DEVASTATING: Andrew Breitbart, R.I.P.

By Michelle Malkin  •  March 1, 2012 09:21 AM

I just confirmed with someone close to him that social media entrepreneur and conservative warrior Andrew Breitbart has passed away.

I’m stunned. He was kinetic, brash, relentless, full of fight, the bane of the Left, and a mentor to the next generation of right-wing activists and citizen journalists.

Please keep his family in your prayers.

Larry Solov at Big Journalism announced:

Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles.

We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior.

Andrew lived boldly, so that we more timid souls would dare to live freely and fully, and fight for the fragile liberty he showed us how to love.

More details:

Breitbart was walking near his home in Brentwood, Calif just after midnight Thursday when he collapsed according to his father-in-law Orson Bean. Someone saw Breitbart fall and called 911. Emergency crews tried to revive him and rushed him to the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center, Bean said.
He is survived by his wife Susannah Bean Breitbart, 41, and four children.

I saw Andrew a few weeks ago in Michigan at an Americans for Prosperity event and spent time catching up with him on a plane ride back West. We talked about the renewed vigor with which the conservative movement was fighting back against Alinskyite tactics — especially the race card. He battled hard and enjoyed every minute of it — as his always frenetic Twitter account showed until his final hours.

If he were here, he’d be retweeting all the insane tweets from the Left rejoicing over his death. Even in death, he succeeds in exposing the hate-filled intolerance of the tolerance poseurs.

This is “mainstream” liberal economics pundit Matthew Yglesias:

The first time I met him, years and years ago when his book “Hollywood, Interrupted” had just come out, he cheerfully called himself “A.D.D.” He had big plans, lots of them, and he executed them brilliantly. He had a bazillion more. And now he’s gone too suddenly and too soon.

He will be greatly missed, but his legacy online and in the conservative movement is built to last.

R.I.P.

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Comments


  1. #301
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:50 pm, granite said:

    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:28 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Correct and well said, Flyover.

    Yet again, it’s that opposite-worldview thing.

    Conservatives are most certainly far from perfect; we all of us are sinners.

    However, the America-destroyers/America-haters/socialists/statists/collectivists/communists are clearly much, much worse.

    What rankles MSD about Mr. Breitbart’s comments about “Teddy” Kennedy is likely their accuracy….

  2. #302
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:51 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:47 pm, Raider109 said:

    I have a sister just like MSD and Ilovemycountry who thinks Obama is the best thing since knee-high hose.

    Stop by anytime. Beer’s on me.

  3. #303
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:52 pm, Mister P said:

    conservative hispanic, just a question. Would you consider Michele Malkin Hispanic?

  4. #304
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:53 pm, Mister P said:

    Want to make a Liiberal angry – Tell the Truth.

    Breitbart knew this well, hence they hate him so much.

  5. #305
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:57 pm, gmatt2003 said:

    Gosh, some of you people are sick — apparently Brietbart had a history of heart problems, which I knew nothing about. some of you are joking about this — you are sick, just like the Lefties saying they’re happy he died. He was an honorable, honest man. Get a life, people. And grow up. (I never wrote any negative comments or made jokes when Teddy Kennedy died.) If you’re serious about life, you should be serious about death, and tragedy, which this is.

  6. #306
    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:59 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    I have a sister just like MSD and Ilovemycountry who thinks Obama is the best thing since knee-high hose.

    There you go again. No one said that, but thanks again for once-again attributing what you THINK my positions are, to me. Happy that you’ve torn down on of your strawman arguments? Good job.

  7. #307
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:00 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    If you post here, ANYONE can join in with an answer, not just the person you addressed originally.

    Yes, and if you’re going to enter acting like you know what’s going on in the conversation, you should ACTUALLY know what’s going on. Hard concept for you I know.

  8. #308
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:04 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    So she, as a bigot, had a change of heart.

    Not at all surprised that you gleaned that conclusion from it, as Peggy Noonan (once again, a conservative) explained it quite beautifully the ACTUAL meaning of it, in that “liberal rag” the Wall Street Journal.

  9. #309
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:04 pm, Stanford Matthews said:

    Andrew Breitbart lived righteously for more years than most of us will be able to claim. I will miss him for the obvious reasons. I only hope that my contribution to America can be measured in relationship to his as worthy. He is AND was a serious patriot. God bless America and God bless Andrew Breitbart. My condolences to his family; He was a remarkable man.

  10. #310
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:06 pm, Raider109 said:

    Why thank you moderatesuccessfulDem. I really appreciate your kindness. Can I buy a Smart car from you?

  11. #311
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:06 pm, Mister P said:

    Looks like MSD is doing an Occupy MM sit-in.

  12. #312
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:07 pm, conservative hispanic said:

    ModeratelySuccessfulDem:

    Sgt. Hulka: Lighten up, Francis.

  13. #313
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:11 pm, Raider109 said:

    Not at all surprised that you gleaned that conclusion from it, as Peggy Noonan (once again, a conservative) explained it quite beautifully the ACTUAL meaning of it, in that “liberal rag” the Wall Street Journal.

    Noonan can’t always be right. Look at her choice in a husband. The “ACTUAL” meaning is that of a self-rightous “former” bigot had an epiphany?

  14. #314
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:13 pm, OK_Loyalist said:

    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:00 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    Since I was the one that entered what your liberal sense of ownership of a comment you made on a public comment board, I ACTUALLY knew what was going on, and I re-iterate ….

    On March 1st, 2012 at 7:55 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    Stop projecting your attributions of what you think I meant, to me.

    On March 1st, 2012 at 7:57 pm, OK_Loyalist said:

    On March 1st, 2012 at 7:55 pm, ModerateSuccessfulDem said:

    And stop projecting your assholiness to us!

    And the reason I re-iterate it, because it’s true. As you always illustrate every time you post, you are disingenuous to the moniker you chose. You are a full blow LIBERAL progressive leftists parasite, plain and simple.

  15. #315
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:16 pm, conservative hispanic said:

    Mister P:

    Yes, she can be considered Hispanic, since her mother’s maiden name is Perez. Remember, the Philipines were a Spanish colony until 1898, and there was plenty of mixed marriages between Philipinos and Spanish peoples. So our gracious hostess has the best of all worlds: an American of Asian and Hispanic roots.

  16. #316
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:25 pm, bjc said:

    *Late to the conversation here, but will lift his family up in my thoughts and prayers; They, above all others, need to be held close and know we thank them for sharing him with us in our cause.
    *The man was fearless(like our host), that’s for sure, like the tip of the spear to slay the progressive dogma that is surely killing our great Republic!

  17. #317
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:29 pm, conservative hispanic said:

    Mister P:

    Slight correction. Went back to wikipedia, and saw that MM’s dad’s name is Apolo DeCastro, both Hispanic names. So it appears that her maternal grandmother was also Hispanic. Maybe MM would like to comment to clarify any confusion.

  18. #318
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:31 pm, gmatt2003 said:

    I used to love Peg Noonan (much less than my wife, of course), but she’s lived in New York City way too long.

    Not necessarily her, but why do so many old people turn into raving Liberals, despite whatever beliefs they’ve held throughout their lives?

    I don’t think that would have ever happened to Breitbart. I hope to discuss politics with him in Heaven. (I think we’ll mostly agree.)

  19. #319
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:33 pm, conservative hispanic said:

    Mister P:

    I meant paternal grandmother. Oops.

  20. #320
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:38 pm, Paratus said:

    I haven’t read after Flyoverman’s post. Right next to you. Wish I could post that well.

  21. #321
    On March 1st, 2012 at 10:49 pm, right_on said:

    Not necessarily her, but why do so many old people turn into raving Liberals, despite whatever beliefs they’ve held throughout their lives?

    Perhaps they are views they’ve always held, and later in life they get the courage to be honest about it…or, more than likely, they just lose their ability to reason or to derive reason by logical deduction.

  22. #322
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 3:07 am, DemocracyRules said:

    Obama: “He Had It Coming”

    That’s what the ‘president’ said about the death of Colonel Kadaffi. That’s how the ‘president’ thinks.

    The old canard that “the truth comes out eventually” is incorrect. The truth is often like dried-up toothpaste. To make it come out you have to squeeze really hard.

    Several drugs are known to produce lethal heart-attack-like symptoms. A few of these are hard to detect in a post mortem examination unless there is a concerted effort to find them. After death some tissues remain alive for hours or longer. These drugs tend to get metabolized after death. There appear to be a few drugs in this category that either are not detectable or can only be found by an intense hunt for traces of that specific drug. The pathology report should detail the methods used to detect these specific drugs.

    Walking alone late at night outside his house Breitbart went from a casual walk to sudden cardiac arrest and death within a few minutes. Very few heart attacks happen this way. In the Breitbart case the media are already proclaiming this is an open-shut case of death by natural causes. I’m sure there are some pharmacologists, toxicologists, and forensic scientists who are bemused to hear reporters speak with such certainty.

    It is unprofessional for any physician to declare that the cause of death was ‘natural causes’ until an autopsy and pathology report are completed.

    I have not proved there was a clandestine operation against Breitbart but this case is worth careful investigation.
    Pro Patria

  23. #323
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 7:18 am, michele hampton said:

    Did we expect anything less than what was said by those on the left? Someone must pick up where he left off. My heart goes out to his family.

  24. #324
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 8:01 am, MyrmidoNOT said:

    May the great ‘gregarious’ man, live on, in our thoughts and prayers.

    Hopefully, his family will also ‘know’…that they too, will always be remembered (and never alone).

    Adios.

  25. #325
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 8:11 am, ITookTheRedPill said:

    I think that Andrew Breitbart would say that the mission is always more important than the man.

    I appreciate what Andrew Breitbart did, and the enormous difference that he made. I am still in shock about this loss. And, at the same time, I believe that Andrew would want us to keep our focus on the mission and not on him.

    The mission is the mission of truth.

    What was one of Andrew Breitbart’s final interviews (if not THE final interview of his career)?

    It was an interview of Sheriff Joe Arpaio on February 29th, the day before Sheriff Arpaio’s March 1st news conference with members of his “Cold Case Posse”.

    Andrew Breitbart was interested in the information that sheriff Joe Arpaio shared yesterday. And I think that Andrew would want that information broadcast as far and wide as possible.

    A fraudulent electronic “document” was posted on the White House web site, and claimed to be legitimate by the President of the United States.

    This is bigger than Watergate.

    Yet so far, Michelle Malkin, Ed Morrissey, and Allahpundit have completely ignored it.

    Honestly, is that what Andrew Breitbart would have wanted?

  26. #326
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 8:29 am, fussbudget said:

    Sean Hannity said on his radio show Thursday that Andrew Breitbart was never ashamed to say he was a proud conservative.

    That’s one way to continue his legacy, too. Don’t be afraid to stand up and say you’re a conservative if you are. It’s easy to do the popular thing (see: ObamaFest 2008) but it takes real guts to be true to your principles and stand by them (see: Tebowmania 2011 and Andrew Breitbart).

    I know which folks I’d prefer to emulate, given the above examples, and I’m not going to be afraid to EVER say I’m a conservative. Ever.

    Thanks, Andrew.

  27. #327
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 9:28 am, ITookTheRedPill said:

    Yet so far, Michelle Malkin, Ed Morrissey, and Allahpundit have completely ignored it.

    Update: Ed Morrissey has weighed in… I may not agree with his perspective on this issue, but I respect him for at least acknowledging the press conference and the conclusions of Sheriff Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse:

    Arpaio: Obama birth certificate is a fraud
    posted at 9:15 am on March 2, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

  28. #328
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 9:35 am, RedDog said:
  29. #329
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 9:44 am, RedDog said:

    On March 2nd, 2012 at 3:07 am, DemocracyRules said:
    … Walking alone late at night outside his house Breitbart went from a casual walk to sudden cardiac arrest and death within a few minutes. Very few heart attacks happen this way.

    Given his importance and the unusual circumstances surrounding his death, a complete forensic toxicology work-up is mandatory. This is the perfect case to consider for a murder conspiracy. It ain’t going away until that is resolved. I would really be interested in chronicling any outside contacts with the LA Coroner’s office. Anyone work for the NSA?

    I will say that my brother and father both died of a sudden CI. Snap of the fingers death. It happens more often than you think. Davey Jones likely died the same way.

  30. #330
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 10:02 am, RedDog said:

    Matt Yglesias
    @mattyglesias
    …. The world outlook is slightly improved with @AndrewBrietbart dead.

    Hugh Hewitt interviews Yglesias regularly, at least he used to when I listened to his show in Jacksonville years ago. I thought this punk was a professional. Apparently not. Just another low brow 19th century marxist.

  31. #331
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 10:06 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    Update: Ed Morrissey has weighed in…

    …completely ignoring what the investigators said about the newspaper birth announcements, I might add.

    Ed scoffed at the investigators not having contacted the Hawaii DHS for the original documents. But, the investigators looked at what was available to them, and specifically say that the next steps involve getting court appointed forensic examiners to be given access to the original documents and microfilms.

    Ed… is part of the problem. He, Michelle, and others need to find their inner Breitbart.

  32. #332
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 10:26 am, happyscrapper said:

    On March 1st, 2012 at 9:35 pm, Flyoverman said:
    Happy,

    Have something to tell you the next time we are on.

    I’m on, Fly! Are you here?

  33. #333
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 10:36 am, happyscrapper said:

    On March 2nd, 2012 at 9:44 am, RedDog said:
    I will say that my brother and father both died of a sudden CI. Snap of the fingers death. It happens more often than you think. Davey Jones likely died the same way.

    As did my father. At age 59, one minute he was here, the next, he was in heaven. That fast. In fact, he and my mother were having dinner at the home of friends, one of whom was an EMT. He couldn’t do a thing. When it is your time, it is your time.

  34. #334
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 11:35 am, spaceycakes said:

    Psst…your hypocrisy is showing.

    Ha! A fool answering himself.

  35. #335
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 11:58 am, Irish Rose said:

    Cry me a river.

  36. #336
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:00 pm, Mister P said:

    Mister P:
    Slight correction. Went back to wikipedia, and saw that MM’s dad’s name is Apolo DeCastro, both Hispanic names. So it appears that her maternal grandmother was also Hispanic. Maybe MM would like to comment to clarify any confusion.

    My wife is also Filipino and she has a Spanish maiden name, since the Philippines were also conquered by Spain. Now she doesn’t think of herself as Hispanic. But I am wondering if she is just as much as someone may be from Mexico. I think we have an overlap between Asian and Hispanic.

  37. #337
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:21 pm, Ilovemycountry said:
  38. #338
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:24 pm, spaceycakes said:

    “Turning and turning in the widening gyre
    The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity…”
    –WB Yeats/The Second Coming

  39. #339
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:27 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:21 pm, Ilovemycountry said:

    Rot in he11, creep. You are one very sick bastard.

  40. #340
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:33 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    Ladies & Gentlemen: Please go back and read Flyoverman’s comment at #290. Andrew Breitbart would have loved to read this post.

    Thanks to all of you (not the trolls). It is a pleasure to learn from you and participate in reasoned, educated, and thoughtful discourse, sometimes even roughish humor (you know who you are).

    RIP ANDREW

  41. #341
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 1:40 pm, OneMonkeysUncle said:

    On March 2nd, 2012 at 9:44 am, RedDog said:
    Given his importance and the unusual circumstances surrounding his death, a complete forensic toxicology work-up is mandatory.

    Careful what you wish for…

  42. #342
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 2:01 pm, floridaobserver said:

    On March 2nd, 2012 at 12:24 pm, spaceycakes said:
    “….the centre cannot hold;
    …”
    –WB Yeats/The Second Coming

    I am stunned at Breitbart’s death. M:y first thought was assassination due to the tapes he was going to release to doom Obama’s reelection.

    Spacey….that line was in one of Obama’s first speeches. I can’t remember if it was at the Brandenburg Gate or if it was a State of the Union address. I thought…he’s quoting Yeats? Then I thought, oh, yeah, it’s from “The Second Coming”…
    a subliminal reference to him being the Messiah. Or it may have been a hidden message to his minions/co-conspiritors, etc. Meaning…”it won’t be long now…”

    I am so sorry that Andrew Breitart is gone. Deep condolences to his family.

  43. #343
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 2:16 pm, flameinhair said:

    I’m still in shock, we all know our ‘birth-date’, but we don’t know the day when we shall be ‘called Home.’
    GOD’s comfort/prayers goin’ out to his family/friends/fans, and anyone else who gives a damn about this Nation. We Shall Carry On!
    Rest In Peace Mr. Andy!

  44. #344
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 2:26 pm, spaceycakes said:

    floridaobserver said:

    that shows you how often I listen to that empty suit. How dare he use Yeats? I find the entire poem fearfully beautiful.

  45. #345
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 2:32 pm, lonestar said:

    Andrew’s passing is a major loss.
    RIP

  46. #346
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 2:52 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    If it’s any comfort, Spaceycakes, Obeyme does not understand the power of the words of Yeats, and he never will. Yes, that poem is fearfully beautiful!

  47. #347
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 4:19 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    …while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity…

    Very prophetic. Very ominous. Very true.

  48. #348
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 4:21 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    Irish Rose said:

    Cry me a river.

    That’s about what I’ll cry over you. /sarc /sarc /sarc

  49. #349
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 6:47 pm, Hiraghm said:

    Yeah, well, an education for Ed Morrissey;

    #1) Obama is not “President”; he’s not eligible.

    #2) The authenticity of the CoB is irrelevant. There is no disputation to the fact that his claimed father was not a citizen of the U.S. at the time of his birth. He’s not eligible.

  50. #350
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 7:50 pm, Paul-Cincy said:

    We talked about the renewed vigor with which the conservative movement was fighting back against Alinskyite tactics — especially the race card.

    That’s a key weapon of the Left — to wrongly call others racists. Race-baiting. They should be called out on it just as much as actual racism, the latter which IMHO is now much less prevalent than the former! These days, race-baiting is the more dangerous and toxic of the two. Racism is dead and dying. Race-baiting is alive and well, and in its ascendency. And we must fight it where we find it. Fighting racism is the last war. The current war is to fight race-baiting, where the Left are the race-baiters like Bull Connor was a racist 50 years ago. If they could only see the evil they’ve become. Their race-baiting is today’s evil.

  51. #351
    On March 2nd, 2012 at 10:09 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    Paul-Cincy @#350 – well said and totally accurate. Breitbart was a warrior IMO in this battle.

  52. #352
    On March 3rd, 2012 at 1:06 pm, DrJeff21 said:

    As stated in some of the other posts, this man was a true warrior. It is absolutely appalling that the left is so joyous over the death of a man and that there are now four children who are fatherless; but then again, when has the left ever really cared about children?

  53. #353
    On March 3rd, 2012 at 3:05 pm, DBNinKY said:

    He will be sorely missed.

    The exposure of ACORN, the positing of the idea that government officials struggle with the same negative foibles and shortcomings liberals ascribe to others, and the fact that ordinary citizens dedicated to freedom can make a difference in the public discourse have made Andrew Breitbart an exceptional American and his legacy a positive impact on this nation.

    My best to his family.

  54. #354
    On March 3rd, 2012 at 7:00 pm, ChapBix said:

    #353. On March 3rd, 2012 at 3:05 pm, DBNinKY said:

    He will be sorely missed.

    Yes, indeed, I for one will miss him even though we never met.

    His courage in telling the truth and exposing prominent and powerful politicians is greatly needed. Because of Andrew, we have a new generation of journalists and investigators to take his place. May his internet ventures continue and prosper mightily in his absence!

  55. #355
    On March 3rd, 2012 at 7:04 pm, ChapBix said:

    I was in a hotel room in another state when I first heard about his death. One of my first thoughts was that the left would quickly begin rejoicing in his early demise. It also occurred to me that he may have met with foul play at the hands of someone who did not want Andrew to reveal something damaging to a prominent politician.

  56. #356
    On March 3rd, 2012 at 7:24 pm, OK_Loyalist said:

    I just finished listening to Monica Crowley discussing her meeting Andrew, was a pleasantly touching story.

  57. #357
    On March 4th, 2012 at 1:41 am, OK_Loyalist said:

    CPAC Speech

    There are two paths! There are two paths! One is America, the other is Occupy! One is America, the other is Occupy! And I don’t care, and along the way… I’ve realized over the last three years that the Republican Party and the conservative movement is not what ABC, CBS and NBC put on the screen.

    They try to portray you in the worst possible light… and when I travel around the United States meeting people in the Tea Party who care — black, white, gay, straight — anyone that’s willing to stand next to me to fight the progressive left, I will be in that bunker, and if you’re not in that bunker ’cause you’re not satisfied with this candidate, more than shame on you. You’re on the other side.“

    That’s you Phil

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