Why Alan Pyke Ought to Resign – and Won't

Why Alan Pyke Ought to Resign – and Won't

by Alexander Marlow & Stephen K. Bannon 15 Aug 2014

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2014/08/15/Alan-Pyke-Roger-Ailes-Tweet-Resign-or-Be-Fired

On Thursday, Alan Pyke, an economics editor at Think Progress, the blog of the Center for American Progress, the liberal think-tank in Washington, tweeted out that he wished Fox News chief Roger Ailes would die a “slow, painful” death—“and soon.” Why? Because, in Pyke’s view, Ailes is “evil.” As Pyke explained it, referring to Ailes, “The evil that man has done to the American tapestry is unprecedented for an individual.”

A few hours later, after Breitbart News called him on his venomous tweet, Pyke deleted the tweet and apologized, sort of: as he wrote, “Deleting my hateful Roger Ailes tweet from earlier. Hoping that another human being dies is a shitty thing to do, and I'm sorry.”

But we might ask: Did Pyle personally apologize to Ailes for wishing him dead? Or did Pyke apologize for calling Ailes “evil?” The answer to both of those questions, of course, is “no.” Pyke did a little—make that very little—damage control. He deleted the tweet and then just said, “I’m sorry.”

As far as we can tell, Pyke is still on the payroll at CAP, still doing his thing. He has sent out some 30 tweets since his “I’m sorry,” mostly focused on the Ferguson, MO protests; he sure seems to be more of an activist than an economist. (Yes, it’s amazing what an economics editor at a liberal think tank can delve into.)

Well, that shouldn’t be the end of this story. There are a few more things—three things, in fact—that have to get settled.

First, let’s talk double standards. If a conservative, a moderate—anyone but a liberal—had tweeted out something like that, there’d be a suspension or even a firing. The most recent example is Sean Bergin, the New Jersey reporter whose un-PC opinions on the state of the black family, expressed on the air in July, cost him his job.

Second, let’s ask: Where is the accountability of the Center for American Progress? Let’s start with the President of CAP, Neera Tanden. Does she in any way have any responsibility here? As of publication, calls to her office have not been returned.

How about the board of directors of CAP, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright?

Do any of them feel any responsibility?

Also on the board of CAP is Tom Steyer, the green billionaire crusader. Steyer and another left-wing billionaire, George Soros, have given millions each. But in the meantime, is anyone holding them accountable for what one of their hirelings has to say?

And how about all the other donors to CAP, from the American Beverage Association to Wells Fargo? Any contrition on K Street?

And come to think of it, CAP is a tax-exempt outfit. So in effect, we’re all—all of us taxpayers—chipping in to subsidize Pyke’s hate.

Third, where are the usual watchdogs of civility? When a conservative gets out of line, outfits such as the Poynter Institute can be counted on to provide a tut-tut quote about “coarsening the culture,” etc. But when a good liberal from CAP does it, all we hear are crickets.

If nobody else will say it, we will: Alan Pyke ought to resign. And since he won’t, he should be fired. And until that happens, nobody in the CAP hierarchy—from Tanden, to Soros, to Steyer—should rest easy.

Fox News

Roger Ailes is the chairman & CEO for Fox News.

Note: Media Matters monitors Fox News.

Eric Alterman was a senior fellow at Media Matters, and is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Media Matters, and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and is the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Thomas F. Steyer is a director at the Center for American Progress.

Madeleine K. Albright is a director at the Center for American Progress.    

Michael S. Barr is a fellow at the Center for American Progress,            and was an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the Barack Obama administration.

Ronald W. Bloom is a fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was an assistant to the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Carol M. Browner is a senior fellow, director at the Center for American Progress, and was the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration.

William A. Burton is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was the deputy press secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Tom Daschle is the chairman for the Center for American Progress, was the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

 Ezekiel Emanuel is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Jocelyn C. Frye is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Michelle Obama’s Harvard Law school friend, and was the policy & projects director to Michelle Obama for the Barack Obama administration.

Austan D. Goolsbee is a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was the director Economic Recovery Board, council of economic advisers chairman for the Barack Obama administration.

Peter Ogden is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was a director for climate change & environmental policy, National Security staff for the Barack Obama administration.

John D. Podesta is the founder of the Center for American Progress, and a counselor for the Barack Obama administration.

Lawrence H. Summers is a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama administration, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Peter Swire is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was a

special assistant to the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Richard R. Verma is a fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was the assistant secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration.

Todd Stern was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and is the special envoy for climate change at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama administration.

Gene B. Sperling was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and is the assistant to the president for economic policy for the Barack Obama administration.

Dan Restrepo was a senior fellow; former Americas Project director at the Center for American Progress, and a special assistant to the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Jennifer M. Palmieri was an SVP at the Center for American Progress, and is a communications director, assistant to the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Esther M. Olavarria was a director of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, and is the deputy assistant secretary, homeland security for the Barack Obama administration.

Denis McDonough was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and is the chief of staff; former deputy national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Jeanne Lambrew was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and is the deputy assistant to the president for health policy for the Barack Obama administration.

Bradley J. Kiley was a VP for the Center for American Progress, and a director of management and administration for the Barack Obama administration.

Derek Douglas was an associate director of economic policy at the Center for American Progress, and a special assistant for urban affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Philip J. Crowley was a director of homeland security at the Center for American Progress, and an assistant secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration.

Cassandra Q. Butts was an SVP at the Center for American Progress, and the deputy White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration.

Melody C. Barnes was an EVP at the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Karen Kornbluh was a visiting scholar at the Center for American Progress, and a policy director for Barack Obama.