**UPDATED** 2/3/10, 1:26 PM PST
Max Blumenthal has called my post yesterday at Big Journalism “fact-challenged” and “riddled with falsehoods”.
I found five assertions in the piece that I had lied.
I will address them in order of their appearance:
Assertion #1: ”Andrew Breitbart, who has paid O’Keefe and attempted to defend him by calling my reporting “FALSE,” has been undermined by O’Keefe himself. O’Keefe concedes my report was true — he was at the event. Breitbart has therefore been contradicted by O’Keefe.”
Response: Neither Breitbart nor Big Journalism ever asserted that O’Keefe was not at the event. The Blumenthal piece at salon.com asserts that O’Keefe was manning a table full of racist literature. This implies he was working at the event or in some way connected with the event beyond being an audience member. This is assertion is false, therefore, Blumenthal’s reporting was false.
Assertion #2: ”Meanwhile, the apologia Breitbart has commissioned Larry O’Connor to write in defense of O’Keefe is riddled with falsehoods, including that I never called O’Keefe for a comment. “
Response: I stated that they had not called O’Keefe. They did not. They claim they contacted his attorney. Given their approach to this story, I am not surprised the alleged call was not returned. Furthermore, it is most instructive that they did not ask Daryle Jenkins, the original source of the claim that O’Keefe had “manned” the table full of racist literature, where he had heard that assertion. When I asked Jenkins that question he pointed me to David Weigel. Mr. Weigel is on the record denying he ever said such a thing.
Assertion #3: ” O’Connor also wrongly reported that the event was held at Georgetown University. In fact, it was held on the campus of George Mason University.”
Response: Georgetown University is the location described in the original post at One People’s Project. It is an incidental fact in the story, but if it is incorrect and the actual location was George Mason University, I regret that error. But, it does nothing to negate the point that I was making by describing the location of the event. This event was held at a reputable college that did not seem to have trouble with the content presented.
Assertion #4: ”O’Connor went on to defend Marcus Epstein against charges of racism — another lie.”
Fact: This is completely false. I did not defend Epstein in any way whatsoever. I made one statement about Epstein: “The organizer who is being called a “White Supremacist” is half Jewish and half Korean.” That is not a defense; it is a legitimate fact that draws the accusation of “White Supremacist” into greater context. When Salon states that I “went on to defend Marcus Epstein against charges of racism” they are lying. I expect them to fix it immediately.
Assertion #5: ”Between O’Keefe, Derbyshire and Taylor, it’s hard to find a racist that Breitbart and his minions won’t defend.”
Response: My post never mentions Derbyshire. My mention of Epstein does not use his name, but is detailed above in Assertion #4. My mentions of Taylor are as follows:
The forum had as one of its three speakers a controversial figure, Jared Taylor, with a track record of making racist statements. He was being debated by two other people including Mr. Martin (taking issue with the racist figure). Mr. Taylor has also appeared with Phil Donohue, Queen Latifa and Paula Zahn on their TV shows to debate race. Are the audience members of the Donohue show racist for sitting and watching that debate?
As can clearly be seen, my mentions of Taylor call him controversial, attribute racist statements to him, and actually label him as a racist. If there is an implied defense of anyone, it is of those who attend debates where Taylor is speaking. There is no defense of any racist or any racist behavior or any racist remarks.
Finally, Blumenthal makes this charge: Now, here is a question Breitbart: Why are you paying and defending a racist?
Response: Max Blumenthal and salon.com have now called James O’Keefe a racist. And now, anyone who questions the methods they used to reach that conclusion is accused of “defending a racist.”
Well, that is exactly what I am doing; I am questioning this hit piece and this unfounded attack. I am questioning this use of McCarthyite tactics using guilt by association, intimidation and outright lies.
Let’s not be coy here, Mr. Blumenthal: Am I racist? Tell me. I really want you to.
UPDATE:
Apparently, I was correct, and the event was held at a Georgetown University building not George Mason as Blumenthal claimed.
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57 Comments
Hello libel suit.
Max, meet your father, Larry O'Connor.
I believe the kids would call this pwnage…. Nice try Blumenthal
Mr. O'Conner
"Progressives" are experts at controlling the venacular and bending the language to suit their agenda. They label anyone a racist that they intend to stifle, to squelch free speech. Take it from one who has been labeled a racist from that crowd, I personaly do not think you are a racist. I've read your articles. They are reasoned and well thought out.
Keep up the good work!
An astounding reach on all counts by Max Blumenthal. His attempt to twist written words to create new meanings defy logic. Anyone with access to the original article can make the comparisons and discern the truth. I believe Mr Blumenthal's sanity could be questioned after reviewing his remarks or he could be accused of outright lying. More fodder for those who believe that liberalism is caused from a brain defect.
Larry
Please tell me you have a civil litigation ,lawyer on hold right now… I got my popcorn ready!!!!!
The good thing is that the left has thrown the race card so many times the edges are dulled so much that it does little damage. Especially among the part of the country between D.C. and L.A. Ultimately they are hurting the people they profess to champion by cheapening an act that can be hurtful.
Why do they even try? It is my understanding that "Big Journalism's" foundation is based on de-bunking hit pieces just like that of Mr. Bluberthal's… One mistake and it was a typo? Why that's plenty of justification to whip out the race card… Idiots.
Keep up the good work O'Connor.
Twist written words?
When it came to twisting and parsing words, the current journalists at large were taught by the master. They can give dozens of definitions of what the word "is", is; without batting an eye, all the while keeping a straight face.
I believe Mr Blumenthal's desperation is evident. Parsing at its worse!
Larry: Keep up the steady and consistent response to his so-called 'fact-based' diatribe on O'Keefe. These guys are driven more by "being right" that the truth. They will run out of hot air eventually!
Max Blumenthal spread his glutes and squeezes out another steaming pile of journalism.
Dang, this guy even gives propaganda a bad name.
everyone involved in this panorama of B.S. should have a beer summit, including blumentahl, weigel, brietbart, and pimp boy.
It appears from what is being reported that he attended this event with others across from where he lived but was otherwise not connected with this event. Okay; however if the picture was manipulated, this moves the story into very serious territory.
BLUMENTHAL IS A TOOL!. Which of these articles is demonstrably "fact challenged?" I am tempted to say that any argument he had regarding logic and facts were destroyed by O'Connor and that that indicates that he is too stupid to even see it. But that isn't really it, is it? He was caught manipulating the facts and tries to once again misstate the argument. What a loser. Men like him are beneath contempt. They dance around impugning others with manufactured outrage and then act upset when they are called out as the liars that they are. He makes a fine progressive, however. Maybe ACORN, Gloria Allred, and Barney Franks can attest to his character, but the rest of us can only pity such a fool trying to push his pathetic agenda with such pathetic lies and insinuations.
It'd be cool if "Isis" released the uncropped pic of O'Keefe.
Epic pwnage.
you know this racist thing has been thrown around so much it means nothing anymore. No matter what it is if you disagree with a Marxist you are a racist. It it starting to be pitiful how little grey matter these people have. When all these propagandists had was the MSM to echo thier lies it worked. But now with the alternative media they just look like ranting fools.
the 'racist' thing again…
How tiresome. It's the Left's favourite canard, the when all else fails attack- you've lost the argument on the merits so let's call someone a 'racist'. There is no one more 'racist' than the left; they see everything through a race/class division lens and huff and puff, turn blue- and call you a name.
It means nothing. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Look 'em in the eye and say, 'hmmm classic marxist dialogue. Learn that at college, or pick it up from an estranged relative? Tell them you see people for WHAT they are, not who. That the mark of a man is his deeds, not his words.
Particularly empty rhetoric like this from weasels like Blumnethal…
If I am to understand the logic emanating from the left…if you sit and listen to twenty years of virulent racism, through your "dear friend, mentor, advisor"…that's guilt by association.
But, if you go to ONE debate about race…you are a racist.
Hmmm.
I thought someone, could have been Holder…who said we were "cowards" for not wanting to talk and listen and debate about race.
So, if someone asks why Black Panters dressed up in fatigues and carrying nightsticks were not prosecuted…are we cowards for not talking about race…or racists for bringing it up? It's so confusing…this talk about/don't talk about race stuff.
Jeremiah Wright wanted God to damn America. He may have gotten his wish…with Mad Max and the Leftist Temple of Doom and Gloom…we appear to be damned if we do…and damned if we don't.
Anybody have Max's number? I don't mind giving him a call
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Really Larry?
""Assertion #4: ”O’Connor went on to defend Marcus Epstein against charges of racism — another lie.”
Fact: This is completely false. I did not defend Epstein in any way whatsoever. I made one statement about Epstein: “The organizer who is being called a “White Supremacist” is half Jewish and half Korean.” That is not a defense; it is a legitimate fact that draws the accusation of “White Supremacist” into greater context. When Salon states that I “went on to defend Marcus Epstein against charges of racism” they are lying. I expect them to fix it immediately."""
You tried, Larry, to gloss over the fact that the ORGANISER OF THE EVENT, Epstein, was a violent racist with a criminal record. Sue SALON, you'll lose.
Max Blowhard tried to pick an intellectual fight….but was sadly unarmed!
Reminds me of one of the trolls that visits here that swears the picture of O'Keefe proved he was working the event. Though the picture showed nothing as to what James was doing. Nice try, but their facts remind me of the steaming piles my dogs leave in the backyard.
Simple enough Maxie, post the un-cropped, unedited photo. Isis provided several other photos for 'identity', they all had background that looked like tables in a class room environment. The world should be able to see the pamphlets, stacked in front of an obviously seated O'Keefe that lend credence to this story. Instead there's an obviously altered photo presented as evidence. Should we guess the photo had to be cropped because it didn't corroborate the tale?
ANAGRAMS:
"Andrew Breitbart = Writer nabbed rat."
"Blumenthal = Numb/lethal."
Larry makes a fool of himself with this:
"""Assertion #2: ”Meanwhile, the apologia Breitbart has commissioned Larry O’Connor to write in defense of O’Keefe is riddled with falsehoods, including that I never called O’Keefe for a comment. “
Response: I stated that they had not called O’Keefe. They did not. They claim they contacted his attorney. Given their approach to this story, I am not surprised the alleged call was not returned.""" HA HA HA-WEAK defense, Larry!! They called his lawyer which is standard, especially considering that OKeefe is in legal hot water right now. Saying that you meant that they never called OKeefe himself is a joke, and you will be laughed at!
At least with spoken words one could argue that words could have been taken out of context easily as it is more subject to the listeners interpretation such as the great liars use of the "is" defense. Written words are recorded as the author intended and is more accurately determined by the reader and the intent defended by the author. One could argue that spoken words are not recorded or remembered as the speaker intended them and plead a misunderstanding as a defense. Max has none other than his own self delusions and hope that he will be supported by those who share his twisted view of reality. Also that the opposition is impotent in their ability to bring about punishment for his blatant insolence and slander.
Gosh, these people are just relentless. Do they ever stop? Rhetorical. If they something long enough, it will be come truth. I still can't get that to work on my kids.
Looker, we know the answer.
It looks like he was trying to stay awake…..
Libs are like a child that will ask the same questions in many different ways in order to get what they want. They hope you will soon tire of the exercise and relent from fatigue or without realizing the true goal. Continue being the adult Mr. O'Conner, do not relent.
If I understand your postulate correctly, then you are also accusing the president of being racist because he attended services where Rev. Wright was preaching. Not just a few hour debate with racists in attendance but for over 20 years.
I guess you don't realize how ignorant your post makes you appear. Another product of our public indoctrination (educational) system.
"Hello libel suit."
I'll say. It's as if Breitbart and co set a honey trap for the fact challenged Salon and Blumenthal and in their messy haste they stepped right into it. Set up a fund for the O'Keefe vs Salon/Blumenthal Libel suit and I'll contribute.
Man, it's not even 'an association'. He went to a debate…
No evidence he spoke to the people involved.
Two posts up, loser.
FAIL.
What a Hollywood HACK you are.
Nobody gives a damn whether O'Keefe was manning the table or not, nor do they care which building the debate was in.
The fact was HE WAS THERE.
He was there with the much dreaded racists Jared Taylor and Marcus Epstein, both who are considered political poison by people who are inside the beltway, not "Hollywood" wannabe hacks who have no idea about political journalism, and the legalities that are involved.
Your attempt at spin is amateurish at best to feed your sad little base.
The fact is this:
O'Keefe was at the event as a friend of Epstein's to support Epstein's very well known and documented racism, even on the penal level as he is a convicted hate crimes criminal.
O'Keefe was there to support Epstein because they are of the same mind set, period!
You can try to play like you think you are on Kst and you know how to spin, which you don't, you suck at it as does the boorish oaf at biggovernment.com.
All you are doing is making idiots out of yourselves and O'Keefe, making it obvious you are not ready for the real world of how politics are done here in DC.
Try to slap a suit on the journalists reporting on this, just try it! After the judge throws it out (and they will!) the journalists can turn around and counter you and the fat oaf from biggov for violation of freedom of the press.
Get a grip, Hollywood hack, you mean nothing on Kst and you never will!
And BTW, HACK, George Mason U has offices all over the Clarendon area of Arlington VA, if you had any real DC political connections, which you do not, (because you are a HACK!), you would know this
http://arlington.gmu.edu/
Hey Spock, don't fart cause it will travel to your brains and you'll have sh*t for thoughts – just like your comments above.
Say it with me. No charges will be filed against Okeefe.
Moderate Democrats have crushed the Progressive agenda. Well, them and Patriots like Andrew, James, Hannah, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and the "Teabaggers". To name just a few.
Other than that, how's life been?
I see that the illustrious Mr. Blumenthal is on his knees and up to his tonsils yet again, brewing some more black tea. Mmm, mmm, mmm!
Doesn't matter, O'Keefe is political poison, he is history.
Nobody in this town will touch him with a 10 foot pole.
Even Malken threw him under the bus.
The enemy of America is trying to defend itself!!
One thing has now become clear – Max Blumenthal is representative of the same kind of alternate-reality-based race-baiting trash endemic among the "new left" Democrats.
These people are pure scum. This is who they are and what they do. They have a "goal," and they construct stories, lies, falsehoods, misstatements and smears in furtherance of the goal, and they repeat them to themselves and to others in an attempt to manufacture a "reality" that isn't reality. The nature of the evidence is not to be considered – only the seriousness of the charges (and the loud trumpeting of the "charges" to anyone they think will be stupid enough to believe them. Reality is not part of what they do. Reality is relative.
Facts? Irrelevant. Accuracy? Never heard of it. Honesty? Please. Integrity? Not on your life. Sourcing? What's sourcing?
Politics of personal destruction against people who stand in the way of the left's idiotic agenda? Now you're talking.
Since Obama has been elected president, the left (regardless of their race) believe they now own the words *racist and racism*. They have also degraded the definitions of these words. I grew up in the 70's, when being a racist or a bigot, was not a word you threw around lightly. The words are describing a person who has hatred in their heart and in their minds. They are not words that should be used haphazardly, as I have seen of late. In using the label of being racist, constantly toward people or a group of people who clearly are not, diminishes the word. Society, will if not already become desensitized to the actual meaning and consequence of the word(s).
Isn't it amazing that when you write truthfully, it's easier to defend yourself against liars? Great work, Larry. Keep it up. Shine the light on them and expose them for the liars they are.
I must give Blumenthal credit for his effort to "reframe the debate."
However, effort does not a logical argument make.
To paraphrase from Billy, "Mr. [Blumenthal}, what you've just said… is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
Uh…the one who has the case is O'Keefe. Blumenthal outright called him a racist, not O'Connor. It appears that Blumenthal is inventing things to support this claim and if I were a juror I would definitely decide the case in O'Keefe's favor.
People like you Adam are a blight in our society. Making accusations against people that are provably untrue.
Racist is one of the few words that liberals/progressives/(socialists?) have not redefined because the meaning brings out the harshest emotions in those that hear it. However, the word that usually applies if the democrat accusation is true is prejudiced. Racist means that you believe your race is the only race that should be above all others and this is hard to see at first glance. A racist will attack anyone not of their race. A prejudiced person might not believe they are the top race but do hate things about other races based on a sampling of behavior they do not like. They might only apply this to one race.
Barack Obama's mentor is a racist and an anti-American.
Barack Obama sat in a church for 20 years listening to racist and anti-American diatribes. HE WAS THERE.
Barack Obama's racist and anti-American mentor married him and Michelle.
Barack Obama's racist and anti-American mentor baptized his children.
Hey Spock, just in case you didn't catch on to the idea of guilt by association "He was there" makes Isis the photographer, be that person male or female, a racist.
WRT your foolish rant about suits against journalists – let me guess Spocko, YOU get to decide who is a journalist, and who is not, right?
OMG, you've got to be joking. Nobody could really be this hysterical. You're like a Will Ferrel character.
Good pwnge, Larry. Blumenthal is digging with a backhoe now. Not "ho" as in Bob Beckel's friends, but "hoe", as in digging to China.
I did not follow this, but I roll with Breitbart!
Gammy Sparkles
Maybe Im just new here, but Breibart, I gotta ask, you never did address the question of whether or not you actually were defending those accused actions of racism. You sort of dodged the question by throwing it back at Salons face, basically calling them liars (but not about your defending racism), then making a strawman claim about 'anyone who questions their methods is racist'.
Questioning their methods is one valid thing, but the racism claim stems from defending people knowing to at least potentially be racist. You did not address that.
In not addressing that, you sort of put yourself on the plane you accuse blumethal and salon of being on. Dis ingenuity to fight potential dis ingenuity gains nothing, and only validates Salons claims of you.
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[...] At this moment I jumped into the fray and challenged him on the point. I reminded him that he had, in fact, called O’Keefe a racist. Blumenthal attempted to deny it, but as you can see from the video, he [...]
Today (2/19/10) at CPAC I witnessed Max Blumenthal engage in blatant bias, distortion, and deception as he interviewed a young CPAC participant, a 26 yr-old Christian youth pastor. But I was watching and listening the whole time and called him on it. Blumenthal unwittingly exposed himself to be a fraud and his employer and alma mater should be ashamed of themselves.
Thats fine and all but what the hell was O’Keefe doing there? That's a fair question isn't it?
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