Dana Loesch And Ben Smith Squabble Over Obama Video Scoop On CNN
Appearing on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Breitbart.com’s Dana Loesch and BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith feuded over who had the real scoop on the controversial Obama hug video.
“I wish that BuzzFeed would have shown the actual full video footage,” Loesch said, noting that Breitbart.com had the full B-roll of the footage. “Because at the very end one of the things that Ben Smith does not get into at BuzzFeed — and I’m glad he was provoked into looking for this footage after Andrew’s speech at CPAC — what it doesn’t get into is how Barack Obama, when he finished his speech, he went over and he hugged Derrick Bell.”
RELATED: PBS Editors: Frontline Ran President Obama College Video In 2008
“I agree with Dana!” Smith exclaimed. “We dug it up. We were racing to get it up. My reporter Andrew Kaczynski had been digging for it and talking to the station in Boston that had it. When we heard they were also looking for it, we moved faster. I think it’s an interesting video for exactly the reason that Dana says.”
“I have to correct him real quick,” Loesch interjected. “We actually have had the footage the entire time.”
“So why didn’t you air it?” Smith countered.
Loesch paused for a moment, and then returned fire.
“Well, why didn’t you show the full clip is what I’m curious about!” Loesch hit back.
It should be noted that PBS editor Andrew Golis claims their network has had the video on their site this whole time:
…There’s nothing new about the clip or Obama’s role in the controversy at Harvard Law School. In 2008, as a part of our quadrennial election special The Choice 2008, FRONTLINE ran the same footage of the speech as a part of an exploration of Obama’s time at Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1991. It’s been online at our site and on YouTube since then.
Watch the dispute over the scoop play out on Piers Morgan Tonight below via CNN:
