"All these wonderful things indeed" - Jeffrey Ressner Responds

We wrote yesterday about the curious article by Jeffrey Ressner at Politico.  Seems Mr. Ressner didn't care for us questioning his journalistic bona fides.  Grab yourself a Hendricks and tonic and get ready for some grade A-minus outrage directed at yours truly:

"I'm reminded of that scene from Annie Hall, in which Woody Allen pulls Marshall McLuhan out from behind a movie theater standee to answer some dolt in line who is going on and on about McLuhan's theories.

To quote a line from that scene -- you know nothing of my work.

I usually don't waste my time answering hacks, but your entry today was so boneheaded and wrong and false that I have no choice but to address it.  I guess blogs are like assholes -- everybody's got one.

I was particularly struck by your statement: "Ressner never admits in the piece that he invited the hand-picked crew."

I never "admitted" it because it's not true. I didn't "invite" anyone to the movie. There was no "hand-picked crew."  The only thing that is even remotely accurate about this sentence is the spelling of my name (thanks, by the way, for that.)

The people quoted in my piece were not "my guests."  I came alone to the screening -- none of the people quoted in the piece were "brought" by me. As far as I know, they all purchased their tickets with their own money.  My "absolutely nonsensical piece of criticism" does not exist -- I interviewed the conservatives and the movie's director, then quoted a trade review and another comment about the film made by blogger Jeff Wells.

There are so many inaccuracies and falsehoods in your dumb blog posting that it would take me another half hour to go over them all, and life is too short.

My number is listed in the phone book. If you were any sort of honest writer or decent reporter, you could have called me up to ask me anything at all about my story and I would have been happy to answer your questions. You could have also emailed me, because I read the emails that are sent to me at my Politico email address linked in the story.

All these wonderful things indeed.  "What the hell is up with Jeffrey Ressner's article at Politico" you wrote. You could have asked me, but instead you decided to make things up and write an article based on your own imagination and zero facts.  Even your fucking headline is wrong, you ignorant tool."

I should stipulate that Mr. Ressner is correct on at least one point.  My sources (yes, I have them) agree that the Republican operatives in question had their tickets in hand as they waited outside the screening.  However, more than one person told me that the GOP'ers greeted Ressner when he arrived, he entered the screening with the group and they all sat together during the film.  All coincidental, I have no doubt.