full context since she was addressing them at the time. It's pretty hard to claim that you were 'snookered' in a case like that.

 

[Samson]

The WH and everyone associated with this story, minus Breitbart and Faux News has apologized profusley for putting Sharrod through the ringer. How are they ignoring it again?

You know, an apology is one thing. An explanation for the error is another.

They made a conscious decision wiuthout all of the facts. What promted them to do it?

Do you feel good having the man the oval office one that now has made TWO rush to judegement calls that have to do with racism?

Jarhead answered the question.

While MSNBC will report the "profuse" apology, they won't ask: How could such an extraordinary Fuck Up Happen?

Of course, they might need to break into their ongoing coverage of Bush Administration errors.

 

[Jarhead]

Fox news reported on the sudden, apparently forced, resignation of a senior level FDA appointee becuase of a tape that implied she spoke from a racial standpoint, and Fox is blamed for not investigating the validity of the film.

SO if NBC reports on OJ Simpson being arrested for murdering his wife, they should first ensure he was the one who murdered her before they report it?

 

[Jarhead]

WHoever says Fox news did not make a correction and apologize, they did.

 

[VaYank5150]

Well it is typical of the leftwing media to focus on the sins of Breitbart and Fox while ignoring that the Obama administration fired the woman before any of it was out on the airways or into the mainstream.

So where was the real rush to judgment?

The real rush to judegment was made by this administration and by the guy who fired Sharrod. Both have come out and explained as much and apologized for same. What more do you want?

I want acknowledgment that Breitbart and Fox news have apologized for failure to put Ms. Sherrod's comments into their full context.

And I want the Administration and its surrogate media held to that same standard just as they hold Fox to that standard.

Gibbs, who speaks for this administration has already publicly acknowledged that they screwed up and have apologized. The guy that fired has has publicly acknowledged that he screwed up and has publicly apologized. Where's Breitabrt's apology?

 

[VaYank5150]

I would love to know how anyone could feel that Breitbart was set up? Wasn't HE the one who started this whole charade?

I dont think he was set up. I think he screwed up...and bad.
He lost my confidence. I will never believe what comes off his site without further investigation.

But I heard rumor yet to be able to confiurm it that Jealous was in the audience when she spoke. If he was, why did HE rush to judgement?

In MY HUMBLE OPINION, Breitbart did not even screw up. I believe he spliced the tape together the way he did because he had an agenda. His agenda was NOT to report anything truthfully or honestly.

 

[Foxfyre]

Fox news reported on the sudden, apparently forced, resignation of a senior level FDA appointee becuase of a tape that implied she spoke from a racial standpoint, and Fox is blamed for not investigating the validity of the film.

SO if NBC reports on OJ Simpson being arrested for murdering his wife, they should first ensure he was the one who murdered her before they report it?

Good point. But there is more to it.

I majored in journalism and mass communications at a time that journalism was an honorable profession with very high ethical standards. Any hint of partisanship or personal opinion in a straight news story earned an F in class or a rap across the knuckles from the editor if it was submitted for publication. And further, the editors watched for subtle bias as to where certain facts were placed in the story or in the headline or the photo selected so the reader would not be misled. And anything that could even possibly damage somebody's reputation had to be verified and verified again with multiple sources before it was printed.

Did we get it wrong sometimes? Sure. Newspapers back then had to print retractions now and then, but it wasn't because we didn't try to get it right.

Now they don't even try to get it right. They put it out there and if it isn't accurate, oh well. Not their fault, That's what they were told so it was okay to print it or post it or broadcast it. And that leaves a lot of license to do that sort of thing on purpose and I do believe it is done on purpose in this culture of politics of personal destruction.

Fox and Breitbart and a few other sources like them do NOT err on purpose and bend over backwards to avoid doing that. This time they did get snookered with a partial tape and both have owned up to that and admitted their error that they didn't go deeper. Neither are likely to be guilty of that again any time soon.

The Obama Administration and their surrogate media, per usual, does not blame themselves. They blame everybody else for the error.