Unlike many of Breitbart’s friends and admirers who initiated a relationship with him, I was forced to relate with him. And I don’t like being forced to do anything.
I initially met Andrew Breitbart over the phone when I called him on September 8, 2009. That was the day before my daughter Hannah’s scandalous ACORN videos were released on the public’s head.
Andrew was on the road, and I was in Vail about to speak at a men’s conference and wanted to know, from a man I didn’t know, if he was going to make certain my girl would be “safe” in every sense of the word because the ACORNs were fixin’ to hit the fan.
Having seen several of Hannah’s devastating undercover vids and knowing the weight of what was about to land on my 20-year-old, I told Andrew that if he allowed anything bad to happen to Hannah that I would hurt him. And I did not mean that metaphorically.
Breitbart said he would defend Hannah with his life and treat her as if she were his own daughter. I thought, “good answer,” and with that we began a relationship and went through a tornadic, grueling, and thrilling war against a corrupt organization and a crooked media that covers and defends such sleaze.
Every step of the way, through vicious, non-stop media attacks, death threats to our family, and multiple lawsuits, Breitbart kept his word to me and ran interference for Hannah and the ACORN story like a champion. He made certain that the proper people got crushed and the truth tellers remained afloat.
As stated, I didn’t meet Andrew as a fan; I met him as a father who doesn’t give a rat’s backside about celebrity in the conservative movement—the reason being that I’ve met a lot of them and have yet to be duly impressed by most. (The majority are preening narcissists who’d skin their granny if it would get them on Hannity. Call me jaded.)
Therefore, when Hannah’s fantastic work propelled her into a world with a lot of Slim Shadies, suffice it to say my claws were out. Andrew, however, made my talons retract because he kept his word to me (and then some), which moved me from being a skeptic to an ally of that wild-haired heat-seeking missile named Andrew Breitbart.
Here’s my takeaway from a man I didn’t seek to meet but am sure glad I did:
- As stated, Breitbart kept his word and stayed in the volatile fray with Hannah just like he promised. Few people keep their word nowadays.
- To Andrew, crap was crap no matter how one framed it. Andrew was an equal opportunity offender. Everything smells, so attitude sells.
- Breitbart was bold. Would to God more men who love God and country had his moxie. AB was a provocateur par excellence.
- He inspired young people who are sick of lies, hype and spin to take their talent and tools and use them against the tools of the machine.
- Andrew understood the importance of conservatives getting involved in Hollywood and not just in DC.
- Breitbart, by example, showed us all that if you aren’t drawing enemy fire then you’re not over the target.
- If you didn’t agree with Andrew on all the issues, he was okay with that and reveled in robust discussions over cold beer.
Lastly, I’m not going to pretend that I was super close to Andrew because I wasn’t. Once the ACORN dust settled we spoke just a few times over the phone, on my show and in DC. That said, I was close enough and our relationship was under enough duress that we had to trust each other and navigate serious rapids. I’m here to tell you that I found Breitbart to be a man of integrity who walked what he talked.
Finally, if I were one of Breitbart’s enemies I wouldn’t rest too comfortably on my laurels because he passed away. Why? Well, you see, he’s got hundreds of thousands of people whom he inspired by example to be bold in the cause of truth. From the noise I hear on Facebook and Twitter, this party is just getting started. Release the hounds …
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