ABC News Backs Away From Breitbart - "Mr. Breitbart is not an ABC News analyst."

[jefferson_dem]

ABC News Backs Away From Breitbart
Brian Beutler | October 30, 2010, 3:05PM

After facing a barrage of criticism for inviting conservative Andrew Breitbart to participate in election night activities, ABC News is now trying to put some space between themselves and the controversial activist.

Mr. Breitbart is not an ABC News analyst.

He is not an ABC News consultant.

He is not, in any way, affiliated with ABC News.

He is not being paid by ABC News.

He has not been asked to analyze the results of the election for ABC News.

Mr. Breitbart will not be a part of the ABC News broadcast coverage, anchored by Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. For the broadcast coverage, David Muir and Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg will contribute reaction and response gathered from the students and faculty of Arizona State University at an ABC News/Facebook town hall.

He has been invited as one of several guests, from a variety of different political persuasions, to engage with a live, studio audience that will be closely following the election results and participating in an online-only discussion and debate to be moderated by David Muir and Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg on ABCNews.com and Facebook. We will have other guests, as well as a live studio audience and a large audience on ABCNews.com and Facebook, who can question the guests and the audience's opinions.Yesterday, ABC's David Ford said Breitbart will be one of many voices on our air, including Bill Adair of Politifact. If Andrew Breitbart says something that is incorrect, we have other voices to call him on it," suggesting he'd be serving in an analytical capacity. Breitbart himself claimed he'd be participating as an analyst.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/abc-news-backs-away-from-breitbart.php

[gateley]

1. Too late. They already showed their stooopid. There are plenty of other people

representing a "variety of different political persuasions" that aren't as underhanded and despicable as Breitbart. You lose, ABC.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

2. Keep the pressure on and they'll keep backing away. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. It's insane that they would see him as a contender for serious commentary

Partisan or otherwise.

The guy makes a joke of their profession, and they reward him and continue to reward him. It's absolutely crazy.

[OregonBlue]

4. Here is the link to email them and tell them what you think of their choice of "analysts"

http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=ABCNews.com%20other

I told them I had deleted ABC and Disney from my channel lineups. Andrew Breitbart, after what he did to Shirley Sherrod should be run out of town on a rail, not given a pubic forum to spew his brand of lies and hate and I will no longer give any form of support to a "news" organization that promotes this type of hatred and misinformation.

[saltpoint]

9. Thanks for posting, OregonBlue. I will make a point

to contact ABC and let them know what I think of their shit-for-brains decision to engage Breitbart.

I'll do my best to keep it civil, but no promises.

[Kind of Blue]

10. Done! Managed to include everything

in under 500words. Thanks for the link, OregonBlue.

[RepublicanElephant]

5. ha-ha! jon stewart took a shot at breitbart during his closing speech.

something to the effect of irresponsible extremists being hired as pundits.

maybe abc news execs saw this coming.

[chelsea0011]

6. Oh really. One of many to show different sides. Who, pray tell, would be the

equivalent of Brietfart from the left?

[BlueIdaho]

7. Give ABC hell!

Let them know this is totally contemptible bullshit.

[saltpoint]

8. And in fact, Mr. Breitbart is not a news analyst at all.

Rather, he is a weasel-hearted propagandist for the Far Right.