What led to the falling out between Breitbart and Beck ?
In a March 2011 interview in The New York Observer Andrew Breitbart accused Glenn Beck taking part in the process to edit and promote the infamous Shirley Sherrod video before being thrown “under the bus” by Beck once the story went bad. According to Breitbart, Beck was part of the plan to discredit Sherrod and then things suddenly changed, “Next thing I know, I’m under complete attack without the support of Glenn Beck, who I thought was somebody I could count on.” Clearly Breitbart and Beck had a sort of “falling out” over the incident. Since the Sherrod story, the two sides have accused the other of not sourcing their material and engaging in unfair editing practices.
Breitbart’s side of the story sharply contradicts what Beck has said about his role in the Sherrod saga. The edited version of Sherrod’s speech, which made it appear as if she had discriminated against a white farmer in her official role, first appeared on Breitbart’s website. Beck never endorsed the video on his show, but his Fox News co-workers did condemn Sherrod based on the edited speech. Sherrod was subsequently exonerated when the full version of her speech, along with interviews of the white farmer, revealed she had not discriminated but actually helped the man keep his farm. Beck claimed he played no part in defaming Sherrod, and that, in fact, he had “taken her side” from the very beginning. Beck also claimed he never planned to show the edited clip of Sherrod’s speech.