The Lilest Dirty Tricksters

by digby

It’s a lot of fun watching the right wing squirm over the Breitbart wiretap boyz down in New Orleans, but we should keep in mind that their operation did something very, very destructive to liberal politics by using that doctored, bogus videotape to discredit ACORN. They could disappear tomorrow and every person on the right could disown them but their lasting legacy is substantial.

The timorous Dems bolted like frightened gazelles when those stupid tapes came out and withdrew ACORN’s federal contracts with an unconstitutional Bill of Attainder. This was all over an amateurish right wing hit job designed to evoke racist stereotypes and the reaction proved how powerful those stereotypes still are.

For instance, did you know that the “pimp” in the tapes never actually appeared in the ACORN offices dressed that way? Apparently, they filmed those famous scenes of the costumed O’Keefe and his little miniskirted “ho” walking down the street (which were played on a loop all day yesterday and today) separately. They did not appear looking like that in the offices but I would bet you that most people believe they “fooled” the ACORN workers with those costumes, which makes them the dumbest people on earth.

And then there is the fact that the tapes were doctored, something people should keep in mind when they contemplate what they may have been up to with their latest little scam. (You can see the details of the doctoring, here.)

It’s disgusting that the media tickled that racist id with such extravagant glee when those silly tapes came out, but the way the Democrats reacted to it was a self-defeating scandal.

Update: David Shuster was very good today calling out Breitbart for his ACORN calumny, although Breitbart babbled incoherently over him throughout.

Update II: Emptywheel deconstructs Brietbart’s excuses in that piece here.

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