June 17, 2011
Would be journalist and provocateur Andrew Breitbart met his match today when he tried to crash the liberal NetRoots Nation convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 100 Proof Politics editor Ryan Clayton was ready - and his camera and hard questions forced right wing Breitbart into a hasty retreat.
The story started the night before when two women ventured into the streets of Minneapolis wearing the traditional Hijab (headscarf.) They were approached by John Hugh Gilmore, a 52 year attorney and self described Conservative who blogs for "Minnesota Conservatives." According to police, he asked the women what they thought of Ayaan Hersi Ali, a Somali who is a fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute who decries Muslims. The women told him they weren't exactly fans. The inebriated Gilmore then became upset and started harassing the pair, asking what right they had to be in this country, until 60 onlookers intervened. Police were called and arrested Gilmore, but not until Gilmore tried to reach Andrew Breitbart on his phone.
Fast forward to today. Breitbart entered the Minneapolis Convention Center just minutes after Clayton had interviewed Sana Saleem, a blogger of Pakistani heritage and co-founder of Gawaahi.com, who had witnessed the confrontation. Breitbart claimed he knew nothing about the event, and a Breitbart colleague accused Clayton of lying about the whole affair, (but Minneapolis Police Department has confirmed Gilmore's arrest.)
Clayton moved beyond the Minneapolis incident into questions to confirm or deny rumors of Breitbart's alleged drug use and sexual habits. While Breitbart denied having a cocaine habit, he would not answer whether he had personally ever used cocaine. Given Hugh Hewitt's recent interview with Breitbart where Breitbart references the gay magazine "Blue Boy," Clayton also asked about Breitbart's penchant for gay magazines. At that point, without answering directly, the flustered Breitbart left the Netroots Nation convention, hounded by dozens of attendees shouting, "Coward! Coward!"
Thanks, this is the most accurate report of what happened I have seen so far, facts are all correct!
ReplyDeleteI have a quesiton. Was Sana Saleem directly harassed? This is important as I've mirrored your videos with a slight change in name.
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
RefutingActs17
Sue Wilson, the font on this story SUCKS. Can barely read it even after it's enlarged several times.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to take a nice loose bloody stool in Ryan claytons mouth and giggle as he choked on the kernels of corn.
ReplyDeleteDeranged lib Ryan Clayton leads a pack of braying leftists hounding Andrew Breitbart when he ventured into the lobby during Netroots.
ReplyDeleteHe made up a story about someone who claimed to work for Breitbart and yelled racial epithets at a Muslim woman.
Considering that no one else from AB's staff was in Minnesota that weekend, and Clayton outright refused to provide a name, witnesses, or any video evidence -- nothing whatsoever exists to support this Lib's flimsy, goofball smear.
Keep up the good work, AB. You are a national hero for exposing these leftist cockroaches every day.
Wow- Ryan Clayton is a maniac. Is that seriously his version of reporting? Clayton is simply attacking the guy. Breitbart can control the actions of some random drunk blogger about as well as Obama can control Anthony Weiner. It's clear that the incident was completely unrelated to the 'Bigs' blogger. People who are politically on the fence (like me) are pushed to the right every time we see something like this. Simply stated, Clayton made his side look bad and himself look stupid. Looks like another win for Breitbart.
ReplyDeleteSana Saleem was not harassed, she showed up at the scene after it had occurred. It was me and a friend from California who was visiting for the Netroots conference. We are both American-born Muslims.
ReplyDeleteSister Maghrebminds,
ReplyDeleteDo you have a blogpost story that you personally wrote so we can link our readers to yours?
Salaam
I still think this is non-news and hearsay but he did get booked and was released. So if anything we can learn is that people born in the '60s and '70s need to chill the frak out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www4.co.hennepin.mn.us/webbooking/chargedetail.asp?v_booknum=2011015784
I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it. There are actually people like Sue Wilson that take themselves seriously.
ReplyDeleteSue Wilson SUCKS! Did she not watch the video?
ReplyDeleteI was checking in at the Hilton the day before this transpired and there, lo and behold, was Andreeeew Breitbart checking I right in front of me. He was talking to one of his boys (literally, a 20-something kid) about how they needed to have improved security during his speech because they didn't want "them" (us) interfering.
ReplyDeleteThen, the next day, I followed his entourage as they walked over to the Conference Center. They began filming two blocks away as he stride purposefully toward the Netroots Nation conference, holding forth in front of a camera, a dude holding a huge fuzzy boom mic over his head, and a gaggle of 20-something lackies and toadies.
Hypocrisy, thy name I'd Breitbart.
Wow. The wingnut swarm is out in force!
ReplyDeleteThey're also whining about #NN12's non-compete clause, a legal action used by corporations around the world who might try what RightOnline has tried for four years--namely, to ride on another group's media coattails.
So much for their worship of the "free market." Hypocrisy, thy name is RightOnline.
Hmmm. So there was no real connection between Breitbart and Gilmore, was there?
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the videos, there are over a dozen lies in this blog entry. You people are sad.
And this comes from a left-leaning independent.
Ryan Clayton is the only coward I see.
Not so fast. There are no lies in this blog entry. If you really think there are, list them. But of course, you cannot.
ReplyDeleteOne you totally misconstrue the events. The Clayton character was beligerent beyond belief and showed a complete lack of class. As to lies - there was no hasty retreat but rather ushered out. The assertion of this clayton idiot forcing anyone out is false. There was no flustered Breitbart, and the only coward was clayton. The event and your description of it are an embarrasment.
ReplyDeleteLove the selective memory of the wingers. Brietbart tried to crash NN and get in as "media." He was politely told at the door that he was NOT "media" and was welcome to pay for a registration and get access that way.
ReplyDeleteHe refused and stalked out, humiliated, with his toadies and lackeys following behind, and predictably began spinning it as some sort of victory.
I saw it. I was there.
Risible. He didn't get the attacks during his speech that he'd hoped for, so he showed up at NN with an entourage and tried to provoke a riot and only ended up looking like a fool who craved attention and was willing to disrupt an event to get it. And his insane, alcohol-fueled rant at CPAC shortly before his death just served to point this out in even starker detail.
So much for right-wing "class"!