Drama at Western CPAC 2009 Part 1 – John Ziegler vs David Keene (head of ACU)

John Ziegler speaking with David Keene, Head of the ACU (American Conservative Union)

So there were a few bits of drama at this years Western CPAC.  And for those who were aware of the recent “pay for play” controversy in which David Keene (the head of the American Conservative Union), you wouldn’t be surprised at what transpired when John Ziegler, a journalist who’s not afraid to ask tough questions gets an opportunity to interview Keene.   In addition, the fact that an afternoon panel of mostly bloggers and new media people was hijacked by someone who paid their way onto the panel drawing coincidental irony between the two incidents. I will address both stories briefly.

The first is the John Ziegler-David Keene Incident.  John has written an exclusive report over at Mediaite.com and has video footage of the actual incident in which he confronts David Keene over the pay for play allegations, his inaccurate statements about Sarah Palin and his support for the the former Republican senator Arlen Specter.  Keene doesn’t take too kindly to Ziegler’s tough questions and promptly walks out of the interview and what follows that is a series of incidents including Keene shouting profanities and physically threatening Ziegler, and then later mishandling the entire incident in an awkward yet compelling moment at CPAC by having Ziegler physically removed from the panel in which he was scheduled to speak.

For full context, be sure to read Ziegler’s comments before you watch these videos.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

My opinion is in agreement with John Ziegler on this one.  I’ve followed his work  for quite some time, as a local radio host here in the Los Angeles Area, to his famous documentary that came out after the 2008 election called “How Obama Got Elected”, to his extensive coverage and defense of the Palin family during the recent media trashing of Sarah Palin and her family. Yea, he can SEEM sensational and over the top, but if you think about it, he’s really one of the FEW journalists who’s willing to ask tough questions and take corruption to task wherever it exists.  I don’t know why hard-hitting journalists are always demonized.  They’re asking questions the people would like to know.   I admire courage and I appreciate John Ziegler’s work not only in this incident, but his past work as well.  David Keane is a powerful guy and NEEDED to be taken to task over this issue.  To put things in context, I suggest you read this piece in 2003 from National Review which goes into detail about Keene’s past as a lobbyist and why he is BAD for the future of conservatism.

Also for perspective, read Ed Morrissey’s take on the whole deal. He was also there. I tend to agree with Ed’s point:

From my perspective, the only thing John did that crossed any kind of line was when he followed Keene into the speaking hall — where Keene was obviously trying to run away — and he had to be asked to stop repeatedly to keep from disrupting one of the panels.

That being said though,  John was right and for the sake of the future of the conservative movement, David Keene needs to step down.

Read on to Part 2 of the Drama at Western CPAC

Related posts:

1. Drama at Western CPAC 2009 Part 2 – Ed Morrissey ambushed on stage
2. My Experience at Western CPAC 2009
3. Western CPAC reaction link roundup
4. Blog Row at Western CPAC 2009
5. An Interview with “Torture Memos” author John Yoo
6. David Horowitz: Leftist monopoly in Journalism
7. Video: Sarah Palin Oprah Interview
8. Video: John Bolton endorses McCain, Fred Thompson follows
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10. NY Times journalist David Rohde taken hostage by Taliban in Afghanistan