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| Breitbart takes centre stage as Donald Trump embraces the alt-right Breitbart takes centre stage as Donald Trump embraces the alt-right | |
| (4 months later) | |
| In Britain, rightwingers love to poke fun at the left for its myriad splits. In the United States, the major political splits are on the right. | In Britain, rightwingers love to poke fun at the left for its myriad splits. In the United States, the major political splits are on the right. |
| The latest manifestation is the so-called alt-right, a loose conglomeration of populist, nationalist, racist and conspiracist groupings that view themselves as an alternative to mainstream political conservatism. | The latest manifestation is the so-called alt-right, a loose conglomeration of populist, nationalist, racist and conspiracist groupings that view themselves as an alternative to mainstream political conservatism. |
| This fringe has replaced the tea party movement as the Republican party’s major rightwing bugbear. It has emerged into the media spotlight courtesy of Donald Trump following his appointment of one of alt-right’s supposed champions, Stephen Bannon, as chief executive of his campaign. | This fringe has replaced the tea party movement as the Republican party’s major rightwing bugbear. It has emerged into the media spotlight courtesy of Donald Trump following his appointment of one of alt-right’s supposed champions, Stephen Bannon, as chief executive of his campaign. |
| Bannon - a former adviser to Sarah Palin - chairs Breitbart News, which has the dubious honour of challenging Fox News’s status as America’s most influential conservative media outlet. | Bannon - a former adviser to Sarah Palin - chairs Breitbart News, which has the dubious honour of challenging Fox News’s status as America’s most influential conservative media outlet. |
| After Hillary Clinton denounced Trump last Thursday for cosying up to the alt-right by engaging Bannon, the New York Times ran a piece saying “Breitbart News has arrived”. | After Hillary Clinton denounced Trump last Thursday for cosying up to the alt-right by engaging Bannon, the New York Times ran a piece saying “Breitbart News has arrived”. |
| According to the article, the website “is now an increasingly powerful voice, and virtual rallying spot, for millions of disaffected conservatives” and on Facebook, it rivals the audiences for the Washington Post and Yahoo. | According to the article, the website “is now an increasingly powerful voice, and virtual rallying spot, for millions of disaffected conservatives” and on Facebook, it rivals the audiences for the Washington Post and Yahoo. |
| Known simply as Breitbart, the NY Times pointed to it being “an outsize source of controversy — for liberals and even many traditional conservatives — over material that has been called misogynist, xenophobic and racist.” | Known simply as Breitbart, the NY Times pointed to it being “an outsize source of controversy — for liberals and even many traditional conservatives — over material that has been called misogynist, xenophobic and racist.” |
| In a separate article, the paper said the site “gained prominence by breaking news about a series of scandals involving liberal politicians, bureaucrats and organisations, and by relentlessly pushing those stories.” It continued: | In a separate article, the paper said the site “gained prominence by breaking news about a series of scandals involving liberal politicians, bureaucrats and organisations, and by relentlessly pushing those stories.” It continued: |
| “The website is loathed by many liberals, moderates and establishment Republicans who say it stokes a partisan atmosphere and misleads readers in order to escalate what they see as non-issues.” | “The website is loathed by many liberals, moderates and establishment Republicans who say it stokes a partisan atmosphere and misleads readers in order to escalate what they see as non-issues.” |
| It was among the first news outlets to disseminate unsubstantiated rumours that Clinton has health problems. | It was among the first news outlets to disseminate unsubstantiated rumours that Clinton has health problems. |
| Last month, Milo Yiannopoulos, the site’s tech editor, was banned from Twitter after inspiring a sustained online harassment campaign against black actor Leslie Jones. | Last month, Milo Yiannopoulos, the site’s tech editor, was banned from Twitter after inspiring a sustained online harassment campaign against black actor Leslie Jones. |
| But, as the New York Times has argued, it is willingness of the site’s contributors to embrace viewpoints considered far outside the bounds of respectable political discourse that is the source of its success | But, as the New York Times has argued, it is willingness of the site’s contributors to embrace viewpoints considered far outside the bounds of respectable political discourse that is the source of its success |
| It is noticeable that various alt-right groups, such as white supremacist websites, link to Breitbart’s coverage. | It is noticeable that various alt-right groups, such as white supremacist websites, link to Breitbart’s coverage. |
| But there have been splits within Breitbart. In March this year, the Guardian reported on one major internal revolt when some of its writers resigned in protest at the company’s treatment of Michelle Fields. | But there have been splits within Breitbart. In March this year, the Guardian reported on one major internal revolt when some of its writers resigned in protest at the company’s treatment of Michelle Fields. |
| She was the Breitbart reporter who claimed to have been assaulted by Trump’s then campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. She complained that the company had not stood behind her, prompting several resignations from sympathetic colleagues, including editor-at-large Ben Shapiro. | She was the Breitbart reporter who claimed to have been assaulted by Trump’s then campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. She complained that the company had not stood behind her, prompting several resignations from sympathetic colleagues, including editor-at-large Ben Shapiro. |
| Other staff members quit on the grounds that “Bannon had turned a website founded on anti-authoritarian grounds into a de facto propaganda outlet for Mr Trump.” | Other staff members quit on the grounds that “Bannon had turned a website founded on anti-authoritarian grounds into a de facto propaganda outlet for Mr Trump.” |
| There is a London division, which was launched in February 2014. At the time it was headed by James Delingpole. Now the editor is Raheem Kassam, a former executive editor of The Commentator, which is linked to the neo-conservative Henry Jackson Society. | There is a London division, which was launched in February 2014. At the time it was headed by James Delingpole. Now the editor is Raheem Kassam, a former executive editor of The Commentator, which is linked to the neo-conservative Henry Jackson Society. |
| Among the London-based contributors have been Nigel Farage, Mary Ellen Synon and Katie Hopkins. | Among the London-based contributors have been Nigel Farage, Mary Ellen Synon and Katie Hopkins. |
| Clearly, Breitbart in Britain has yet to take centre stage as it has in the States. But the Brexit vote does suggest that its ideas have informed a constituency that, in so many ways, hold views similar to the legions who support Trump and, by extension, the alt-right. | Clearly, Breitbart in Britain has yet to take centre stage as it has in the States. But the Brexit vote does suggest that its ideas have informed a constituency that, in so many ways, hold views similar to the legions who support Trump and, by extension, the alt-right. |