Month: October 2010

‘Assume David Duke Had to Wash His Sheets’

Trish

Pensito Review publisher, managing editor, and all-around senior person Jon Ponder took up my call to email David Ford, ABC News spokesperson, who is defending the network’s decision to include disgraced blogger Andrew Breitbart in their election night coverage. In a missive with the subject line, “Assume David Duke had to wash his sheets Tuesday night,” Jon emailed:

It is simply appalling that ABC News is giving a platform to Andrew Breitbart on election night. By his words and deeds, this man is a racist provocateur and should be shunned by decent people. Elevating him this way says more about ABC News — it frankly reeks of desperation — than it does about him.

If ABC News was hoping for a boycott on Tuesday night, and all the publicity that comes with it, I hope you get your wish.

Hopefully, this will inspire you to send Ford a piece of your own mind.

Update It worked! See update here.

Rally to Restore Sanity/Fear Live

Trish

rally
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear is set to live stream at noon on Saturday, Oct. 30. If you don’t have a TV (I feel ya, I don’t either) don’t despair. Just go to the Daily Show’s site and viola!

And speaking of spreading insanity and fear, if you’re up for multitasking while you watch I have an assignment for you. Send an email to David Ford, spokesperson for ABC News. Ford is the guy who’s being quoted justifying the network’s plan to include discredited blogger Andrew Breitbart in their election night coverage.

Asked about Breitbart’s history of unethical behavior and misinformation, ABC News’ David Ford told Media Matters: “He 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.”

It’s not a matter of if Breitbart will say something incorrect, so for ABC to hide behind the fair and balanced trope by including people who don’t plan elaborate media lies isn’t exactly the same thing as providing the best reporting available.

Here’s what Ford lists as his email address on LinkedIn:

Update: Apparently there was an outpouring of criticism. Media Matters reports that the Breitbart has been shunted onto ABC’s online coverage on election night:

[…]

Two-Thirds Say Palin Unqualified for Presidency – Result Unchanged Since Spring

Pensito Editors

67%

Percent of all registered voters who view Sarah Palin as not qualified to be president, according to a new ABC/Washington Post poll — a figure that has not changed since spring. In an interview with Mary Hart on “Entertainment Tonight” yesterday, Palin all but acknowledged that she plans to run for president in 2012.

Verbatim

Jon Ponder

The Republican Party would like nothing better than to see the discontent in the Democratic base help them install truly the most extreme lot of candidates we have seen in many years. We’ve exposed the tea party as nothing more than a reconfiguration of all the religious zealots, moral crusaders, racists and bigots who’ve been around for years. Do not attempt to punish the president or the Democrats by punishing yourself. This country has been in a very precarious state for a long time, in which the political winds can usher in something radical and extreme very quickly. Bad economic times are always an opportunity for those who seek to do that. We have and will demand full accountability by the Democrats and president — who is not on the ballot until 2012 — but don’t do it by giving power to your enemies.

– SiriusXM radio host Michelangelo Signorile.