Our reader poll turned up strong support for Jason Mattera confronting Lois Lerner in her neighborhood, including following her to a neighbor’s door.
Based on the comments to that post, I think the general reasoning in favor was that Lerner deserves to have to answer questions, they do it to us (60 Minutes ambush interviews anyone? SEIU?), and we lose when we don’t fight back and hold them to their own standards.
The general reasoning against was that we are not like the other side, we need to be better, and it was creepy to follow her onto a neighbors’ lawn and to the front door. Asking her questions on the street might be one thing, but running after her is too much.
But Greg Gutfeld on The Fives was not impressed with Mattera’s performance, viewing it as counterproductive. Bob Beckel went further (surprise!) and challenged Mattera to a fight.
Conservative author Jason Mattera’s ambush of former IRS official Lois Lerner has earned plaudits from certain conservative circles, but it was too much for the gang on Fox News Channel’s “The Five.”Co-host Greg Gutfeld said Wednesday that the video — in which Mattera chased Lerner around a suburban Washington, D.C. neighborhood as she walked her dogs — pulled off the impossible.”Seriously, that even made me feel bad for Lerner, and I can’t stand her,” Gutfeld said….In fact, Beckel was so incensed that he’s apparently willing to throw down with Mattera.“You’re twice as young as I am,” Beckel said in an on-air message directed at Mattera. “You’re a punk. You’re a coward. And my name is Bob Beckel. I would like you to call you any time, any place, and let’s let you and I discuss it ’cause you’re a coward, you’re a punk, you pick on people and you deserve to have your ass kicked. And I wanna do it, so get in touch with me.””And bring a knife, punk,” Beckel added later.
Mattera’s response? (via Mediaite):
Mattera told Mediaite he’s willing to confront Beckel, but not really for a fight. Mattera would rather get some publicity.“Bob Beckel issued a challenge on television to meet me anytime, anyplace,” Mattera said in an email. “I’m naming the place: How about [tomorrow] on The Five? What time would you like me to appear, Bob? I look forward to our national debate on effective journalism.”
Any of this change your mind?
Didn’t think so.
John Nolte at Breitbart.com says Mattera and James O’Keefe are doing the job the MSM won’t. But isn’t there a difference between an undercover video sting (O’Keefe) and chasing after someone walking her dogs?
Bonus Question: In the video from The Five, Beckel claims this was “an insult to Andrew Breitbart’s history.”
True?
I’d have to check every video ever made of Breitbart, but what I remember is Breitbart confronting people on the street and public places, or when those people invaded his space. Give me links in the comments if I’m wrong.
Language Warning:
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