Andrew Breitbart – 14 Years After His Death It’s Still “Apologize for WHAT?”
You can’t go back in time. That’s one of the lessons of each anniversary post. We need to move forward, yet retain the spirit of perhaps Andrew’s most famous line was from his last tweet the day of his death: “Apologize for WHAT?”
Andrew Breitbart died 14 years ago today.
I noted it at the time:
Very sad news to report, just breaking. Andrew Breitbart is dead….
There are few people who are irreplaceable, but Andrew may have been one of those few.
Little did I know at the time that two people who were close to him, Mandy and Mary, would end up joining me at Legal Insurrection.
We have remembered Andrew on each anniversary of his death since then, including these posts:
- A personal note on the death of Andrew Breitbart (March 1, 2012)
- “Wake up, Conservatives: Left is involved in 100% organized class & race warfare & you think you can sit this one out & not fight back?!?!” (March 1, 2019)
- Rush Limbaugh Eulogizes Andrew Breitbart (March 1, 2012): “He was far more effective than he probably ever dreamed” (March 1, 2021)
- Andrew Breitbart – 13 Years After His Death – Politics is Still Downstream From Culture (March 1, 2025)
Andrew had a very deep understanding of the theories and ideologies utilized by the left, which is something that set him apart.
In 2011, Andrew Breitbart breaks down how Frankfurt School Marxists like Adorno, Marcuse, and Horkheimer escaped Nazi Germany for 1940s Golden Age California -only to hate the endless cheer, productivity, and capitalism. They devised cultural Marxism to subvert the U.S.A. pic.twitter.com/aO1zBD50bq
— Yuri Bezmenov's Ghost (@Ne_pas_couvrir) January 28, 2026
I had not seen until today this tribute to Andrew published at Breitbart News on the 10th anniversary of his death:
I’ve made it a point to try to honor his memory by regularly debunking the false and misleading attacks on him regarding the Shirley Sherrod video:
- The Original Sherrod Clip Was Not “False”
- Dissecting Shirley Sherrod’s Complaint Against Andrew Breitbart
- Saturday Night Card Game (Repeat after me: “The Shirley Sherrod tape was not misleading”)(regarding AP and Politico article)
- Repeat after me again and again: “The Shirley Sherrod tape was not misleading” (regarding WaPo article)
- The myth of Andrew Breitbart’s “deceptively edited” Shirley Sherrod tape lives on at Slate.com
- NY Times perpetuates myth of Andrew Breitbart’s misleading Shirley Sherrod video
- Shirley Sherrod case settled, now put to bed myth that Breitbart’s tape was misleading
- Myth of Andrew Breitbart’s “deceptively edited” Shirley Sherrod tape resurfaces with Vilsack nomination
As more time passes, the public remembrances get fewer and fewer.
14 years ago today, we lost a giant.
A great American patriot and a media visionary.
We miss you every day, Andrew Breitbart.
Every. Single. Day. pic.twitter.com/1LC9dsY52t
— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) March 1, 2026
I guess that’s inevitable. The world moves on.
It’s been 14 years since @AndrewBreitbart passed away. Still can’t believe it. Andrew was a giant, and way ahead of his time. https://t.co/nOVAmKEqXH
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) March 1, 2026
From the Breitbart News article referenced in the above tweet from Matt Boyle:
As America gets ready to celebrate her 250th birthday, we remember one of her greatest champions. Andrew Breitbart passed away 14 years ago today, though in truth, he never really left us. Instead, he equipped us. He equipped us with tools with insight, humor, and strength, and he gave us a new roadmap for fighting for a country we all hold so dear.
As President Trump put it, “Andrew Breitbart has an incredible legacy, a legacy that will live on for a long time.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio once noted that Andrew “empowered an entire generation of American leaders in every walk of life, who whether they know it or not, are following in his footsteps.”
How does one create that kind of legacy?
When Andrew and his best friend and business partner, Breitbart CEO/President Larry Solov, founded Breitbart News, they did so with a singular mission: change the world. They understood that the only way to change the world is to fight for its greatest force for good, America, and to preserve the noble and resolute foundation upon which she was built, especially in the face of relentless headwinds determined to tear that foundation down.
What many people don’t know is that Breitbart News began in Andrew’s home office in West Los Angeles, overlooking a veterans’ cemetery. Every day, the view was the same: row after row of Americans who gave their lives to protect this country. It was what they saw in the morning, and it was what they saw at the end of the day. A constant reminder of the courage and heart required to defend the nation you love.
Andrew had courage. As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we remember that courage, and we remember his unmistakable American heart.
You can’t go back in time. That’s one of the lessons of each anniversary post. We need to move forward, yet retain the spirit of perhaps Andrew’s most famous line, which was from his last tweet the day of his death: Apologize for WHAT?
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Comments
It’s inevitable that remembrances fade over time. That’s the way of the world.
Same goes for Charlie Kirk, unfortunately.
But I think that we increasingly live in Andrew and Charlie’s vision of the world than the opposite.
And that’s a good thing.
I thought of Charlie Kirk as the one who finally could take his place at the front to help us
No one else had the gravitas
So they murdered him too
I do believe Andrew was murdered and wished his family had done an autopsy
Autopsy probably wouldn’t have shown much as it was a heart attack. I’m sure they did a standard toxicology for poisoning, but they may have done more.
I think I remember the most is
“This is WAR”
He actually inspired me to completely leave the shackles of the Democratic Party I grew up in.
When I saw him in Madison in the middle of hostile angry crowds when the Republican Governor dared to make changes especially in education, the Dems were so ugly and he was so brilliant.
Thank you for this tribute, Professor Jacobson.
Andrew Breitbart deserves at least partial credit for helping to pave the way for the MAGA revolution; for sagely and emphatically underscoring that conservatives needed to exert influence over the popular culture, in order to be politically relevant and to enjoy political success; and, for helping conservatives broaden their online media presence.
Andrew would have really enjoyed watching the myriad fruits of #47’s re-election.
Thank you for this post, Professor Jacobson. Andrew Breitbart’s last post is Trumpian, and a great principle for conservatives: don’t apologize, but lead with common sense, confidence and good cheer!
dont think I knew of him at the time
my loss
and upon his passing a huge loss for freedom lovers except it appears he left us quite a legacy to treasure