R.I.P. Andrew Breitbart, 1969-2012

Andrew Breitbart earned a reputation as one of the most successful conservative activists of the 21st century. Aside from being a father, husband, brother, and a son, he was loved by conservatives and loathed by liberals. The latter is especially ironic when one considers he got his start as a researcher for Arianna Huffington, and helped launch The Huffington Post website.  

Through his work as a writer and editor for The Drudge Report, he reached hundreds of thousands of conservatives who felt that their side did not have a voice that could cut through the thousands of media critics. He later went on to found several very successful websites of his own, namely Big Government, Big Hollywood, and Breitbart.tv.

His websites exposed the corruption of ACORN, helping to eventually strip down the organizations size and influence. His websites also helped expose New York Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner, after Weiner exposed himself. (Andrew's taking the stage at Rep. Weiners own press conference was nothing short of a hero moment in any movie). When allegations of racism and spitting on Democratic congressman were thrown at Tea Partiers, Breitbart offered a $100,000 reward for proof, which still no one has claimed to this day.

Through his appearances on television and cable news, he became the modern face of a conservative who had had enough, and was fighting back. The champion for a cause does not always need to be someone who holds office. Andrew Breitbart was an ordinary man who worked hard, wrote well, and helped to further the causes he supported. And even though his critics will paint him as a man who used his success to simply further the Republican agenda, no one can take away how many people he reached. In an era still dominated by liberal pundits and anchors on network and several cable news stations, he was able to make conservatives like me feel that there were honest people fighting for the average citizen.

Shortly before he died, Breitbart said that he had acquired several shocking tapes of President Obama during his college years, and was planning on releasing them during the general election. Who knows what was in them, how damaging they might have been, or whether or not they will ever be seen now.

Through his reporting, websites, and book, Andrew Breitbart helped to give a voice to conservatives who felt starved for recognition. Less flashy in his writing than Ann Coulter, less brassy than Michelle Malkin, and more accessible than Dick Morris, Breitbart helped to give a voice to the common person who held conservative and libertarian beliefs.

He will be missed, especially by people like me.

Photo Credit: markn3tel